Fyfe has recently taken possession of a new, high-powered LiDAR unit to further support our survey work across sectors and around the country.
Imported from France, and one of very few of its kind in Australia, Fyfe’s YellowScan Mapper+ allows us to generate incredibly detailed 3D models of terrain, vegetation, buildings, and infrastructure.
Since receiving the LiDAR unit, we have already put it to good use for several of our clients, with the result being significant time savings and improved 3D data visualisation and interpretation.
About LiDAR
LiDAR stands for Light Detection and Ranging. An advanced remote sensing method, LiDAR uses light in pulsed laser form to measure and capture precise information about the surface of the ground and any objects (manmade or natural) on that surface.
Fyfe’s LiDAR unit is mounted to one of our unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) and flown over the client’s requested survey area. As the airborne laser passes over the ground, it emits a powerful beam of light that is then reflected back to the unit. The unit’s in-built sensor records the reflected light to measure the topographical range.
The Mapper+ allows us to capture between 170-340 data points per square metre, an impressive amount of information. These range measurements are then combined with geographical position and orientation data to generate a highly detailed map of elevation points, known as a point cloud.
Within the point cloud, each individual point carries exact coordinates for both position and height. One benefit of LiDAR technology is accuracy, Fyfe’s Mapper+, for instance, boasts an accuracy range of +/- 30mm. Once we have generated the point clouds, Fyfe’s geospatial experts can use the information they contain to create other survey collateral including canopy, digital elevation, and building models.
Because it is flown closer to the ground than other aerial survey technologies, the LiDAR unit can collect a higher density of data, which increases the amount of detailed information we can capture.
Unlike photogrammetry, another technology we employ on a regular basis, LiDAR offers a greater amount of depth information. This level of detail is essential for certain projects, such as providing power companies with information about vegetation along power lines.
When combined with photogrammetry as part of our reality capture services, LiDAR data collection offers a highly useable and readable data set that covers all bases.
Advanced surveying technologies enable better business decision-making
With the help of cutting-edge surveying technologies, we can offer our clients more information faster, no matter how remote the site. Modern surveying tools such as drones and LiDAR units, combined with our team’s geospatial expertise, mean our clients gain complete insight into their sites and holdings, insights which ultimately enable better business decision-making.
To talk with a member of the team about your next survey project and whether LiDAR is the right choice, please contact us.
