Category: Lidar

Harris Offers Geiger-Mode Lidar Sensor

Harris Corporation has developed a commercially available Geiger-mode lidar sensor. The Harris IntelliEarth Geospatial Solutions Geiger-Mode LiDAR sensor will provide customers with the ability to collect high-quality, wide-area elevation data faster and more affordably than before, Harris said.

Additionally, the company’s fully automated, high-volume production capabilities allow for rapid processing of large amounts of raw sensor data and automates quality control. Thousands of square kilometers of data can be processed in a few hours.

Harris is applying technology and processing methods it has perfected over the past 15 years in support of the U.S. Department of Defense to deliver superior, LiDAR-based data and derived products to commercial users at cost-effective prices, the company said.

With 10 times the collection speed and resolution of today’s best traditional lidar sensors, the Geiger-Mode lidar sensor makes wide area collections affordable for the first time.

March 2, 2015
ASPRS Releases New Accuracy Standards for Digital Geospatial Data

The American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ASPRS) has released new Positional Accuracy Standards for Digital Geospatial Data. The PDF is available here.

The new ASPRS accuracy standards fill a critical need for map users and map makers alike. For centuries, map scale and contour interval have been used as an indication of map accuracy. Users want to know how accurately they can measure different things on a map, and map makers want to know how accurate maps need to be in order to satisfy user requirements. Those contracting for new maps depend on some form of map accuracy standard to evaluate the tradeoff between the accuracy required vs. how much time and expense are justified in achieving it, and then to describe the accuracy of the result in a uniform way that is reliable, defensible, and repeatable, ASPRS explains in a statement.

The new ASPRS standards address recent innovations in digital imaging and non-imaging sensors, airborne GPS, inertial measurement units (IMU) and aerial triangulation (AT) technologies. Unlike prior standards, the new standards are independent of scale and contour interval, they address higher levels of accuracies achievable by the latest technologies (such as unmanned aerial systems and LiDAR mobile mapping systems), and they provide enough flexibility to be applicable to future technologies as they are developed. Finally, the new standards provide cross references to older standards, as well as detailed guidance for a wide range of potential applications.

No prior U.S. accuracy standard comprehensively addresses the current state of mapping technology, which is why the new ASPRS standards were developed. The National Map Accuracy Standards (NMAS), developed in 1947, are still used because they are simple, but there is no scientific correlation between those standards and current mapping methodologies.

The ASPRS 1990 Standards were an improvement over NMAS; however, they did not do well in representing the capabilities of LiDAR, orthoimagery, digital mapping cameras or other current technologies in wide-spread use today.

The National Standard for Spatial Data Accuracy (NSSDA) is a reporting standard that references the old ASPRS 1990 standards and is cross-referenced in the new ASPRS standards. NSSDA provides no accuracy thresholds and does not by itself provide any new or updated guidance on how to select or specify an appropriate accuracy for intended applications.

The new ASPRS standards were developed by the ASPRS Map Accuracy Standards Working Group, a joint committee under the Photogrammetric Applications Division, Primary Data Acquisition Division and LiDAR Division, which was formed for the purpose of reviewing and updating ASPRS map accuracy standards to reflect current technologies. A subcommittee of this group, consisting of Qassim Abdullah, David Maune, Doug Smith, and Hans Karl Heidemann, was responsible for drafting the document.

Draft versions of the standard underwent extensive review, both within ASPRS as well as through public review by other key geospatial mapping organizations, prior to final approval by the ASPRS Board of Directors on November 17, 2014.

March 2, 2015
Agency9 Brings WebGL Streaming of 3D Cities to iOS and Android

Agency9, a provider of online 3D visualization, is extending its 3DMaps WebGL support to iOS and Android devices. Large, highly detailed 3D city models can now be streamed to web browsers on both tablets and smartphones with both high performance and visual quality, the company said.

Mobile support substantially improves reach in GIS and planning applications, Agency9 said. Using WebGL and HTML5 improves usability with plugin-free viewing of 3D directly in a web browser, eliminating the need to download and install dedicated apps.

Most WebGL 3D solutions on the market are pure “model viewers,” limited to show a CAD model and its closest surroundings or simple untextured LOD 1,2 models. Agency9 3DMaps is capable of smoothly visualizing large scale terrain and detailed textured building models on a national or global basis. For example, huge photorealistic 3D models created with tools such as Smart3DCapture by Acute3D, recently acquired by Bentley Systems, can now be published online using WebGL without limitation in size or resolution, the company said.

Agency9 3DMaps supports common 3D scenery in common GIS formats (including ArcGIS and CityGML) and is also validated with output from tools as Smart3DCapture, PhotoScan from AgiSoft, and StreetFactory from Airbus Defence and Space, as well as LiDAR/imagery tools from TerraSolid.

The Agency9 3DMaps developer platform enables the customization of portals as well as integration into existing applications to leverage ubiquitous support for streaming large 3D data to users across all formats including tablet, mobile, Windows and MacOS.

Rendering substantial 3D data sets in the browser using 3DMaps with advanced gaming effects such as ambient occlusion, real time sun and shadows, and god rays ensures the finest realism and user experience, the company said. 3DMaps also supports integration of spatial data and databases for intelligent models and visualisation of statistics. Visit the 3DMaps developer portal at http://developer.agency9.com.

Mobile support will also be available in Agency9 CityPlanner, the cloud service for creating and sharing 3D project information and citizen dialogues in urban development. Smart Cities can more easily reach citizens and stakeholders on the web with interactive visualisation of projects in 3D. An example of a large project model created in ESRI CityEngine and visualized in the huge photorealistic 3D scene above.

Photos: Agency9

March 2, 2015
TerraGo Partners with RazorTek on TerraGo Edge

TerraGo is partnering with RazorTek, a GIS and remote-sensing consulting firm specializing in design, development and automation of complex systems for spatial data display and analysis. RazorTek will deploy TerraGo Edge for customers looking to replace GPS handhelds with a mobile app that integrates directly with Esri’s ArcGIS.

“We see a great opportunity to help our customers utilize TerraGo Edge for field data collection on their smartphones and tablets,” said Dan Rodriguez, CEO, RazorTek. “The nice thing about TerraGo Edge is that it replaces proprietary GPS handhelds with a simple mobile solution at a fraction of the cost, and it works seamlessly with Esri ArcGIS out of the box.”

“RazorTek is an industry expert for deploying advanced remote sensing and GIS solutions,” said John Timar, vice president, TerraGo. “TerraGo Edge gives the RazorTek team a cost-effective mobile solution that can deliver cm-level accuracy or whatever the RazorTek customer needs, while leveraging their existing ArcGIS investment.”

RazorTek is an authorized reseller of TerraGo products and also offers a range of geospatial technology software and services including GIS services, aerial photography, satellite imagery and LiDAR.

February 24, 2015
Routescene Showcases 3D LiDAR at ILMF in Denver

The Routescene LidarPod 3D mapper, a self-contained turnkey solution new to the market, is being showcased for the first time in the United States at the International Lidar Mapping Forum in Denver, Colo., Feb. 23-25. Routescene is based in Edinburgh, United Kingdom.

The flexible LidarPod was developed for use on unmanned aerial vehicles, but can also be fitted onto any mobile platform such as a car or boat. The flexibility makes it attractive for many sectors and situations where accurate mapping is essential but difficult to achieve, enabling surveys to be conducted in areas that previously would not have been considered, Routescene said.

The technology offers a non-intrusive method to obtain detailed and precise geo-referenced 3D datasets, Routescene said. LidarPod 3D can be used for 3D mapping; powerline inspection; scoping, planning and management of mines; forestry design, management and operation; large-scale topographic surveys; and city planning and management.

Routescene LidarPod costs less than a vehicle-based mobile mapping system, Routescene said. The turnkey solution includes LidarViewer, specially developed software to turn the raw data into valuable business information. It enables users to convert, analyze and filter huge volumes of point cloud data to improve productivity and workflow. Powerful filters enable users to extract relevant data for use in third party software, such as GIS and CAD packages, which are unable to cope with such large data volumes.

Routescene can be found at booth 65 at ILMF.

February 23, 2015
LizardTech Updates GeoViewer Imagery Viewer for Windows

LizardTech, a provider of software solutions for managing and distributing geospatial content, has released an updated version of its GeoViewer and GeoViewer Pro for Windows application.

The application allows users to view MrSID and JPEG 2000 imagery and includes broad file format support.

GeoViewer is available as a free application enabling users to display raster imagery, LiDAR point clouds and vector overlays. New features include the ability to connect to online base maps, combine local data with web map service (WMS) and JPIP sources, export imagery, save projects, and includes advanced display options such as dynamic range adjustment.

GeoViewer Pro is available for $50 and allows access to additional functionality, including support for printing, additional projection systems and advanced area measurement tools.

February 18, 2015
Global Mapper v16.1 Introduces 3D and UAV Video Playback Tools

Global Mapper version 16.1, what Blue Marble terms an “interim release,” adds a UAV Video Playback Tool, new options to rotate the map view, and the ability to select and measure features in the 3D viewer. It is available for download.

To introduce the new version, Blue Marble is presenting a free webinar titled “What’s New in Global Mapper v16.1” on February 19 at 2 p.m. EDT.

The release includes a variety of updates to both the Global Mapper base product and the optional LiDAR Module. A new video playback tool allows users to play a video derived from the flight of an aircraft or UAV. The playback option displays a video file synced to any line feature with per-vertex times, fly-through lines or point features with recognized timestamp attributes.

Version 16.1 of Global Mapper also offers the option to rotate the map view as needed, allowing the user to more clearly visualize any spatial data with a unique alignment. The automatic “Track Up” mode works when connected to a GPS device and rotates the map view based on the current GPS heading. The new release also introduces the ability to select vector features with the Digitizer tool in the 3D Viewer. This functionality links the 2D and 3D maps, allowing users the option to pan, zoom, measure, and add vector data in one viewer while automatically replicating actions and updating features in the other. The right-click menu enables users to perform many Digitizer operations on the selected features in the 3D window.

Single-user license upgrades for version 15 are available for $169; upgrades are also available for USB dongles and network licenses. To purchase a dongle or network license upgrade, contact sales at [email protected].

February 5, 2015
LiDAR Mapping Forum Considers Geospatial Trends, UAVs
The International LiDAR Mapping Forum, set for February 23-25 in Denver, is a technical conference and exhibition focused on data acquisition, fusion, processing and point clouds for aerial surveying and mapping used to support transport, urban modeling, coastal zone mapping, utility asset management, and more.

Geospatial Technology Trends. ILMF is considered by many the premier conference for the latest geospatial technological developments, from innovations in photogrammetry to advances in aerial LiDAR systems. Attendees can explore an international exhibition of leading hardware and software suppliers showing their newest releases, and attend sessions where more than 60 experts will present best practices and case studies for cutting-edge technologies such as:
- Geiger-Mode LiDAR
- Focal Plane Array (FPA) LiDAR
- Mobile Mapping Systems (MMS)
- Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
Focus on UAVs. This year, ILMF features a UAV workshop and pavilion, where industry leaders discuss the current regulatory landscape and legal guidelines, UAVs versus aerial LiDAR, training and insurance considerations and more. Additional program content will cover topics like “Does Camera Quality Matter in sUAS Photography?” and “LiDAR Scanning with Supplementary UAV Captured Images for Structural Inspections.”

Other topics covered at the conference include:
- Data fusion
- Extracting from point clouds
- Managing large data sets/point clouds
- Airborne, terrestrial and bathymetric LiDAR
- Coastal zone, defense and flood plain LiDAR
- Corridor and utilities mapping
- Data classification, GIS
Organizers say participants can gain much from networking with and gaining valuable information from other precision-measurement and imaging professionals across disciplinary lines. Attendance at ILMF 2015 is expected to exceed 800, and will include professionals from these organizations who have already registered:
- AECOM
- American Transmission Co
- BAE Systems
- Ball Aerospace
- BNSF Railway
- Bonneville Power Administration
- Devon Energy Corporation
- Dewberry
- NASA
- National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
- NAVAIR
- U.S. Department of Agriculture
- U.S. Department of Transportation
- U.S. Forest Service
- U.S. Geological Survey
- Woolpert
Registration is open.

Photos: Tracy Cozzens
January 14, 2015
Eagle Mapping Expands into Large-Area Projects with Airborne LiDAR

The Riegl LMS-Q1560 airborne laser scanner.

Eagle Mapping Ltd., a North American digital airborne mapping company, is now using the new Riegl LMS-Q1560 airborne laser scanner system. Designed to capture ultra-wide swaths and complex environments, the high-performance Riegl LiDAR will enable Eagle Mapping to expand into new markets including large-area, forestry and urban mapping applications for governments and first-nation organizations.

“The Riegl LMS-Q1560 is a powerful laser scanner developed to acquire data over large geographic areas at high altitudes,” said James Hume, Eagle Mapping President. “This will allow us to map expansive cities, counties and tribal lands quickly and cost effectively.”

Riegl designed the powerful dual-channel LMS-Q1560 laser scanner with integrated medium-format camera for a variety of airborne mapping projects with an emphasis on wide-swath coverage. With a 58-degree field of view, the laser can be operated at a maximum pulse repetition rate of 800 kHz capable of measuring 530,000 points per second on the ground from an altitude up to 15,500 feet AGL.

“The Riegl LMS-Q1560 is the most cost-competitive airborne laser scanner on the market today,” said Hume. “We can fly at a higher altitude and collect a denser spacing of elevation data than any other LiDAR system out there.”

In addition, the Riegl LMS-Q1560 has a forward-and-look capability which, when combined with its wide field of view, enables the device to capture data from multiple angles effectively and accurately at an extremely high point density. The sensor also utilizes Multiple-Time-Around processing, echo digitization and waveform analysis to simultaneously track more than 10 pulses in the air.

This means the LiDAR can collect tightly spaced elevation points even in complex environments. Examples are built-up city centers with a variety of buildings and vertical structures, as well as extremely rugged mountain terrain where elevations change dramatically and abruptly.

“Whether working in the mountains of British Columbia or over a densely developed urban center, we will capture accurate elevation points between soaring peaks as efficiently as we do between high-rise office buildings,” added Hume. “And regardless of the terrain, we’ll collect more data in a day and finish jobs faster than we could before.”

Over nearly three decades, Eagle Mapping has built its reputation on finding more accurate and affordable mapping technologies. Focusing primarily on the global mining industry, the Vancouver firm was among the first to deploy airborne LiDAR technology for mapping. More recently, the Canadian firm configured a high-density, narrow-swath Riegl VQ-580 LiDAR with a DiMAC medium-format camera on a single aircraft to simultaneously collect elevation and image data for efficient mapping of pipeline and transmission line corridors.

“As we expand into urban and large-area projects for government clients, we will continue to support our extensive client base in the international mining and corridor mapping markets,” said Rodney Cope, vice president of sales and marketing.

Eagle Mapping operates a Cessna 206 and Piper Navajo aircraft based in British Columbia. The Navajo carries the new Riegl LMSQ1560, and the Cessna is equipped with the Riegl VQ-580 LiDAR and DiMAC digital camera. The firm maintains field offices in Bellingham, Washington, USA, and Medellin, Colombia, in South America.

June 24, 2014
Trimble Launches New Airborne LiDAR Systems

Trimble’s AX60i aerial imaging system.

Trimble is adding to its airborne LiDAR portfolio with the Trimble AX60i and AX80. Both are highly capable, versatile systems that meet the demands of aerial survey operators for corridor and wide area mapping projects, Trimble said.

The new airborne systems, together with flight planning and analysis software tools, have been designed to provide rapid and efficient point cloud capture as well as high-resolution images and proven workflows with high productivity. The systems can be installed on either fixed wing or rotary aircraft.

Designed for low-altitude corridor mapping applications, the Trimble AX60i is an entry-level LiDAR system built on the same versatile platform as the high-altitude AX60 system, Trimble said. The platform allows AX60i users to upgrade to an AX60 in the future. The AX60i can be operated up to 5,000 feet above ground level (AGL) while offering a 400-kHz laser pulse repetition rate (PRR) with a single-channel, downward-looking laser.

The Trimble AX80 is a dual-channel LiDAR system that can be operated up to 15,500 feet AGL and is designed for the most demanding survey applications from high-altitude wide area mapping to detailed low-altitude corridor mapping. The AX80 offers an 800-kHz PRR with revolutionary forward- and backward-looking capability to enhance point density on the ground and improve image resolution. This two-dimensional oblique view offers unparalleled scanning of vertical facades of structures.

Trimble’s AX80 aerial imaging system.

An optional, fully-calibrated 80-Megapixel camera with forward motion compensation can be added to the AX60i and AX80 systems. The camera is integrated into the sensor head package and harmonized with the laser sub-system so that it does not need re-calibration each time the system is fitted to an aircraft.

These systems are optimized for precision applications, providing a uniform distribution of laser points across the entire field-of-view to widen the usable swath width. Operators can reduce track overlap or duplication, or fly at higher altitudes to achieve a given resolution. Together with a high-precision positioning system, integral power supplies and an in-flight monitoring tool, the Trimble AX60i and AX80 can allow operators to lower the complexity of airborne LIDAR surveys while increasing the quality of the output.

“The Trimble AX60i and AX80 systems extend our portfolio of aerial imaging solutions to meet a variety of mapping applications,” said Phil Sawarynski, business area director of Imaging Solutions for Trimble’s Geospatial Division. “They have been designed as true end-to-end solutions and are delivered with Trimble flight planning software and Trimble Inpho analysis software. Because everything is supplied by Trimble, operators can have confidence that the complete solution works together properly, and that the flight planning and post-mission analysis suites will enable them to provide a high-quality service to their customers.”

February 19, 2014
GEOINT 2013: The Conference that Almost Was

As you would guess, it takes a lot of planning and preparation to put on a technical conference of the scope of GEOINT. So imagine the hand wringing the USGIF staff went through deciding to postpone a conference of about 4,000 attendees and 300 exhibitors because of the untimely government shutdown. There really was no choice, with the majority of federal attendees canceling due to travel restrictions. Without their participation, holding the conference would have been futile. Since the city of Tampa was so accommodating and easy to work with, USGIF rescheduled the conference at the same Tampa venue, April 14-17. They tried their best to minimize scheduling conflicts with other geospatial and USGIF conferences such as the NGA Tech Showcase West (also scheduled for April) and USGIF’s GEOINT Community Week, including Tech Days.

Prior to a major conference, manufacturers send out press releases and invitations to see new products being shown on the exhibit floor. So, although GEOINT 2013 was postponed, I’m still doing my column as a “virtual conference” report. This is a very broad sample of new developments that I received from vendors who planned to be at the October conference, now rescheduled for April.

Thermopylae Sciences & Technology

Thermopylae focuses on commercially-based knowledge-fusion capabilities in the geospatial, cloud, and mobile arenas. It has three solutions: iSpatal, a web-based collaborative framework that leverages Google Earth and Maps in a flexible, task-based approach to solve complex problems; iHarvest, a standards-based enterprise analytic service that organizes, analyzes, and reports activities to enable critical decisions; and Ubiquity, a proprietary platform for creating dynamic, customized, and geocentric native mobile applications. Thermopylae is also bringing back the popular Liquid Galaxy immersive virtual-reality display showcasing Google Glass and Leap integration, showing a unified demonstration of all of its products in the Liquid Galaxy display.

KEYW Corporation

KEYW’s geospatial capability exploits cyberspace as a domain for collecting, processing, and supporting actionable imagery intelligence to the warfighter and for civilian and commercial uses. The company matches aircraft to mission requirements and modify the aircraft with integrated airborne sensor systems for onboard, geospatially referenced digital imagery collection and processing. KEYW planned to showcase its intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) imaging and mapping; and its Precision Geo-location via handheld, backpack and mobile solutions, along with several other innovations.

Brocade Communications Systems, Inc.

Brocade provides networking solutions for government agencies and has expanded its product line with a new compact, fanless switch that simplifies network operations. It’s a secure, enterprise-quality network that is responsive to the complex needs of warfighter and civilian missions. The ICX 6450-C switch is deployable outside the wiring closet, without interfering with other critical activities. Using power over Ethernet, the switch can operate in remote locations, where access to an external power source is limited or not available.

TouchShare, Inc.

TouchShare has extended its multi-touch solutions for immersive geospatial collaboration to anyone, regardless of location or device, through the TouchShare Mobile Access. The new TouchShare Mobile Access significantly improves teamwide productivity as it gives all collaborators the ability to simultaneously view and contribute to what other team members are seeing in real-time and interact with visual geospatial information (live data, 2D imagery, video, etc.) via any device. This allows all participants to easily and quickly see the big picture for making better decisions faster.

Surrey Satellite Technology US LLC

Surrey Satellite Technology provides small satellite solutions, applications, and services for Earth observation, science, technology demonstration, and communications. Since 1981, Surrey has launched 41 satellites as well as provided training and development programs, consultancy services, and mission studies for NASA, the United States Air Force, Los Alamos National Laboratory, and other institutional and commercial customers.

GameSim

GameSim planned to show off its latest version of Conform, a software product for geospatial visualization. Conform imports, fuses and renders LiDAR content in near real time, while offering a variety of unique abilities, including an instantaneous 3D view of raw source data. Users are able to easily import large amounts of data (such as Shape Files, DTED, GeoTIFFs, LIDAR) and immediately view them in both 2D and 3D displays.

Headwall Photonics, Inc.

Hyperspectral sensing offers advantages over traditional multispectral imaging with respect to the number of spectral bands being covered. Use enhances target recognition, material identification, and elimination of false positive alarms. Hyperspectral imaging yields much more spectral data than multispectral by producing a continuous spectrum of data representing the chemical composition of objects or spectral “signatures” of everything within the sensor’s field of view. Headwall’s Micro-Hyperspec have been miniaturized and optimized for deployment aboard small, tactical UAVs, including small hand-launched versions.

Orbit Communication Systems, Inc.

Orbit Communication Systems provides ground-station solutions for Earth observation and remote-sensing applications. It has a new product family known as the Gaia series that supports a range of antenna sizes. These ground stations offer an ideal combination of high performance in a compact footprint. “With our new Gaia family, Orbit addresses a void in the market, and opens the door to new Earth observation markets that could not afford to purchase legacy ground stations due to their size and cost,” said Ofer Greenberger, Orbit CEO.

The antennas are designed to withstand extreme weather conditions and to handle a broad range of applications, operated anywhere on Earth. The series comprises three different sized antennas: 2.4 meters (7.9 feet); 3.7 meters (12.1 feet); and 4.5 meters (14.7 feet). Each antenna supports X-band or S-Band (both transmit and receive) feeds, as well as a dual-band (S&X) feed.

Astrium Services

Astrium’s Street Factory, an advanced 3D urban mapping solution, was awarded “most valuable product in the geo-information field 2012” at the World Geospatial Developers Conference. Building on that success, Astrium planned to demonstrate WorldDEM, a high-resolution elevation data set that covers the Earth’s entire land surface, pole to pole. The accuracy of the German high-resolution radar satellites TerraSAR-X produces data intended to replace SRTM data. It has excellent ground-position accuracy with vertical accuracy of 2m (relative) / 10m (absolute) in a 12m x 12m raster GSD. WorldDEM will be available in 2014 with data less than 2.5 years old. Shown above is a comparison of STRM 90 elevation data compared to WorldDEM.

Epson Plotters

Ever since my experience supporting Katrina recovery efforts, I’ve be a strong advocate for simple low-tech hard-copy imagery plots overlaid with vector data to support emergency responders. Many times this low-tech embodiment of our high-tech capability suits the needs of first responders better than computer displays. However, paper plots ideally need to be laminated on foam core to be useful in wet and windy environments. Epson has one solution, a plotter that prints on ridged media. Epson engineers developed the SureColor T-Series printers with an all-new design that prints directly on ridged substrates that have a thickness of 1.5 mm. This is especially important to agencies that have a need for fast print output on thick media eliminating the hassle of laminating or marrying to thicker carriers for immediate use. The SureColor T-series also features Epson UltraChrome XD pigment-based ink technology for smudge and water-resistant prints.

This is just a sample of the nearly 300 exhibitors that will be at GEOINT in April. I’ll bet you thought that GEOINT was just imagery and big data. Quite the contrary — it takes a lot diverse players and pieces to build a strong GEOINT capability.

November 5, 2013
Tuck Mapping Integrates Leica RCD30 Camera with Applanix POSTrack

Leica Geosystems Inc. today announced that Tuck Mapping Solutions Inc. has completed the first integration of a Leica RCD30 airborne camera with the Applanix POSTrack system. With technical support from Leica Geosystems and Applanix, Tuck Mapping contracted Lead’Air Inc. of Kissimmee, Florida, to perform most of the software upgrades and new cabling required to integrate the Leica digital camera with the POSTrack all-in-one GNSS-aided inertial direct georeferencing and flight management system.

The Leica RCD30 is a true metric camera built for mapping. Introduced by Leica Geosystems as a digital follow-on to its RC30 film cameras, the RCD30 is a medium-format digital imaging system developed for a variety of photogrammetric and remote sensing applications. The 60 MP single-camera-head design delivers co-registered, multispectral imagery in the Red, Green, Blue and Near IR portions of the spectrum. The sleek modular design allows the camera to fit easily in aircraft previously outfitted with film cameras, and the RCD30 integrates with many LiDAR sensors, including the Leica ALS series.

For the many current owners of the POSTrack system, the availability of integration by Lead’Air makes the Leica RCD30 a more affordable and attractive choice among medium-format digital cameras. When buying a new Leica RCD30, POSTrack owners do not have to purchase the Leica flight management system, train flight crews in the use of multiple interfaces, and install redundant equipment in their aircraft.

“The integrated systems enable our flight crews to operate the Leica RCD30 and a third-party LiDAR sensor with a single flight management interface,” said Tuck Mapping President, Bobby Tuck. “In addition, POSTrack collects the GNSS location and Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) attitude data needed to georeference the imagery and LiDAR data sets.”

Based in Big Stone Gap, Virginia, Tuck Mapping is a photogrammetric services and aerial mapping firm with a reputation for engineering innovative solutions related to geospatial data collection. Tuck was among the first aerial mappers to use a helicopter for LiDAR scanning operations, and more than a decade ago the firm took the lead in successfully integrating an airborne camera and LiDAR sensor for simultaneous collection. Tuck Mapping owns four POSTrack systems, three helicopters, two fixed-wing airplanes, and state-of-the-art airborne cameras and laser scanners.

“Bobby Tuck deserves credit for driving the integration of the Leica RCD30 with the POSTrack system,” said Jean Gardiner, General Manager of Leica Geospatial Solutions. “From a business perspective, Leica believes that supporting the compatibility of our products with other manufacturers’ products is an integral part of providing solutions to our clients.”

“This joint integration project exemplifies the maturity of Leica and Applanix,” said Joe Hutton, Applanix Director of Inertial Technology and Airborne Products. “It’s a natural progression of good customer support.”

Jointly developed by Applanix and Track’Air, the POSTrack product integrates the Applanix POS AV direct georeferencing technology, utilizing GNSS and IMU components, with the XTRACK Flight Management System software from Track’Air into a single, compact package. POSTrack provides direct georeferencing for airborne mapping sensors, mission planning, real-time sensor control and pilot guidance.

Lead’Air, a subsidiary of Track’Air, specializes in integrating the Track’Air flight management systems with any airborne camera or LiDAR sensor. Now that the first Leica RCD30/POSTrack integration has been completed for Tuck Mapping, Lead’Air offers this integration as a commercially available service.

October 9, 2013