Category Archives: Lidar/Imaging
![Chevron beta tested Cyrax on an oil & gas field in Kazakhstan. These images show the 3D laser scanner’s camera image of the vessels and the resulting point cloud scan.](/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/GeoDudeEarlyScanPicture-272x192.png)
The Early Days of 3D Scanning, Part 3: Cyra Unleashed
In Part 1, I described how in 1996, while working for Trimble, I first became aware of 3D laser scanning. It was being developed by Cyra Technologies Inc., a small start-up that had approached Trimble seeking a potential partnership. The jaw-dropping technology demo hooked my interest. In Part 2, I described my role in evaluating...
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xyHt Weekly News Links 7/17/2020
*Click here to visit xyHt’s Virtual Trade Show* Congress Moves Against FCC’s Ligado Decision Bad Elf Flex™ Adopts the Hemisphere Phantom™ Module Honeywell Refines Navigation Revealing the World from Satellites Common Ground Alliance Launches New Expo
![Underground utility infrastructure is often in harm’s way during construction projects, costing economies around the world billions.](/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Underground-utilities-Ottawa-Elgin-St-IMG_20190731_1241089-272x192.jpg)
Damage to the Underground: A Stitch in Time Saves Nine
Avoiding damage to utility infrastructure could save billions. This is a summary of a white paper “Reducing Damage to Underground Utility Infrastructure during Excavation” prepared by Geoff Zeiss and Dr. Sakura Shinoaki and published by the Geospatial Information & Technology Association. Over two decades in the United States there have been more than 400 fatalities and...
![Species information was derived from hyperspectral imagery and then applied to the lidar point cloud for this image.](/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Screen-Shot-2020-03-20-at-18.20.39-272x192.png)
Fusing Data on Doomed Ash Trees
By using fused data gathered with lidar and hyperspectral imaging, a geospatial services company helped a large utility to identify 90% of ash trees with the potential to fall into their power lines—in a timeframe that wouldn’t have been possible without the use of remote sensing. By Ian Berdie, Zach Raymer, and Mia Chen Remote-sensing...
![This lidar image was taken over Lake Casitas, California.](/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Screen-Shot-2020-03-23-at-17.12.16-272x192.png)
Lidar vs.Wildfires in Southern California
After the 2018 wildfires in Southern California, lidar data was collected to enable risk-mapping assessment and planning, to identify fuel-load reduction programs, and to escalate the emergency assessment of post-fire debris flow hazards. Featured image: This lidar image was taken over Lake Casitas, California. The data are clear: Natural disasters are on the rise, and...
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Making Aerial Lidar Work for Small Businesses
Aerial lidar’s growth has created challenges for small business in the aerial-data collection data; here’s how one company turned them into opportunities. Featured image: Midwest Aerial’s main lidar-flying aircraft. For several decades (1950s -1980s), the commercial mapping industry operated in a relatively stable technology environment. While numerous and important technological advances were made (most notably...