Applications of laser scanning

Laser scanning is the fastest and most efficient technology for obtaining high-accuracy, and high-precision three-dimensional models of various objects.

LIDAR SYSTEMS PRODUCTS 

Due to its high performance, accuracy, precision, ease of use, integration possibilities with different types of cameras and other devices, airborne, terrestrial and mobile laser scanning are used in completely different areas of industry.

Applications

List of the most popular areas of use of terrestrial, airborne and mobile laser scanning data and digital panoramic and aerial photography.

 

Engineering survey

The most accurate, precise and efficient detailed and fastest methods of field measurements.

Topographic maps and plans serve as the basis for the design, construction and reconstruction of capital constructions, creating of geoinformation systems, integrated engineering and economic assessment, management and operation.

Airborne and mobile laser scanning are used to collect geospatial information about the terrain to solve problems of mapping large, lengthy, including hard-to-reach areas such as mountains, forests or wetlands.

The results of laser scanning data processing can be digital topographic maps and plans, digital elevation models, digital terrain models, orthophoto maps, various raster geospatial models and other derived materials in different coordinate systems.

Education

Training of young specialists in the fields of geodesy and cartography. The development of technologies in fields of GNSS and inertial navigation, laser measuring instruments and photogrammetry has given impetus to the creation of new mobile mapping systems (ground and airborne), capable of repeatedly increasing the productivity while surveying various objects. The advantages of using such systems are completeness, accuracy, precision, detail and high speed of data acquisition.

The introduction of modern mobile mapping in the production process can significantly increase the efficiency of organizations in areas related to the using of geospatial data.

The development of the described technologies by modern companies requires appropriate training of personnel. For this purpose, the specialists of AGM Systems company conduct lectures, training seminars and practical classes on working with geospatial data for solving a wide range of tasks.

A number of our courses are used to prepare students for the leading educational institutions in the South of Russia. Young specialists in obtaining a diploma already have the knowledge that gives them competitive advantages in finding a job and career prospects.

Ecology

Remote sensing technologies for environmental monitoring

Modern set of equipment and technologies for laser scanning (airborne/mobile/terrestrial), in addition to traditional spheres of practical application, such as topographic surveying and DEM, is increasingly used in environmental monitoring.

Lidars are already used to control the dynamics of water surfaces of hydraulic structures such as reservoirs, fish-breeding and technological ponds, irrigation systems and sludge accumulators, monitoring the change in river beds, detecting forest felling with the determination of quantity, rock composition and volume of wood in the presence of retrospective data, in calculating the height of emissions and dispersion of pollutants in the atmosphere, as well as for monitoring of the sanitary protection zone by large industrial enterprises.

Laser scanning technologies are used in calculating the volumes of mining operations by the open method, the degree of filling of solid waste landfills and the volume of waste in illegal landfills.

Cadastre

Cadastral works on a completely different level.

The basis for cadastral work is topographic plans of the territory. Using the airborne survey data, mobile laser scanning and panoramic photography can reduce time and labour costs for building digital models of the surveyed territory.

Thanks to the using of modern technologies of GNSS and inertial navigation, it is possible to prepare engineering, topographic and situational plans of any accuracy in the required coordinate system.

High performance is especially important when working with long linear objects, such as roads and railways, electric and gas supply networks, etc.

Forestry

Remote sensing for forest monitoring

Airborne and terrestrial laser scanning provide fast, accurate, precision and detailed digital terrain models, these also include the hard to reach ones, for subsequent mapping of vegetation cover and for conducting a set of accompanying measurements (tree heights, the diameter of trunks at any height, crown area, biomass, etc.) by non-contact automated methods. Integration of these technologies into forestry will ensure reliable, accurate and highly effective monitoring of forestry and use of forest resources.

All works are carried out in a single coordinate system, the data obtained can form the basis for various sectoral geographic information systems. Significant reduction in the volume of fieldwork, the transfer of analytical processes to desktop conditions in conjunction with high productivity of modern remote sensing techniques make using of laser scanning technologies the most cost-effective solution when working with large forest areas.

Mine surveying

Airborne laser scanning with UAV opens up new possibilities for measurements in mine surveying

Unlike terrestrial long-range laser scanners or traditional geodetic methods, the using of UAV in addition to higher performance has several additional advantages:

  • There is no need for navigation of the subject of research for finding optimal scan points or for traditional geodetic measurements.
  • The points from which it is possible to survey using ground methods may be difficult to access or not at all. For the UAV, there are no such restrictions, which is the reason why it is highly recommended.
  • For one day one can completely survey the object, process the data and get the measurement results. This, for example, can be the number of rocks detected on the ground.
  • The airborne laser scanner can be used in harmful production situations when the location of ground personnel at the facility is hazardous to health.

A wide variety of multi-copters, unmanned planes and helicopters allow you to select a drone for the requirements of a particular customer. Airborne laser scanner for UAV AGM-MS3 can operate completely autonomously for several hours, so it is possible to easily survey any object of interest.

Roads

Road management is impossible without actual and accurate information about roads condition. Inventory and diagnostics of highways and artificial structures is an important part of the complex of works that allow to effectively manage the road economy. For effective planning of works on maintenance and repair of roads, it is very necessary to have up-to-date and complete information about them: the place of passage, the extent, availability of road structures and their condition.

The most suitable technology for obtaining these data is the application of mobile laser scanning and panoramic photography. Their advantages include completeness of the data, high accuracy and precision, reliability and speed of surveys. For only a single day of work, mobile mapping scanning system can survey hundreds of kilometres of roads thereby saving one a lot of time.

An important component of the technology is obtaining information about roads and facilities on it not only with reference to a linear kilometre. Each object has precisely measured three-dimensional coordinates in a single coordinate system. Data obtained by mobile laser scanning can be used later by design organizations.

State management

Effective management based on accurate data

From the effectiveness of management of infrastructure facilities at the municipal and state levels, the quality of people’s lives, the attractiveness of the territory for investment and, as a consequence, further economic and social development, directly depends.

When making managerial decisions, it is necessary to have up-to-date and reliable information about the objects of infrastructure and financial accounting.

Usually, the tasks of collecting, storing and processing this information are most conveniently solved with using the geoinformation systems of the appropriate level. The foundation of such systems is the topographic basis of territory, the most effective method of obtaining which is application of mobile, terrestrial and airborne mapping technologies.