Lidar

This issue of GIM is largely devoted to emergent Lidar technology. We have a feature on 3D-visualisation of Lidar data co-authored by new contributing editor Dr Bharat Lohani of IIT Kanpur India, and no fewer than two product surveys, one on Airborne Lidar Systems, the other on Lidar software. Two regular features, Technology in Focus and Company’s View, this month address processing the product of Lidar survey, point-clouds. Lidar is without doubt a most successful data-acquisition technique. As an acronym of Light Detection and Ranging - some prefer to read Lidar as Laser Imaging Detection And Ranging - the term... (read more)

2007-01-19 12:00:00

Airborne Lidar

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2017-01-05 08:56:47

LiDAR Compressor

LizardTech has released the LizardTech LiDAR Compressor. This product enables users to turn giant point cloud data into efficient MrSID files that retain 100% of the raw data at just 25% of the file size. Unlike raw LAS or ASCII data, LiDAR files compressed to MrSID are easily managed resources from which derivatives can be extracted over and over again. One of the key features of LiDAR Compressor is its ability to reduce LiDAR file sizes by 75% while retaining all of the points and all of the point precision and accuracy of the original file. If users... (read more)

2009-07-14 09:49:29

Lidar: Organising the Unorganised

A Lidar sensor generates hundreds of millions of XYZ coordinates in a few hours. From this massive number of sampled points one wants to reconstruct surfaces Lidar points are described as being ‘unorganised’; they form clouds. How to convert the unorganised into the organised Lidar has gained widespread recognition as the main source for the reconstruction of real-world surfaces. Its many applications include the creation of accurate Digital Elevation Models (DEM) and 3D-city models for planning purposes. It offers benefits for planning, design, inspection and maintenance of infrastructure. Dunes, beaches, dykes and floodplains can be captured accurately and with a... (read more)

2007-01-19 12:00:00

Lidar Rectification Software

OLMS V1.0 (Optech Lidar Mapping Suite V1.0) is a new software package for Optech ALTM Airborne Laser Terrain Mapper clients. It enables users to maximise lidar accuracies over large project areas in a production environment. Incorporating batch-mode processing capability, OLMS V1.0 automates production processing of multi-mission data collections, and includes multi-threaded and distributed processing capabilities to increase processing efficiency even further. "Optimising lidar data accuracies by minimising flight-line to flight-line variations is a standard workflow process," says Michael Sitar, Optech's Airborne Products Manager. "As manufacturers, we have the unique ability to incorporate our proprietary lidar sensor optical models, thus enabling... (read more)

2010-04-19 11:37:19

Swedish Lidar Project

New Nationwide Elevation Model

Airborne Lidar is being used to establish a new national elevation model of the entire territory of Sweden (450,000km2), one point per two m2. The project, spanning 2009 to 2013, is the responsibility of two internationally operating Scandinavian geospatial product service providers: Blom, headquartered in Oslo, Norway, and Denmark-based COWI. The authors discuss specifications, status and challenges posed by this large-scale, long-term project. Appointed in June 2005 by the Swedish Government to assess the impact of global climate change on Swedish society, the ‘Commission on Climate and Vulnerability’ revealed its recommendations in 2007. Climate change will entail rising sea levels,... (read more)

2011-02-03 04:02:29

Lidar Technology in India

Dominant Trend at MapWorld Forum 2007

Lidar technology emerged as the dominant trend at Map World Forum 2007, attracting keen interest among stakeholders. While Lidar and aerial photo capture may be enjoying a large and increasing international market, in India no company has been forthcoming with investment for fear of burning its fingers; government policy on aerial data collection has been unclear. However, it seems all lights are now turning green for a private sector eager to conduct aerial survey here. Lidar was allotted a full afternoon at MapWorld Forum 2007, while all major Lidar-sensor manufacturers exhibited products and several Lidar-service companies participated. There were no... (read more)

2007-04-17 12:00:00

International Lidar Projects

LiDAR Services International (LSI, Canada) has announced the start up of two international Lidar projects one in Costa Rica and the other in the Dominican Republic. The project in Costa Rica is a large (+750 km) transmission line full thermal rating project for I.C.E. the government electrical utility company. LSI mobilised the HELIX-1 LiDAR system to San José Costa Rica for installation on a Bell helicopter operated by Air Costa Rica. Besides collecting Lidar data, high resolution downward digital imagery, forward video, and real time meteorological data will also be collected to support the range of deliverables required by the... (read more)

2008-01-16 10:27:01

Taiwanese Lidar Project

Getting Prepared for Flooding

Nearly three-quarters of the territory of Taiwan and 95% of its population are exposed to frequent natural hazard. In the aftermath of typhoon Morakot that scourged Southern Taiwan on 8th and 9th August 2009, causing the worst flooding in a century, the authorities realised that the country was dreadfully lacking in detailed, accurate and current elevation data, as well as aerial imagery covering the entire territory (36,000km2). In response, a national mapping programme spanning 2010 to 2015 was launched with the aim of simultaneously capturing the entire country by airborne Lidar and digital imagery. The authors discuss specifications, status and... (read more)

2011-07-25 04:07:49

Velodyne Live Lidar Demos

Velodyne Lidar (USA) is displaying its latest in sensor technology, the HDL-32E, on Stand 39 at the 2011 SPAR international conference being held this week at the Waterway Marriott Hotel and Convention Center in Houston (TX, USA). Visitors to the show can see the HDL-32E in action at the Mobile Scanning and Mapping Demo being held in the circular driveway of the convention centre. The HDL-32E is a small, lightweight and rugged sensor designed to meet the demand for 3D mapping applications and autonomous navigation. It features 32 lasers across a 40° vertical Field of View (FOV) and generates... (read more)

2011-03-22 09:25:17