Lidar, Helicopters, and the FAA A search for recently reported case law involving the terms “FAA,” “aerial survey,” and “lidar systems” revealed a lawsuit that was decided by the United States District Court in Colorado on May 31, 2012 (see Leica Geosystems, Inc., v. L.W.S. Leasing, Inc., et al. [2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 75174]).  Although...

North Carolina raises the bar for orthoimage accuracy in a statewide project. Aerial mapping companies Spatial Data Consultants (SDC) and Midwest Aerial Photography each have vast experience in airborne image acquisition in support of surveying, engineering, and GIS mapping initiatives varying in scope and size. But neither firm had been involved in an image-quality validation...

The future of unmanned aerial vehicles for the geospatial profession looks to include bigger platforms for better sensors. A Drone by Any Other Name The question came up recently: “What’s the difference between a drone and a UAV?” The short answer is: none, the terms are synonymous. Which opens up a big can of alphabet...

In the wake of the devastation wreaked along the East Coast by Superstorm Sandy, government agencies and private companies partnered to quickly and efficiently collect and analyze aerial data for emergency responders, relief and reconstruction workers, and the public in need. When it hit the United States as a post-tropical cyclone, Sandy had a diameter...