LIDAR Survey

ALTM Airborne Laser Terrain Mapper: Optech is the global market leader in the development of airborne laser terrain mapping systems. Optech's Airborne Laser Terrain Mapper (ALTM) acquires digital elevation data with accuracies equivalent to those of GPS, but thousands of times faster.

SHOALS Airborne Laser Bathymeter Systems: Optech's SHOALS Airborne Laser Bathymeters are well-proven tools used for thousands of surveys in a wide range of applications. Based on the same principle as sonar, but using light instead of sound, SHOALS gathers shallow water, shoreline and topographic (ground elevation) data simultaneously, integrating land and water measurements in the same data set. Depth and position measurements are accurate to IHO Order 1.

ILRIS-3D Intelligent Laser Ranging and Imaging Systems: Optech's ILRIS Intelligent Laser Ranging and Imaging Systems are total surveying solutions - accurate, eyesafe, rugged, easily portable and deployed by a single operator - giving you scanning ranges from 3 m to >1,500 m.

ALTM (Airborne Laser Terrain Mapper) : Terrestrial LIDAR Survey
SHOALS (Airborne Laser Bathymeter) : Marine LIDAR Survey
ILRIS-3D (Intelligent Laser Ranging and Imaging System) : Industrial & 3D Imaging

ALTM Airborne Laser Terrain Mapper

Optech's ALTM Airborne Laser Terrain Mapper Systems acquire digital elevation data with accuracies equivalent to those of GPS, but thousands of times faster.

Optech Incorporated announces even greater improvements to their revolutionary ALTM Gemini: it now operates at a blazing 167 kHz laser pulse repetition frequency!

Optech is the first airborne lidar manufacturer to develop, build and deliver commercial lidar systems with Multipulse technology. With up to 167 kHz laser PRF, Optech’s ALTM Gemini pushes the technology to the next level in customer-driven requirements.

ALTM Gemini retains all the performance characteristics of the ALTM 3100EA but offers a 62% increase in data coverage and effective collection rate over every other commercial lidar system in the world. With the 167 kHz enhancement, the ALTM Gemini clearly demonstrates superior performance at virtually all altitudes, and reinforces Optech’s leadership position in the global lidar marketplace, both in product innovation and scientific development.

To complement this ground-breaking advance in technology, Optech is also introducing DASHMap processing software, the next generation in lidar data processing solutions with a vastly accelerated data acquisition-to-processing ratio. DASHMap supports the ALTM Gemini’s new laser speeds and enables ALTM Gemini owners to maximize both flight operations and post-processing.

The Gemini is the most recent member of the ever growing ALTM family, complimenting the ALTM 3100EA. While maintaining the full performance characteristics of the ALTM 3100EA, the Gemini offers higher altitude operation at its peak repetition rates. A user can now operate 100 kHz laser rep rates from altitudes up to 2 km. Other modes of operation have similarly enhanced performance ranges. This greatly improves the survey efficiency of the ALTM by more than doubling the area coverage rate.

ALTM Features and Benefits

Features

• Dedicated ALTM-NAV flight management software and DASHMap data processing software
• Shot-to-shot accuracy better than 5 cm
• Dual beam divergence (narrow and wide), to maximize returns from small targets and allow for eyesafe low altitude operation
• Operating parameters pre-set or adjusted in flight
• 1:1 data processing ratio for basic processing
• ASCII XYZ output, LAS, Optech comprehensive and other: Imported directly into GIS and other modeling software
• Compact instrument with simple installation into fixed-wing aircraft or helicopter
• Standard one-year warranty with extended warranty contracts available
• Dedicated ALTM customer service division for training and customer support
  

Benefits

• High-resolution, high-accuracy, digital elevation data
• Day and night operation
• Independently geo-referenced intensity and elevation data
• Ranges to trees and to the ground beneath in a single pass: Simultaneous first- and last-pulse capability
• Rapid coverage and data output: 1000 square kilometres in less than 12 hours, with DEM data available within 24 hours
• Range measurements independent of target composition: Bright targets such as sand or snow give the same range as dark targets such as asphalt
• 24/7 technical support for all ALTM customers

ALTM Components

Hardware

Each ALTM includes the following hardware:

• Pilot display
• Vibration-isolated control rack with ruggedized removable hard drive
• Sensor head; fits standard camera mounts or mounts directly to floor of aircraft and features adjustable tilt angle (up to 18°)
• Laptop PC

Software

Each ALTM also includes the following software, pre-installed on the laptop PC:

Zin view screen

• ZinView Software
  This latest software development from Optech allows you to view your data quickly without having to take it into REALM for full processing. Provides fast and efficient processing and visualization of data and enables survey personnel to quickly ascertain data quality. Easy setup, simple point and click operation, full rotation and zoom capabilities, accuracy better than 1 m.

ALTM NAV screen

• ALTM-NAV Flight Management Software
  This powerful software orchestrates all three major aspects of airborne survey operations—GPS/POS, Lidar, and Flight Management—into one harmonious program.

DASHMap screen

• DASHMap Survey Suite
  Using DASHMap, you can process entire ALTM survey missions quickly, simply and with a streamlined user interface. Now you can direct the most accurate laser point processing capabilities in the industry from a single panel.

REALM screen

• REALM Survey Suite
  Using REALM, huge data sets can be processed overnight and ready for manipulation in the morning. REALM features various reports, tools and utilities for graphic analyses, data testing and quality assurance, and a unique Classification feature for bare earth information.
  
  

Options

ALTM DSS 322 Digital Camera

• DSS 322 - 22 mpixels digital camera
  Integrated metric frame camera delivers geo-referenced (XYZ) color or color-IR images with sub-pixel accuracy. The DSS 322 is supplied standard with 60 mm AeroLensTM technology, supporting both color (VIS) and color infrared (CIR) imagery. The cross-track FOV (field of view) of the 60 mm lens is 44.2°. An optional 40 mm lens with a 61.9° cross-track FOV is also available which supports both CIR and VIS imagery collection.

Rollei AIC Digital Camera

• Rollei Aerial Industrial Camera (AIC) modular LS

The Rollei Aerial Industrial Camera is a highly durable, reliable digital camera system that incorporates Phase One’s Digital Backs to provide superior digital imagery.  The AIC camera is available in 22 mega pixel or 39 mega pixel formats. Both systems are fully integrated with the ALTM and are managed in flight through the use of ALTM NAV and the Rollei Controller software.

The high resolution AIC is designed for the demands of aerial and industrial purposes: Specially designed with minimal moving parts, rigid lens platform, and high reliability. The body is made of a stable one piece aluminium alloy body for enhanced endurance in aerial applications. The camera orientation is flexible allowing a portrait or landscape mode. Two 50 mm lens are supplied with each camera and are easily swapped from the body.

The AIC lenses are based on the series of professional middle format lenses from Rollei. The heart and soul of the lenses and also of the AIC is the Rollei electronic shutter. The electronic shutter is an iris shutter with a maximum speed of 1/1000 of a second.

The Rollei AIC camera platform is a dynamic and stable addition to the ALTM and can meet the demands of today’s aerial photography.


Waveform Digitizer

• Waveform Digitizer
  Now you can extract all the additional details you need to make your surveys truly powerful. Optech’s Waveform Digitizer produces significantly more information than a conventional lidar survey and greatly increases accuracy range measurements.

Why purchase our Waveform Digitizer?
Capure the complete return signal waveform and calculates all the returns – you get it all! Sophisticated software-based algorithms analyze complex waveforms to give you:

• Improved accuracy
• Greater detail
• Higher resolution

ALTM Technical Overview

How it Works

Rangefinder Scanning

A high-accuracy laser rangefinder is mounted over an opening in the aircraft floor. The rangefinder scans beneath the aircraft, producing a wide swath over which the distance to the ground is measured. The angle at which the laser is scanned is also measured.

Aircraft Orientation

To correct for the aircraft's movements, the motions of the aircraft are recorded by an inertial reference system for later post-processing. The laser can also be installed on a stabilized platform.

Position

A GPS receiver in the aircraft records the aircraft's position at fixed intervals. A second, ground-based receiver provides differential correction for a more accurate position estimate.

Data Processing

In post-flight processing, the laser range, scan angle, GPS data and IRS data are combined to accurately determine the position of a point on the Earth's surface.

Survey Operations

• Plan the survey with ALTM-NAV flight management software: set flightlines and system parameters.
• Set up the ground GPS receiver and begin logging data.
• Fly to the survey site.
• Start collecting data.
• Use ALTM-NAV in flight to monitor survey data and adjust parameters as required.
• End the survey and shut down the ALTM.
• Return to base.
• Download the survey data disk to the ground-based data processing computer.
• Use DASHMap data processing software to process and output survey data.

ALTM Applications

Urban

• Wireless communications
• Emergency route planning
• Signal propagation
• Other GIS applications
  

Vegetation Removal

• Forestry applications
• Volume calculations
• Removal of non-ground features
• DTM creation (under the canopy)

Shorelines

• Coastal engineering
• Flood management
• Erosion monitoring

Powerlines/Pipelines/Corridor Mapping

• Tree locations
• Tower locations
• Catenary models
• Vegetative critical distance analysis

Intensity

• Surface discrimination
• Image geo-registration

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SHOALS Airborne Laser Bathymeter Systems

Optech's SHOALS Airborne Laser Bathymeters are well-proven tools used for thousands of surveys in a wide range of applications. Based on the same principle as sonar, but using light instead of sound, SHOALS gathers shallow water, shoreline and topographic (ground elevation) data simultaneously, integrating land and water measurements in the same data set. Depth and position measurements are accurate to IHO Order 1.

Shoals 3000 Specifications < link it to the specs_SHOALS_3000.pdf in Shoals Folder
Shoals 1000 Specifications < link it to the specs_SHOALS_1000.pdf in Shoals Folder

SHOALS - Features and Benefits

As well as surveying water depths from the air, and thus avoiding the time and access problems that bedevil other surveying methods, SHOALS can identify underwater objects as small as 2x2x2 meters resting on the ocean floor.
SHOALS combines a powerful, probing lidar and high-speed electronics on an airborne platform. Operating at altitudes of 200-400 meters, with laser spot spacing variable from 2x2 to 5x5 meters, SHOALS has a typical maximum depth penetration of 40-50 m in clear water, 20-40 m in coastal waters, and up to 20 m in more turbid inland waters.

Features

• High area coverage rate; SHOALS scans at aircraft speeds, covering up to 70 km2/hr.
• High accuracy; meets IHO Order 1, position accuracy to within 1.5 m (depending on GPS).
• Fixed-width swaths independent of water depth, unlike multibeam echo sounders.
  
• Compact and self-contained; installs into any medium-sized helicopter or fixed-wing aircraft.
  
• Real-time data display of depth soundings and position.
  
• Operator control; Airborne operator can change pre-programmed survey parameters on the fly.
  
• Automated post-flight processing software with sophisticated manual editing tools.

Benefits

• Cost-effective in shallow water; collects dense data sets where acoustic surveying is least efficient.
  
• Maps extremely shallow water <5 m; no change in vertical accuracy or sounding density.
  
• Maps land and water in the same mission; simplifies coastal surveys by ensuring continuity through the shoreline in a single survey.
  
• Maps dangerous areas safely and thoroughly; airborne systems are immune to grounding hazards, shallows, shoal-infested waters, reefs, rocks, hidden subsurface objects or tidal flows.
  
• Flexible and rapid deployment; gets in and out quickly to take advantage of periodic and unpredictable access to areas cut off by harsh weather, poor water conditions, or features such as pack ice.
  
• Prompt damage assessment; maps quickly and thoroughly, generating a large volume of survey data that can be processed to produce damage assessments and dredging estimates, often the same day.
  
• Detects underwater objects; high-density coverage accurately targets objects as small as 2x2x2 m.
  
• Easy re-surveying; rapid deployment simplifies re-surveys of dynamic areas, to build up picture of processes over time.
  

SHOALS - Data Processing

The SHOALS Ground Control System (GCS) is a fully integrated flight planning and data processing subsystem. The GCS is a user-friendly solution for the planning, processing, cleaning, 3D visualization and output of a seamless hydrographic and topographic data set. All survey operations in SHOALS systems are synchronized in the GCS.

The GCS is the gateway to all ground-based functions. It has three main components:

• MAPS - Management And Planning Software: GCS module for creating flightlines, establishing data collection attributes for these lines, and allocating flightlines to a SHOALS lidar mission.
  
• DAVIS - Downloading - Autoprocessing - Visualization Software: GCS module for downloading, processing, viewing, cleaning, and editing data collected by SHOALS.
  • Fledermaus® Embedded 3D, area-based data visualization and editing system
    
  • POS Post-Processing Package (POSPac) including POSProc and POSGPS
    
• STARS - Statistical Tracking And Reporting Software: GCS module that generates project, mission, and flightline reports to track survey progress and system maintenance.

Through these three modules, you can manage entire project data sets from start to finish.

Pre-Flight Operations

Before flight operations, survey projects are created and missions planned in the GCS. Mission plans are uploaded to the SHOALS airborne computer for survey flights.

Post-Flight Operations

The SHOALS airborne data is downloaded from removable hard drives and processed in the SHOALS GCS. The GCS includes a fully-integrated third-party software suite, IVS Fledermaus, for editing and cleaning of 3D data.

SHOALS - Technical Overview and Specifications

Airborne laser bathymetry relies on the differential timing of laser pulses reflected from the water surface and the underwater surface, to determine the water depth at the point where the laser pulses strike the water surface.

The integrated SHOALS sensor and processing systems implement this simple strategy accurately and robustly, maximizing utility for marine surveying.

Transceiver

The SHOALS laser generates short pulses of light at two wavelengths: infrared and blue-green.
The infrared pulse is reflected by the water surface.
The blue-green pulse penetrates the water and is reflected from the bottom.

Airborne Operation

The laser scans beneath the aircraft, sending out pulses in a swath over which the position of the water surface and sea floor is measured.

To correct for the aircraft's movements, the motion of the aircraft is measured by an inertial reference system (IRS). This data is used for real-time pitch and roll compensation, and recorded for post-processing, while a GPS receiver records the aircraft's position. A geo-referenced digital camera records the area being surveyed.

The laser pulse, waveforms, scan angle, GPS data and IRS data are combined to produce accurate real-time and post-processed sounding positions or terrain elevations.

The raw SHOALS sensor data collected by the airborne system is stored on mirrored removable hard drives, along with mission planning information and mission log information.

SHOALS - Applications

Nautical Charts

Nautical Charting

• Accurate shoreline positions
• Identification of navigation hazards
• Position and outlines of navigation aids and shoreline features such as piers and docks

Navigation Projects

Navigation Channel

• Navigation channels, jetties, adjacent shorelines
• Harbour structure from shallow water to shore and shoreline features
• Offshore disposal sites, condition and capacity
• Channel dredging requirements, impact of project on shorelines
• Superior project management decisions

Coastal Mapping

Shoals Map

Sunken Ship

• Seamless surveys across the land/water interface
• Extremely shallow water, breakwaters
• Beach and near-shore formations in dynamic, irregular regions
• Safe surveys of areas hazardous to shipborne surveys:  archipelagos, shoals, reefs, hidden rocks, ice
• Safe surveys of fragile environments from the air
• Rapid surveys in poor, unpredictable, rapidly changing weather
• Erosion monitoring and beach nourishment, seagrass delineation

Feature Classification

Hurrican Rapid Response

Subsurface Object Detection

• Undiscovered features
• Shipwrecks and small underwater objects
• Shallow-water sand formations and other dynamic formations

Rapid Response

• Rapid environmental assessment, ship groundings, before and following sever storms, natural disasters
• Assessment of coral reef damage
• Rapid deployment of airborne system
• High data collection rate (3,000 laser soundings per second)
• Data processed overnight, ready the next day

Subsurface Object Detection

• Detection of objects as small as 2x2x2 meters

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ILRIS-3D Intelligent Laser Systems

Optech's ILRIS-3D Intelligent Laser Ranging and Imaging System is a complete, fully portable, laser-based imaging and digitizing system for the commercial survey, engineering, mining and industrial markets.

A compact and highly integrated package with digital image capture and sophisticated software tools, ILRIS-3D is a 21st-century solution that addresses the needs of commercial users. ILRIS-3D is field-ready and requires no specialized training for deployment. About the size of a motorized total station, with an on-board high resolution digital camera and large-format LCD viewfinder, ILRIS-3D has a visual interface similar to that of a digital camera. Field deployment is made extremely efficient by ILRIS-3D's high data rate and large dynamic range - from 3 m to >1,500 m. ILRIS-3D is eyesafe in all modes of operation.
ILRIS-3D is deployed by a single operator. The modular design ensures that all functionality is available, making operation as easy as possible. Setup is rapid and simple - no leveling required - and the system is controlled via a wireless handheld PDA or laptop. The target area and scan status are displayed locally on screen, and data is written directly to removable media. Measurement area and spot density are user definable.
ILRIS-3D is designed for rugged field use, based on Optech's experience in designing and manufacturing laser-based industrial level monitors, object positioners and mining equipment. It is rated for operation from 0oC to 40oC, and is weatherproof for use outdoors. The system's Class 1 and Class 1M eyesafety rating, large dynamic collection range and compact size all ensure that difficult surveys can be completed quickly, safely and accurately.

ILRIS 3D

ILRIS-36D offers all of the capability of ILRIS-3D while providing the added functionality of a 360° field of view. ILRIS 36D comes equipped with a fully motorized panning and tilting base that allows for seamless coverage of large areas. The base is operationally integrated with the scanner and is controlled seamlessly through scanner control software.

ILRIS-3DER Enhanced Range

Optech's ILRIS-3DER (Enhanced Range) option increases the range of the ILRIS-3D laser scanner by up to 40% - ILRIS-3D can now survey natural features over 1000 m away. The scanner's eyesafety remains Class 1M, with the ability to maintain Class 1 by the simply push of a button.

ILRIS-3DMC Motion Compensated

Optech’s ILRIS-3DMC laser scanner enables the collection of precise dynamic motion-compensated 3D data sets from a moving platform. When integrated with a GPS/IMU, the resulting georeferrenced data sets serve a multitude of applications. Use a boat, truck or even an airship to reach what you’ve never previously been able to scan – quickly and efficiently.

ILRIS-3DVP Value Package

When you’ve got a scanning job to do, and you need it done accurately, on time and at an affordable price, Optech’s ILRIS-3DVP laser scanner is the only solution.
ILRIS-3DVP provides the same accuracy, durability and expediency as its big brother the ILRIS-3D, but in an economy package. ILRIS-3DVP is a fast, accurate 3D laser scanner that’s affordably priced.

Features & Benefits

ILRIS-3D Intelligent Laser Ranging and Imaging Systems
Features & Benefits

ILRIS-3D is a compact, fully portable and highly integrated package with digital image capture and sophisticated software tools, ideal for the commercial survey, engineering, mining and industrial markets.
About the size of a motorized total station, ILRIS-3D has a visual interface similar to that of a digital camera.

Features:

• High resolution and high accuracy
• Highest dynamic range available on the market: from 3 m to beyond 1 km
• Class 1 laser rating: completely eyesafe
• On-board 6-megapixel digital camera and large-format LCD viewfinder
• Ruggedly designed for demanding field applications
• Battery operated
• No leveling, retro-reflectors, or mirrors required
• Compact and easy to use
• Easily hand-carried and deployed by a single operator
  

ILRIS-3D Intelligent Laser Ranging and Imaging Systems

Technical Overview - ILRIS-3D Specifications

ILRIS-3D Intelligent Laser Ranging and Imaging Systems

Components & Options

ILRIS-3D System Components

ILRIS-3D is a complete and fully integrated survey solution, featuring:

• Handheld PDA for wireless control
• True color photo draping capability
• InnovMetrics PolyWorks IMInspect and IMAlign
• InnovMetrics PolyWorks IMMerge and IMEdit (Optional)
• Convenient traveling case
• Two 24V batteries and charger

ILRIS 3D Power Options

ILRIS-3D Portable Field Power
The availability and reliability of field power in remote locations are key elements to efficiency that cannot be overlooked. The ILRIS-3D battery/charging system shares the same technology that has been universally adopted worldwide by video and broadcast professionals.
Robust and Modular Battery System

• Two batteries provide scan time of approx. 2.5 hours
• Hot-swap capability, allowing the user to change batteries without interrupting scanner operation
• Use as many pairs of batteries as you want simultaneously
• Easily transportable, simple to set up and re-pack for transport
• Use anywhere in the world with universal 85-265 VAC, 50/60 Hz operation

Economical Operation from Line AC

• Compact, rugged universal input voltage (85-265 VAC, 50/60 Hz) for operation where AC mains voltage is available.

ILRIS-3D Intelligent Laser Ranging and Imaging Systems

Applications & Articles

Mine Planning

Complete blast analysis, volumetrics, dilution control, grade stability, and blast hole location for open pit operations can all be modeled and analyzed using ILRIS-3D and its associated software.

Urban Planning

ILRIS-3D offers quick conversion of scan data to CAD plan/elevation take-offs, facilitating rapid planning. All features such as utility location, road centerline and curb extents are accurately and completely located.

Industrial Survey

Continuously monitor hundreds of control points on any engineered structure.

Plant as Built

ILRIS-3D data is used directly within a number of dedicated plant-as-built software applications, to facilitate critical clash detection between pipe and steel, to ensure accurate nozzle placement for vessel retrofits, and for a host of other applications.

Historical Preservation

A wealth of information on historical edifices can be directly digitized, where range and accuracy limitations previously made this impossible or impractical. Millimetrically accurate polygonal models are rendered and exported in a variety of formats.

Large Infrastructure Scanning

Thanks to its dynamic range, ILRIS can completely scan large structures rapidly, efficiently, and in high detail.

Forensic Survey - Accident Reconstruction

Police organizations and surveyors require quick, accurate and efficient on-site data collection at accident locations and crime scenes. ILRIS is ideally suited for data collection projects of this sort.

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