Category Archives: Lidar/Imaging
Another Curveball: Coronavirus and Geospatial
Out of the blue, we’re facing another curveball. The current global concern (COVID-19, aka the Coronavirus) was generally not anticipated, and the situation changes daily. It was hoped that, by the time this is published, the situation would have calmed dramatically—but sadly it has taken a turn for the worse. Thus far disruptions have only...
Navigating the World of Point Cloud Software
Here’s advice on how to understand various functions that point cloud software may need to perform, keys to look for in each, and sourcing options. When you’re working with laser scanning, choosing point cloud software can be challenging. Challenges For newbies, the challenge is determining the best software to start with. Your existing CAD or...
The Leica BLK2GO: A GRANDSLAM Device
Hexagon Geosystems’ nifty-looking Leica BLK2GO makes geospatial data more accessible to GIS and BIM professionals—as well as to expert surveyors. On a cold, frosty day in December, I’m walking around a skating rink in London with what looks like a device stolen from Doctor Who’s TARDIS. With its sleek exterior and ergonomic design, the Leica...
Lidar for Floodplain Models: A Project in Florida
Florida’s topology data gets a needed update with a massive project based on lidar data. Three major hurricanes (Category 4 and above) passed through the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico during the 2017 hurricane season—Harvey, Maria, and Irma—and they were three of the five costliest hurricanes in the United States’ history. Hurricane Irma, for...
Trends in Terrestrial Laser Scanning
Within the domain of lidar/remote sensing technologies, terrestrial laser scanning is currently the most widely adopted. Mapping drones have quickly become popular, but terrestrial laser scanning is used for more types of mapping and as-built survey applications. Other airborne (photogrammetry and lidar) and vehicle-mounted mobile scanning/mapping systems are also widely used, but there are far...
Technology to Buy Into: Riding High on AI
Artificial intelligence is making huge waves in the geospatial industry, changing how location information and BIMs are created from big data. Meet three startups at the forefront. (Image above: By applying computer vision to street imagery, Mapillary detects map data at scale.) Startups in the AEC realm have skyrocketed over the last decade. The availability...