Archive for year: 2019

When conducting a wind turbine survey, time and accuracy is of the essence. If your land survey is delayed, then your project will be delayed. Wind farms rely upon the accuracy of their land surveys to plan out the most efficient, effective routes for their turbine placement. The more accurate a land survey is, the more productive the wind farm will be. All of this makes selecting the right wind farm surveyor critical.

Here are six important questions to ask.

1. Are They Able to Cover Large Distances Quickly?

A ground survey is going to take a lot of time—time that a wind farm project may not have to spare. Wind farms tend to be over very large expanses of land, land which can be overgrown. If the environment is right, drone-supported LiDAR technology can be used to scan an entire project in as little as a few hours, depending on the size of the project. Airplane-supported LiDAR surveys can complete large surveys even faster—ideal early in the process of site selection. 

2. What Methods of Scanning Do They Provide?

Many companies provide drone, helicopter, or airplane scanning, but very few provide all of these types. When looking for a wind farm surveyor, ask about the options the survey company has available. Depending on the size of the project and the weather, you may need to pivot between types of survey. If the area is windy, a helicopter or airplane will be better than a drone; if there are large areas to cover, an airplane will be better than a drone or a helicopter. Your needs for survey may change, depending on whether you’re using the survey for initial site location or turbine placement.

3. Can They Provide 3D Data? 

Accurate data is absolutely critical to the success of a wind farm project. Wind farm projects demand a certain type of environment; once surveys are completed, a wind farm is going to need to be prepared for expensive, heavy, and advanced wind farm equipment. Landpoint’s ​LiDAR technology can provide up to 1 centimeter to pixel resolution. These LiDAR scans can then be used to create a 3D model for simulations and modeling. The entirety of a wind farm project can be simulated and tested before it begins. 

4. Are They Able to See Through Overgrown Regions?

LiDAR has a clear advantage over traditional, photogrammetric analysis: it can see through overgrowth wires, and even thin cloth. If you need high resolution data that can cut straight down to the ground topology, then LiDAR is the best choice. Wind farms need to be placed extremely accurately if they are to be effective, and unexpected changes in elevation will need to be addressed during the process of development. Photogrammetric analysis can only map the topology that is visible to cameras, while LiDAR can go beyond the naked eye.

5. Can They Process and Analyze Land Survey Data Quickly?

If a surveyor provides in-house data analysis, they can likely produce land survey data quickly. If a surveyor needs to outsource their data analysis, it may take much longer. Relying upon a third-party to analyze the data that is produced by the survey can lengthen the amount of time a project takes, as both parties will need to wait on the other. It can also increase costs, as an organization that develops its data in-house will be able to reduce the total amount of overhead needed for each service. 

6. Are They Able to Provide Both Initial and Monitoring Surveys?

Initial land surveys aren’t the only type of survey a wind farm may need. Monitoring surveys, when paired with sensors, are an easy way to quickly identify maintenance or repair issues with wind farm equipment. Through GPS tracking, the drones can immediately report the exact position of any identified issues. Drone surveys can save a company money when compared to on-the-ground surveys, which can lead to having more surveys completed and better maintenance overall. 

Through aerial drones, planes, helicopters, and LiDAR, the right wind farm surveyor will be able to quickly survey a large wind farm plot with exceptional accuracy. At Landpoint, not only is advanced LiDAR technology used to produce high-resolution topological data, but drones and sensors can be used for both land surveys and continued monitoring services. For more information about the advantages of LiDAR, contact Landpoint.

Aerial LiDAR is undoubtedly one of the fastest and most accurate methods of completing a land survey. However, there are multiple ways that you can acquire aerial LiDAR data. An aerial LiDAR scan can be completed through the use of helicopters, planes, and drones. Here’s everything you need to know about selecting the right option for your project.

The Three Types of Airborne LiDAR

LiDAR scans can be used from multiple airborne vehicles. Planes, helicopters, and drones can all be used to capture LiDAR information, but there are differences in the ways that they will capture this information. While UAV drone technology has proven to be the most versatile all around, there are also scenarios in which helicopters or planes may be preferable.

Budget

• Drone. A drone is going to be the most affordable method of aerial LiDAR by far. Drones are less expensive because they don’t require a crew to run them.
• Helicopter. Helicopters are less expensive than planes but more expensive than drones. While they do require a crew like a plane, a helicopter itself is generally less expensive to operate.
• Plane. Planes are the most expensive aerial LiDAR option. Not only do they require a crew, but they may also require some permits or licenses to run.

Safety

• Drone. A drone is an unmanned craft, which means even if it does experience issues, it won’t cause injury to a crew. This makes it the safest option for an aerial survey, and is one of the primary reasons it has become a popular method. 
• Helicopter. Contrary to popular belief, helicopters are only slightly more dangerous than planes—though this depends a lot on the environment they are flying in. However,  both helicopters and planes can be dangerous because they have a crew which can get injured.
• Plane. As mentioned, both helicopters and planes are substantially more dangerous than drones. That being said, it isn’t always a significant risk: most planes and helicopters will never experience issues. Safety is a major concern with any equipment, and a plane can malfunction more spectacularly than a drone. 

Accuracy

• Drones. Drones have the highest levels of accuracy because they can fly the lowest of the aerial options. The lower they fly, the more detailed their scans and the higher their scan resolution. 
• Helicopters. Not only can helicopters fly lower than airplanes, but they can also hover. This means they can produce higher levels of accuracy than planes, even if they may not meet the accuracy of a UAV.
• Planes. Though a plane does need to be at a higher elevation (and therefore produces lower levels of accuracy), these levels of accuracy are usually still significant enough to be suitable for most applications.

Weather

• Drone. A drone cannot fly in exceptionally poor weather conditions or in high winds. While there’s always the possibility of waiting, it can make it difficult to survey areas that are frequently windy.
• Helicopter. Helicopters are able to collect LiDAR data in bad weather, though very bad weather should still be avoided. Helicopters can hover even in high winds.
• Plane. Planes can collect LiDAR in nearly every type of weather, as the weather does not impact an aircraft the same way it might impact a drone or helicopter. However, it can interfere with some types of scanning.

Speed

• Drone. Drones can report back data in a matter of hours, primarily because they can be deployed quickly and complete a scan fast. This can be important for projects which have close deadlines.
• Helicopter. With helicopters as well as planes, requisitioning and prepping the equipment and crew may take longer. However, once in the air, a helicopter survey will be quite fast.
• Plane. Once the crew and equipment have been prepared, a plane survey should be quite fast. In fact, over large areas, planes are usually the fastest way to get an aerial survey done. 

Choosing a Method of Aerial LiDAR

By assessing the five factors above, you can decide whether you need drone, helicopter, or aerial LiDAR. Regardless, you’ll get high resolution imagery that has been plotted out by advanced laser scanning technology. Aerial LiDAR is always going to be an effective option; the method is just going to alter how safe, fast, and expensive the process is going to be. 

Are you still wondering whether aerial LiDAR is right for your next survey? Contact Landpoint to find out more about the benefits of aerial LiDAR and the differences between different types of airborne LiDAR technology.

If you’re currently planning a land survey, you may be wondering about the advantages and disadvantages of LiDAR mapping technology. Through UAV LiDAR mapping, environments can be mapped down to extraordinary detail, even through brush and foliage. UAV LiDAR mapping is the most technologically-advanced and convenient solution today and understanding the technology behind it is critical to understanding its core benefits.

What is LiDAR mapping technology?

In a nutshell, LiDAR:

• Uses laser light to determine the distance between a sensor and an object, whether on the ground or from the air.
• Penetrates through minor obstructions, which may include tree canopies, man-made objects, and brush on the ground.
• Creates a point cloud, which can then be used to create a detailed terrain and object models.

LiDAR (“light radar”) mapping technology uses multiple pulses of laser light to determine the distance between a sensor and an object. These light pulses are sent out extraordinarily quickly – up to millions of points a second. Sensors use the amount of time that it takes for these pulses to be bounced back to determine how far away an object is.

In LiDAR surveying, laser lights are bounced from above along the terrain to create a 3D model of the terrain, which is extremely detailed. As laser light can go through objects such as tree foliage and brush, LiDAR can be used to create an accurate model of terrain even if the terrain is over-grown or developed.

LiDAR has been in use since the 1960s, and it is currently the most accurate form of creating models of digital elevation. Some forms of LiDAR can even be used to map terrain under water, such as riverbeds and shallow lakes. LiDAR is often used in conjunction with advanced software solutions, which determine the type of objects that are being scanned by the LiDAR in addition to just elevation.

Through the use of advanced software platforms, LiDAR can be used to not only record elevations but also accurately identify things such as street lamps, power lines, or even birds. Software systems compare different elevation studies with potential items on the ground and are consequently able to identify the difference between things such as man-made items and things such as bushes.

LiDAR is used throughout industries such as agriculture, archeology, geology, and even law enforcement. The most popular alternative to LiDAR is another technology called photogrammetry.

What is the Relationship Between UAVs and LiDAR?

• Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), often referred to as drones, can be deployed over virtually any terrain for the purposes of fast scanning.
• Unlike manned aerial vehicles, UAVs do not present safety hazards to operators and can be used low to the ground.
• UAVs are cheaper and faster than manned aerial vehicles, saving companies both time and money on their surveying.

LiDAR can be used by land as well as via the air. When used by land, for instance, LiDAR can be used in the “speed guns” that police use to determine whether someone is speeding. For the mapping of terrain, however, LiDAR is almost always used via an aircraft. These aircraft can be manned or unmanned.

When used in conjunction with a manned aircraft, LiDAR scans are more costly, less precise, and more dangerous. Multiple individuals need to be on a manned aircraft, as both the craft and the scanner must be operated. Aircraft can crash, which could cause injury or even death to those onboard. Further, manned aircraft cannot fly low to the ground, which means their scans are of lower resolution.

Comparatively, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are able to fly with a single operator, can fly low to the ground, and will not injure anyone if they crash. UAVs can be deployed to cover large areas of an environment at once and can quickly create high-resolution scans, which can then be directly imported into the relevant software.

Used together, UAV and LiDAR technology forms the most powerful surveying tool presently available.

What is the difference between LiDAR and Photogrammetry?

Photogrammetry is a method by which a large number of overlapping photographs of a region are taken and then processed to determine the measurements between multiple points. It is a fast and affordable method of mapping large areas of land quickly.

As photogrammetry uses 2D objects to interpret 3D space, it can only produce many of the same deliverables, depending on the terrain. With big data and new analysis tools, photogrammetry can be accurate enough for smaller projects or projects that need to cover a very large expanse at a lower than average cost. This is why photogrammetry is often used for projects that need to map entire cities.

Photogrammetry has one technological advantage over LiDAR: it also provides seamless imagery of the mapped area. As it relies upon photographs, it is capturing the color and the texture of the terrain, which means that photogrammetry maps can be more understandable to the human eye even if they are less accurate overall. LiDAR scans can still be textured, but these textures may not be as accurate.

However, this advantage is often side-stepped by using photogrammetry and LiDAR together, to create accurate 3D data that has also utilized photogrammetric imaging. This process is both more involved and more expensive but can produce both human-readable and machine-readable models.

As photogrammetry requires that the 3D space be derived from 2D images, it produces fairly low-resolution results and often cannot identify smaller or thinner objects. Power lines, for instance, are often not viewable through photogrammetric data. Finally, photogrammetry does work on photographic technology, which means photogrammetry has to be completed during the day and it has to be done during the appropriate weather conditions. UAV LiDAR mapping has fewer environmental concerns.

In terms of cost, photogrammetry is substantially less expensive than LiDAR, and it can also be used with UAV technology. In fact, UAV technology remains the most effective way to complete surveying regardless of wither LiDAR or photogrammetry is being used. However, this cost savings may not be substantial if it comes at the ultimate cost of a delayed project or mistakes being made.

LiDAR captures the data that is necessary for modeling terrain; this is highly specific, highly technical data that needs to be worked on by professionals. Photogrammetry produces large volumes of photographic data, which then needs to be parsed using the appropriate software.

Does Your Survey Need LiDAR or Photogrammetry?

Both of these technologies are still in use today for an important reason: they’re both useful tools given the right circumstances.

If you’re wondering whether your survey needs LiDAR or photogrammetry, you can ask yourself the following questions:

• Is there anything obscuring the terrain from above? If there are trees, bushes, or manmade objects above the terrain, photogrammetry isn’t going to be able to penetrate down to get an accurate elevation.
• Is there a reason why you would need full-color maps? If your project needs accurate terrain color, you may need to use photogrammetry or to combine photogrammetry with LiDAR.
• Is there a need to model small objects? Photogrammetry cannot pick up small objects, such as power lines, which makes it unsuitable for projects that need higher resolution.

Other than specific use cases, LiDAR is generally the better tool — if the budget is there for it. Many people believe that the future of surveying may actually be in combined LiDAR and photogrammetric mapping, but few argue that LiDAR isn’t the superior technology when the two are compared.

LiDAR mapping technology is still more expensive than some alternatives, but the use of UAV can make it a faster and more cost-effective solution overall. In many projects, LiDAR may be able to pay for itself in terms of time and cost saved — and, as it becomes an industry standard, the costs related to it have been steadily decreasing. For those who need accurate, fast, and safe results, the best choice is almost universally UAV LiDAR mapping, though you may still want to consult a professional land surveyor to find out which option is best for your specific project.