Bluesky Aerial Mapping Makes a Flying Start to 2016

Aerial survey specialist Bluesky, UK, has announced the start of the 2016 flying season. Following a cold start to meteorological spring, warmer temperatures and below-average precipitation has allowed Bluesky to mobilise its dedicated fleet of aerial survey aircraft on more than 50 occasions. This start to the 2016 flying season has seen the capture of more than 20,000 square kilometres – equivalent to the size of Wales. In addition to aerial photography, Bluesky’s survey planes have also been capturing data for the creation of detailed 3D height models and colour infrared imagery. The 22,500 square kilometres, an area larger than... (read more)

2016-05-24 09:49:34

From Aerial Camera Manufacturing to 3D Mapping

Facing a huge challenge after the sale of its aerial camera-manufacturing business and the end of its largest contract, Belgium-based CICADE decided to focus on oblique aerial photography and 3D city modelling. Pierre Louis founded CICADE in 1985. For over 15 years, CICADE followed the normal path of aerial survey companies, reaching a significant milestone in 1994 with a contract to aerially map the whole Walloon region (over 17,000km2) at a scale of 1:1000. Oblique and vertical images (GSD 5cm) of Cherbourg, France, captured in July 2011; visualisation with Oblivision viewer. The last decade saw the ‘digital revolution’ bring fundamental... (read more)

2012-11-22 12:14:28

UK Rail Network Aerial Mapping Project Nears Completion

The British company NM Group is nearing completion on an aerial mapping project of unparalleled scale and accuracy, covering more than 16,000km of the UK's rail network. In 2014 NM Group was engaged to map the rail assets with a mix of high-tech laser measurement and imaging equipment. This was part of a groundbreaking project to improve asset maintenance, operational effectiveness, efficiency and safety. Using a mix of specially commissioned Lidar and high-resolution multi-angle cameras mounted on helicopters, NM Group carried out aerial operations and ground control activities over a four-month period, completing before the winter set in. The survey... (read more)

2015-11-25 09:11:18

IntraSearch Initiates an Aerial Orthophoto Mapping Project for the CVAG

IntraSearch, Inc. (CO, USA) is completing aerial orthographic imaging of 510 square miles for the Coachella Valley Association of Governments (CVAG) located in Palm Desert, California (USA). CVAG was formed in 1973 under California's Joint Powers Law to address issues of valley-wide significance. CVAG serves a population of approximately 395,000 people and such cities as Desert Hot Springs, Palm Springs, Cathedral City, Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, Indian Wells, La Quinta, Indio, Coachella, and unincorporated Riverside County. In 2003 CVAG formed the Coachella Valley Data Consortium (CVDC) for the purpose of obtaining aerial photography and other data of valley-wide importance. The... (read more)

2005-11-17 12:00:00

First Aerial Mapping Firm Purchases New Leica ADS100 Technology

North West Geomatics, based in Calgary, Canada, is the first aerial mapping firm to purchase the new Leica ADS100 digital pushbroom camera technology. Under the agreement, Leica Geosystems is upgrading six of North West’s existing Leica ADS80 cameras to the new ADS100 model. In addition, North West will perform a series of flight tests on a Leica ADS100 beta unit and enhance the jointly developed Leica XPro workflow to ingest and process image data from the new camera. North West Geomatics has provided digital remote sensing, aerial photography, and Lidar services to the North American market since 1968. An owner... (read more)

2013-04-04 09:11:21

Bluesky Begins Night-time Aerial Photo Mapping Trials

Aerial survey specialist Bluesky is to conduct trials of the world’s first integrated night-time mapping system combining a specially adapted camera with Bluesky’s Lidar and thermal imaging sensors. It is hoped the trials will produce essential data to help combat light pollution and energy wastage and to help manage urban habitats. The resulting map-accurate images will be a useful tool for managing street lighting operations and maintenance and as a resource for tackling energy inefficiency. Light pollution impacts all of us in many ways, commented James Eddy Bluesky’s technical director and industrial associate at the University of Leicester, from a... (read more)

2014-02-10 08:30:00

Phase One Introduces 190MP Aerial Mapping System

Phase One has launched a major innovation in aerial imaging: the 190MP Aerial System. It is built on the new, dual-CMOS sensor, dual-lens iXU-RS1900 camera, which is capable of capturing images at 190 megapixels. This system was designed with input from engineers and leading experts in the photogrammetric field to address a wide variety of challenging aerial applications, such as remote sensing, monitoring, inspection and disaster management. The new system features large image coverage, a light weight and low power consumption, presenting an attractive alternative to other traditionally expensive large-format cameras. At the heart of the fully integrated 190MP Aerial System... (read more)

2017-09-19 04:30:08

Getmapping Teams Up with New Zealand Aerial Mapping

Getmapping has teamed up with New Zealand Aerial Mapping (NZAM) in an arrangement which enables both companies to share resources and equipment to increase their flying and aerial survey capabilities. Getmapping has ambitious plans for the UK flying season in 2009 including the completion of its aerial survey of Scotland and a new survey of Wales. Thanks to this tie up with NZAM Getmapping has up to four aircraft at its disposal for UK surveys during the 2009 flying season. Flying in the UK like New Zealand is fraught with difficulty because of the weather patterns and lack... (read more)

2009-05-04 04:04:17

Aerial Mapping Project on Impact of Vegetation on Electricity Network

In the UK, Bluesky has completed a multi-million pound aerial mapping project to assess the impact of vegetation on the electricity network of East Anglia and the South East of England. Working on behalf of UK Power Networks, Bluesky undertook what is reportedly the largest ever combined laser mapping and aerial photography survey commissioned by an electricity distribution network operator in the UK – comprising some 34,000 square kilometres. The laser-mapped (Lidar) data and aerial photographs were then analysed to assess the proximity of vegetation to the overhead power lines in order to create a proactive three-year vegetation management programme. Bluesky... (read more)

2015-10-08 09:15:41

The Relevance of Aerial Mapping in 2019 and Beyond

Modern Mapping Systems and Techniques

Reality 3D models, Lidar points clouds, superhigh-resolution aerial imagery and artificial intelligence from aerial imagery… these are just a few of the products derived from aerial mapping that the GIS sector takes for granted in 2019. Despite the plethora of high-resolution Earth observation satellites and the exponentially increasing impact of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs or 'drones') on the aerial mapping sector, most large and medium-scale ‘topographic’ or GIS map data is still derived from manned aircraft, whether fixed-wing or rotary. But the multitude of systems and processes can make selecting the correct aerial mapping technology a complicated and confusing process.... (read more)

2019-04-12 11:38:08