airbornelasermapping.com

A reference source on an emerging technology

The Archives

A collection of previous news articles, press releases, links, references and other items of interest.

Congratulations to TerraPoint LLC, Winners of our 1999 "Way Cool Airborne Laser Mapping Web Site" Award! Why is TerraPoint's web site Way Cool? Well, it has educational information about the technology without being too technical, it provides details of their on-going research and development program, it has a growing list of off-the-shelf lidar data sets for sale which cover major counties in the U.S., it includes a large set of cool data images that load quickly in their own pop-up window, it has an animated flyover of Houston and --- very cool --- it has an online interactive, 360° VRML demo of downtown Houston based on lidar data. It is a well thought-out site that is easy to navigate, informative, focused on airborne laser mapping and works well as a web experience. It really sets the standard for others to aim for ..... next year. If you haven't visited their site yet don't miss it! (Hey, we weren't expecting anything, but thanks to TerraPoint for the kind words in their press release!)

Congratulations to Opten Ltd., winners of our 1998 "Way Cool Airborne Laser Mapping Web Site Award"! Not only is Opten's ALTM Page an informative, useful resource on airborne laser mapping with numerous technical specifications, examples of laser data and a good discussion on the practical applications of laser scanning to power line mapping but it takes the coolosity factor even higher with an extremely interesting gallery of pictures showing an ALTM installation in a very large helicopter.

Archive of Spotlights:

• (02/00) EarthData
• (01/00) Annual Survey Results 1999
• (10/99) Forestry Applications
• (09/99) TopEye AB

Archive of Industry News (by company):

3001, Inc.

• 3001 Maps America's Oldest City With LiDAR
  (01/01) As the oldest continuously occupied settlement in the continental United States, St. Augustine, Fla., has had to confront land planning and facilities management issues for a long time. How long? Information from the National Park Service indicates that subsequent to Ponce de Leon's 1513 claim to Florida, a Spanish fort was established there in 1565. Read how 3001, Inc. (Sulphur, LA) used airborne LiDAR technology to deliver seamless digital 2' contour maps and digital elevation models of St. Augustine, getting the job done on time and within the desired budget. You may also want to take a look at 3001's cool new web site and read about their recent LiDAR work in Alaska.
  
  

  3D Laser Mapping

• 3D Laser Mapping Ltd.
  (12/99) A relatively new organisation, 3D Laser Mapping offers specialist services and consulting primarily in the field of laser mapping and surveying. The company has experience working with laser mapping in the fields of civil engineering, mining and environmental engineering including associations with TopEye AB and the University of Nottingham. They are based in the UK and currently maintain a presence in South Africa, Brazil and in the UK itself. They have the capability of offering their services at short notice in Africa, South America and Europe. And we have to give them a nod for nabbing a cool domain name .....
  
  

  3Di, LLC

• 3Di Accommodates Significant Growth with New Capital Investment
  (11/00) 3Di, LLC (Easton, MD), a lidar service provider through their EagleScan/3Di subsidiary, recently announced an additional capital investment of $2.0 million in the company to accommodate planned growth. The infusion of capital comes from the company's bank and a venture partner to enhance the company's ability to sustain rapid growth with $800,000 in available funds and an additional $1,200,000 in equity. With this capital infusion, 3Di will invest in new spatial data technologies and increase production capacity but no indication is given if this includes adding additional lidar capacity.
  
  
• EagleScan/3Di Offers Off-The-Shelf LiDAR DEMs
  (09/00) EagleScan/3Di (Boulder, CO) has added off-the-shelf lidar data sets to its product offering. These lider-derived DTMs are spec'd with an accuracy of 0.15 meter RMSE vertical and 1.00 meter RMSE horizontal and come formatted as ASCII comma delimited x, y, z points for either variably-spaced (3-5 m) or grided (2 m) DEM data. Arc/Info BIL format is also available for grided DEM data as well as AutoCAD DWG and MicroStation DGN formats. The data sets have 95% of vegetation, buildings, and other structures removed. List pricing for the off-the-shelf data defined to USGS quadrangle boundaries for a full quadrangle (7.5' x 7.5' area) is $30,400 (US). Current data sets available for purchase include Denver, CO, Morrison, CO, Carnation, WA, Fall City, WA, Snoqualmie, WA, Tuxekan Island, AK, Kosciusko Island, AK, Greene County, NY, and Schoharie County, NY.
  
  
• 3Di Acquires EagleScan
  (06/00) 3Di, LLC a leading spatial data technology firm based in Easton, MD (USA), announced May 5, 2000 that it had acquired EagleScan Incorporated, Boulder, CO (USA), one of the early entrants in the North American LiDAR market. EagleScan is one of the few companies to have fully developed its own custom lidar data acquisition hardware and data processing software, based on OEM subsystems provided by Azimuth (AeroScan), while simultaneously providing a full range of laser terrain mapping and digital imaging services. Through the acquisition, 3Di will integrate EagleScan's Digital Airborne Topographical Imaging System (DATIS) in to their integrated product line. If you are interested in a little history, you can go back and read our intrepid PacNet Reporter's December, 1998 interview with Robert Eadie of EagleScan.
  
  
• 3Di - The Shape of Information
  (01/00) 3Di is one of the leading firms in the photogrammetric industry, with over 200 employees and their own fully-equipped fleet of aircraft. They have grown significantly in the past year with several significant strategic acquisitions. They clearly offer lidar services on their web site but it is not clear if they have a dedicated instrument or subcontract to existing service providers. Still, they have a great catch-phrase and we loved the bald guy!
  
  

  AAM Geodan

• AAM Geodan Establishes New Corporate Identity as AAM GeoScan Pty Ltd.
  (03/01) As of February 16th 2001, AAM Geodan will commence trading under its new corporate identity of AAM GeoScan Pty Ltd. AAM GeoScan provides laser scanning services in Australia, New Zealand, South Asia and countries of the Pacific. AAM GeoScan is wholly owned by its two parent companies: Australia's AAM Surveys Pty Ltd (as majority shareholder) and Amsterdam's TerraImaging BV (formerly Geodan Geodesie). AAM Surveys brings to the venture over forty years experience in providing the region with aerial photography, photogrammetry, field surveying and expertise in the gathering, interpreting and presentation of spatial data. TerraImaging has successfully deployed laser scanning technology throughout Europe since 1993 and provides a wealth of experience and custom application software. Contact information for the AAM GeoScan office have not changed. Email and web contacts can be made through either the aamsurveys or aamgeoscan domain names. For further details, contact David Turton. Be sure to sign-up for their excellent newsletter Scanning the Horizons and browse their online library.
  
  
• Scanning the Horizons Down Under - A Newsletter on Airborne Laser Scanning
  (02/00) The first edition of Scanning the Horizons, a new regular electronic newsletter from AAM Geodan dedicated to airborne laser mapping for business and industry is now available online. AAM Surveys, one of Australia's longest established, privately owned suppliers of specialist aerial photography, surveying and photogrammetric products, established AAM Geodan in conjunction with Geodan Geodesie in 1999 to provide Australia's first Airborne Laser Scanning (ALS) service. Through Scanning the Horizons they hope to keep the Australian survey community updated with the latest in ALS developments and their potential applications. The January newsletter is brief but contains links to some interesting papers including a detailed report on the original 1998 trials conducted in Australia by AAM Geodan while investigating the potential of ALS. This paper was co-authored by Dr. Clive Fraser, Department of Geomatics at The University of Melbourne. You can also sign-up for email delivery of future issues.
  
  

  Advanced Lidar Technology, Inc.

• Advanced Lidar Technology Updates Web Site
  (12/00) Advanced Lidar Technology, Inc. (Houston, Texas) have recently updated their web site adding some interesting information, pictures and links. Of particular interest is a brief but informative FAQ section on lidar, something we'd like to see on other commercial lidar sites. Worth a visit.
  
  
• Magnolia Group Spins-off Advanced Lidar Technology
  (06/00) Advanced Lidar Technology, Inc. Houston, TX (USA), formerly a wholly owned subsidiary of the Magnolia Group, now offers airborne laser imaging services. The company has two Nortech ATLAS airborne laser imaging systems available for service work which it focuses on various applications including geophysical, geodetic, pipeline and seismic surveys and the utilities industries as well as agriculture, disaster assessment and remediation, construction, defense, mining, and environmental analysis. By combining lidar data sets with digital imagery in a proprietary technique known as Atlas Image Draping^TM, ALTI produces a three-dimensional, ortho-rectified digital data set, from which data can be extracted and viewed in any desired format.
  
  

  Aero Asahi Corporation

• Aero Asahi Corporation Deploying LiDAR in Japan
  (01/01) Aero Asahi Corporation (Tokyo, Japan), established in 1955, is a large aviation, surveying, mapping and GIS firm with over 1400 employees. It is composed of several divisions including a Surveying & Geographic-Information Division that is one of the leading GIs organizations in Japan, an Aviation Division which is the largest helicopter operator in Asia with 85+ helicopters and an Airborne Survey Division specializing in surveying and remote sensing. The Survey Division operates two Optech ALTM 1025 airborne laser mapping system combined with thermal infrared video data and satellite imagery. There are details on their web site but brush-up on your Japanese first! Or try the much less informative English page.
  
  

  AerotecUSA

• (03/99) Have you ever wondered what became of Airborne Remote Mapping, the start-up survey company using a Saab TopEye system for power corridor mapping in the USA? Well not only are they alive and well under the name AerotecUSA, but they move to the top of our list of cool PR coups with an article in the latest issue of Forbes magazine.
  
  

  Airborne 1

• Airborne 1 to Publish LiDAR Industry Newsletter
  (12/01) As many of you are aware, airbornelasermapping.com has been sponsored for the last 18 months by Airborne 1 Corporation, a lidar data provider based in Los Angeles, California. For those of you who may be interested in more in-depth coverage of the business of lidar mapping, as opposed to the technology, Airborne 1 is launching a new newsletter focusing exclusively on the commercial and business side of industry. While some of the material from airbornelasermapping.com will also be covered in the newsletter, the newsletter format will be better for the more detailed coverage, articles, discussion, insight and opinion that would not be suitable for the airbornelasermapping.com site or audience. Airborne 1 is currently taking charter (free) subscriptions to their newsletter. If you are interested in subscribing, send them an e-mail. Rest assured that this is an opt-in process, you will not be added to their newsletter distribution list simply because you are an airbornelasermapping list member. Airborne 1 remains committed to supporting airbornelasermapping.com and maintaining its reputation as the most comprehensive source of unbiased information on lidar technology, research and activities. In particular, Airborne 1 will continue to support free access to our online Industry Directory and coverage of the major developments in the lidar industry in an open, public format.
  
  
• Airborne 1 To Distribute Terrasolid's TerraScan Software
  (04/01) Airborne 1 Corporation (LA, California, USA) and Terrasolid Ltd. (Helsinki, Finland) recently announced the implementation of a Master Distributor agreement. Airborne 1 is now an Authorized Master Distributor for Terrasolid's software products in North America, including the popular TerraScan LiDAR Data Processing package. TerraScan is a dedicated software solution for processing LiDAR data that runs on top of Bentley's Microstation. Unlike many older software packages, TerraScan can easily handle the tens of millions of points common in large LiDAR data sets, in fact as many as 40,000,000 points per GB of RAM. More details are available online.
  
  
• Lidar 101: POB Article on LiDAR Accuracy
  (04/01) With the recent awarding of large statewide LiDAR contracts and the exploding number of RFPs specifically requesting LiDAR mapping, it is clear that this technology is not going to go away. However, there is growing concern among surveyors about the achievable accuracy of airborne LiDAR data and how this accuracy impacts products certified to various established mapping standards. This situation is not helped by the lack of open discussion on what is meant by LiDAR accuracy. This recent article in POB magazine addresses this issue.
  
  
• Airborne 1 Takes Delivery of Optech ALTM 1225
  (06/00) Airborne 1 Corporation, Los Angeles, CA (USA) recently announced that it has taken delivery of an Optech ALTM 1225. The Model 1225 is Optech's current high-end instrument featuring operation at 25 kHz, capture of multiple returns per pulse, return pulse intensity capture for pseudo gray scale imaging and extended operating altitudes. Airborne 1 provides flexible access to advanced LiDAR technology such as the Optech ALTM 1225 for clients in the photogrammetry, surveying and mapping fields.
  
  
• (07/99) This press release from Airborne 1 is well worth reading. It covers work done in San Francisco and includes some excellent data examples of the downtown area of the city including the distinctive Transamerica building. Of course, in viewing the data we couldn't help but feel we had seen this building somewhere else ..... perhaps here.
  
  
• (03/99) If you are interested in the potential business opportunities of an airborne laser mapping start-up, be sure to check out Airborne 1. Airborne 1 is a new company dedicated to bringing premier laser mapping services to surveying companies throughout the United States. Their business plan took home the award for Best Business Plan of 1998 from USC Business School (the #1 ranked Entrepreneurial MBA program in the USA).  With an imaginative strategy and focused business plan, Airborne 1 offers an interesting opportunity to participate in the growth of one of the coolest new technologies to emerge in the surveying field in decades.  Be sure to check their site out!
  
  

  Airborne Laser Mapping Consultants

• A Review of the Commercial Instrument Market and its Projected Growth
  (12/99) At the recent ISPRS workshop in La Jolla, one of our own diligent volunteers gave a presentation entitled Commercial Development of Airborne Laser Altimetry: A Review of the Commercial Instrument Market and its Projected Growth. The presentation provided an estimate of the instrument base required to support a competitive laser altimetry sector within the global remote sensing industry with projected growth curves through 2005. This projection is interesting as it provides an estimate of the size of the market for commercial instrument sales and consequently a view of the future competitive environment for survey companies offering laser altimetry services. A copy of the presentation is available for download. The full paper will be published on the workshop web site or is available on request from the author.
  
  

  Airborne Laser Solutions

• Airborne Laser Solutions Updates Web Site
  (11/99) ALS has recently updated their web site. If you are not familiar with them, ALS is based in South Africa and uses both an Optech ALTM and a TopEye laser mapping system. Laser-derived elevation data is combined with a digital camera system developed "in-house" to produce digital terrain models and colour orthophoto maps. ALS is also working in conjunction with Terrasolid, to develop software that will automate the extraction of tower positions, conductor attachment heights, catenary constants and conductor ground clearance for existing power lines from airborne laser data. If you are trying to comparison-shop between the ALTM and the TopEye instruments, these are the people to talk to in advance of placing an order.
  
  

  Analytical Surveys

• Analytical Surveys Chairman and CEO Retires
  (02/00) Normally we wouldn't cover a press release such as this regardless of the fact Analytical Surveys Incorporated (ASI) was one of the first major North American mapping and GIS firms to take delivery of a commercial off-the-shelf laser altimeter (Optech ALTM 1210), except that this announcement was sudden and unexpected. It was also rapidly followed by announcement of a Class Action suit against ASI charging Analytical Surveys and certain of its senior officers with violations of the Securities Exchange Act. What impact, if any, this may have on ASI's laser mapping operations is not clear but for the real inside story you may want to drop by the Yahoo! message board. Perhaps not coincidentally, ASI has recently updated their web site. Still no mention on the site of their lidar activities however.
  
  
• Analytical Surveys Named One of America's Fastest-Growing Companies by Fortune Magazine
  (09/99) Analytical Surveys Inc. is a leading provider of customised data conversion and digital mapping services for the geographic information systems (GIS) market. ASI owns and operates an Optech ALTM 1210 system, but there is very limited information available on their web site concerning this capability. We assume they provide airborne laser mapping as part of their integrated suite of survey services. They were recently named by Fortune magazine as one of America's Fastest Growing Companies. ASI placed 51st on the list of 100 companies. The list, which will appear in Fortune's Sept. 6, 1999, issue, is also available on-line.
  
  

  Applied Geomatics Inc.

• Applied Geomatics International Announces Opening Of USA Office
  (11/99) Applied Geomatics International Inc. (AGI) was recently formed in Houston, TX. The company provides traditional GPS and conventional surveying and mapping services as well as airborne laser mapping. Additionally, the owners of the company will draw upon their extensive knowledge of the airborne laser industry to provide turn-key project solutions, quality control, post-processing and data visualisation services. The company is also able to leverage strong alliances with other companies that add extensive experience in the fiber-optic, pipeline mapping and remote sensing industries to their services. A .pdf version of the full press release is available.
  
  

  Atlantic Technologies

• Atlantic Technologies Updates Web Site With LiDAR Focus
  (09/00) Atlantic Technologies (Huntsville, AL) recently updated their web site to include detailed information on their LiDAR mapping activities. Atlantic owns and operates an Optech ALTM 1210 and has included some specific details of their in-house capabilities with the site update along with some interesting data examples. Atlantic's philosophy in integrating LiDAR mapping in to their operations is that LiDAR data is not a complete solution unto itself, but rather an additional tool that is part of a much larger and more comprehensive photogrammetric solution. By design, Atlantic’s deliverables to their clients are not stand-alone LiDAR data sets, but instead they integrate LiDAR data into digital ortho photographs for a more complete solution for end-users and clients.
  
  
• Atlantic Technologies Takes Delivery of Optech ALTM 1210
  (01/00) Atlantic Technologies, established in 1961, (as Atlantic Aerial Surveys) is a full-service photogrammetric engineering firm, with headquarters in Huntsville, Alabama. They have over thirty-five years of service to government and private industry and are one of the U.S.'s leading suppliers of mapping, GIS and photogrammetry services. Atlantic owns and operates an Optech ALTM 1210 system as part of their full-service survey and mapping capabilities. While there is no information currently available on their web site about their airborne laser services, they are planning on updating their site soon. In the meantime you can contact them directly for more information.
  
  

  Azimuth

• Azimuth Announces Capability Advances For Their AeroScan Systems
  (01/01) Azimuth Corporation (Westford, MA) has announced new capabilities for its AeroScan line of airborne laser mapping systems. The AeroScan sensor now include an intensity mapping feature, increased laser pulse rate and increased scan rate. The system performs intensity measurements on both first and second returns from each outbound laser pulse at rates to 25 kHz. The new high-rate scanner also permits a 45-degree field of view to be scanned at 26 Hz while operating at altitudes to 3000 meters AGL. First imagery was available after only 3 months of effort, furthering the company's reputation for rapid feature development and technology advancement. Azimuth says further refinements are planned including the addition of automatic scaling (allowing intensity output to be automatically adjusted for changes in receiver gain) and intensity-based point-cloud filtering (a much discussed topic). There is limited information available on their web site but they have provide us with a copy of the full press release, including sample imagery, which is available for download (Word/ZIP'd/725 kB).
  
  
• (05/99) Looking to purchase an airborne laser mapping system? Wondering who else might sell or lease systems besides Optech and Saab but don't have the time to research the market? Never fear our diligent web spiders have been hard at work for you. We've uncovered another company that will build you a commercial system in exchange for your hard earned money. The company, whose name might not be familiar to you, is Azimuth Corporation. In the past they have been one of the major OEM suppliers of laser ranging subsystems and related hardware on many of the custom airborne laser mapping instruments already in the field but now they are offering a complete commercial instrument for general sale. So now that our web spiders have done the hard work for you, you can follow-up yourself with Ron Roth at Azimuth.
  
  

  ComputaMaps

• ComputaMaps Offers LiDAR Digital Surface Models for Wireless Telecommunications Industry
  (01/01) ComputaMaps (Cape Town, South Africa) is a privately owned South African-based geo-information data manufacturer and GIs software distributor and developer serving their local and international markets since 1994. The team at ComputaMaps has over fifteen years combined experience in GIs, cartography, remote sensing and related fields and has recently introduced LiDAR-derived digital surface models for the wireless telecommunications industry. Their standard DSM product consists of two integrated data sets: a 1 m DSM and color orthoimages collected simultaneously with DSM data. There is a small sample image of Bree St. Johannesburg available on their site.
  
  

  Dewberry & Davis

• (02/00)Dewberry & Davis Adopts Lidar Technology
  Further evidence of the increasing acceptance of airborne laser mapping comes from Dewberry & Davis. Dewberry & Davis, established in 1956, is one of the largest engineering consulting firms in the United States with over 1600 employees in 26 offices throughout the United States. The company is applying airborne lidar technology to help many of their clients address today’s resource management challenges. Working with three ALTM subcontractors, the firm is currently managing five lidar surveys as part of its role as a contractor for the U.S. Geological Survey’s National Mapping Program. These projects will help that agency modernise procedures for developing the "digital earth". Another three lidar projects are underway for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Dewberry & Davis is also helping to write lidar specifications for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and other clients, and performing independent accuracy assessments of lidar data generated by or for other organisations. A more detailed article on Dewberry & Davis' lidar activities is available in the Winter issue of their newsletter, Dimensions - Geodigital Dynamics.
  
  

  EagleScan/3Di

• EagleScan/3Di Maps Los Alamos Fire Site For Disaster Mitigation
  (07/00) In preparation for Northern New Mexico's summer monsoon season, over 120 square miles of the Cerro Grande Fire burn area (Los Alamos, New Mexico, USA) have been mapped using LiDAR technology by EagleScan/3Di (Boulder, Colorado) for potential disaster mitigation. Normally, flooding is not a major concern for the Los Alamos area, but with the protective vegetative cover burned to the ground by the recent wild fires and high concentrations of hydrophobic ash remaining, the 48,000-acre site of forests and canyons runs the risk of environmental damage, including possible erosion and mudslides from heavy flooding. The LiDAR data being collected by EagleScan/3Di will provide officials with a high-resolution, high-accuracy Digital Elevation Model (DEM) and related topographic detail to support mitigation efforts.
  
  

  EarthData

• EarthData Updates Web Site
  (11/99) Just in time to enter the running for our 1999 Way Cool Airborne Laser Mapping Web Site Award, EarthData has recently updated their web site with a completely new professional design. Details of all their services are available on the site, but we especially liked the airborne lidar data of the Pentagon. Wonder if they let them know they were being scanned with a laser?
  
  
• (07/99) EarthData International recently announced a strategic partnership with Spencer B. Gross, Inc. to extend EarthData's custom airborne laser technology to the Pacific Northwest. A good description of their AeroScan system is also available online.
  
  

  EnerQuest

• EnerQuest Wins Contract for LiDAR Mapping of Grand Canyon
  (11/00) EnerQuest Systems, LLC (Denver, CO), has received a contract from the US Bureau of Reclamation to map 100 miles of the Grand Canyon with the EnerQuest lidar-based Remote Airborne Mapping System (RAMS™). The Bureau of Reclamation's Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center selected EnerQuest for the project because of the unique RAMS™ mapping capabilities. The Center will use the lidar-derived contour maps and imagery to measure the buildup and degradation of sandbars and beaches in the canyon. An ideal application for lidar technology due to its ability to generate high-resolution DTMs in areas of low contrast and relief.
  
  
• EnerQuest Systems PTY LTD First Australian Company Selected for Japan's Global Venture Forum
  (09/99) EnerQuest has been selected to participate in Japan's Global Venture Forum (GVF 99). This is a forum for companies in new, high-tech, emerging fields of business to meet with potential Japanese partners with approximately 400 major Japanese companies in attendance. Given the large Japanese survey market and the fact there are already 4 instruments deployed in Japan, this is further indication that the Asia/Pacific market for airborne laser mapping is growing.
  
  
• (07/99) And another press release, this one from EnerQuest LLC, will be of interest to our visitors from "down under". It announces a joint venture between EnerQuest and BHP Engineering to provide airborne laser mapping services in Australia. The press release is not available online yet, be we've got it here for you, hot off the presses.
  
  
• (05/99) EnerQuest Systems LLC has recently posted detailed specifications on their Remote Airborne Mapping System (RAMS) on their web site. They claim their state of the art system is currently the largest format integrated laser altimeter and digital camera system available in the world. Drop by and review their specs. For comparison, you might want to take a look at the specifications for EagleScan's DATIS system.
  
  

  Eurosense

• (05/99) Our European visitors may be interested to know that Eurosense Belfotop N.V., which is one of Europe's most prominent commercial remote sensing organisation with one of the world's most advanced map and image production facilities at its disposal and a staff of about 200 highly specialised technicians, is now offering an airborne laser mapping service.
  
  

  FEMA

• LiDAR Accuracy: FEMA's Perspective
  (04/01) In 1998, the Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) in the US published the National Standard for Spatial Data Accuracy (NSSDA) that superseded the National Map Accuracy Standard (NMAS) of 1947, for digital products. These standards deal with how digital map accuracy is to be verified. The current, draft version of the FEMA LiDAR specification for flood mapping calls for 30 cm vertical accuracy (approximately equivalent to 15 cm percent RMSE) at the 95 percent confidence level. This performance requirement is consistent in each of the LIDAR, IFSAR, and photogrammetric specifications. A hot topic being discussed within the community is related to the substantiation for this requirement for 30 cm vertical accuracy. This excellent online article from EOM covers this topic in significant detail. Worth reading even if just to understand the difference between NSSDA and NMAS definitions.
  
  
• Revised FEMA Guidelines For LiDAR Mapping
  (09/00) In May of this year FEMA (USA) released a revised version of its LiDAR specification. The guidelines in the FEMA specification must be used when gathering the data necessary to create digital elevation models (DEMs) for hydraulic modeling of flood plains, digital terrain maps, and other National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) products using a LiDAR system. Lesser versions of the standard may be applied for hydrologic modeling of watersheds or other studies. While the guidelines are primarily intended for use by FEMA staff and contractors involved with flood-risk products, they can be easily adapted to other LiDAR mapping projects. Definitely worth reviewing if you are considering contracting for lidar data collection for any application.
  
  
• FEMA Publishes Appendix for Airborne LIght Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) Systems
  (09/99) As part of its Map Modernisation Plan, the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is performing an assessment of advanced technologies for possible use in the preparation of the U.S. National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) maps and related products. FEMA has released guidelines and specifications that must be used by contractors in the application of airborne laser mapping systems for gathering the lidar data necessary to create digital elevation models (DEMs), digital terrain maps, and other NFIP products. The guidelines can be reviewed online or downloaded. Interested parties are encouraged to provide written technical comments or suggestions regarding the LIDAR guidelines and specifications via e-mail message to mapmod@fema.gov.
  
  

  Fotonor

• Fotonor Launches Web Site
  (09/00) Fotonor AS (Norway) has recently launched a new web site covering all of their airborne survey capabilities and in-house sensors. Fotonor offers airborne laser scanning surveys using an Optech ALTM 1210. Their experiences with airborne lidars dates back to 1995 while their ALTM 1210 has been in the field since January 1999.

  
  GeoLas Consultants

• GeoLas Visualisation Gallery Now Online
  (12/99) GeoLas Consulting has recently added an excellent set of data examples to their web site. The various examples of laser altimetry data in their visualisation gallery highlight the capabilities of imaging laser altimeters, illustrate some specific survey applications and show various possibilities for displaying the output. Well worth a visit! You may also note that in addition to their consulting services, GeoLas now offers data acquisition and mapping services, providing clients with digital 3D terrain and surface data either off-the-shelf, if the data is commercially available, or by performing an airborne survey.
  
  

  Horizons Inc.
  

• Horizons Takes Delivery of Azimuth AeroScan System
  (09/00) Horizons, Inc. (Rapid City, SD) is a leader in the field of photogrammetry and remote sensing, "the science and technology of obtaining, processing, measuring and interpreting imagery and data about physical objects and the environment". In business since 1968, they are dedicated to providing advanced photogrammetric services and geospatial data including aerial photography, topographic mapping, elevation modeling, volumetrics, orthophotography, and multispectral. They have recently added laser mapping to their range of services with the acquisition of an Azimuth AeroScan system. Their project experience includes large government mapping contracts with the Corps of Engineers, the Bureau of Reclamation, NIMA, Forest Service, USGS, Park Service and FEMA, among others. Mapping projects extend across applications including: Pipeline Routing, Transportation Planning, Mining Operations, Volumetric Calculations, Environmental Studies Vegetation Analysis / Agriculture, Corridor Mapping, and Flood Plain Delineation.
  
  

  Infoterra

• Infoterra Launched, Takes Delivery of Optech ALTM 2033
  (03/01) Launched in January 2001, Infoterra Ltd. is a 100% owned subsidiary of Astrium, one of Europe's leading space companies. Building on over 20 years of experience in commercial Earth Observation, Infoterra's goal is to become a world leader in provision of next-generation geographic information products and services. Infoterra was formed by integrating the Earth Observation Services department of Astrium (Germany) and the National Remote Sensing Centre Ltd. (NRSC Ltd.) (UK). NRSC was part of the Airborne Laserscanning International (ALI) consortium in conjunction with Geodan Geodesie b.v. (now TerraImage b.v.) and TopScan GmbH (still TopScan GmbH). Through ALI they have been operating an Optech ALTM 1020 since 1996, focusing mainly in Europe and Australia. The Infoterra group will remain part of ALI and have access to their ALTM system but Infoterra has also recently purchased an Optech ALTM 2033 to further enhance its own lidar capabilities. This instrument is one of the most advanced commercial sensors available and acquires data points at a rate of 33,000 per second from an altitude of 3,000 m. From an altitude of 1,000 m the instrument will be used to acquire elevation data with a 1 m resolution. To our knowledge Infoterra is the first commercial organization to take delivery of an ALTM 2033. The sensor will be available for commercial work worldwide starting the end of Q1 2001. In merging with NRSC, Infoterra has acquired a knowledgeable, very experienced lidar survey group that is certainly "Top 10" caliber worldwide.
  
  
• Geostore.com Offers Online LiDAR Data Sales For UK
  (03/01) Geostore.com is an online geographic information store that is also supported by Infoterra Ltd. In addition to off-the-shelf lidar data across the UK, it sells various products including: aerial photography, building height maps, city/urban models, countrywide maps, digital elevation models and various imagery products. The lidar data coverage appears similar to that offered on the OS web site (see above) but is available on a city-by-city basis. To browse the available lidar data, choose "Search the Store" and select "By Product" and then "laserscanner" or select "Laserscanner" from the main catalogue. What ever happened to simple hypertext links?
  
  

  inpho GmbH
  

• inpho Releases V3.4 of SCOP DTM and LiDAR Classification Software
  (11/00) inpho GmbH (Stuttgart, Germany) has released V3.4 of it SCOP software package. This stand-alone software package is designed for interpolation, management and visualization of digital terrain models and is particularly well-suited for processing large amounts of DTM data, including the dense data sets generated from laser/LiDAR scanning. SCOP includes tools for DTM interpolation from large data sets as well as built-in laser/LiDAR data classification routines using various robust filtering methods. SCOP 3.4 is available as a stand-alone package or integrated into other data processing packages. If you are interested in digital photogrammetry you may also want to check out their COBRA software. Details on SCOP and COBRA are available from inpho.
  
  

  John Chance Land Surveys

• A Review of FLI-MAP Laser Altimetry Developments
  (11/00) GEOEurope has an interesting online overview of the FLI-MAP airborne laser altimetry system operated by Fugro-Inpark in the Netherlands. During its first year of operation, a total of 10,846 kms were surveyed in Europe, Africa and the Far East in projects that included railroad, road and utility networks. Additionally, the system has been employed in generating DTMs for both wide area flood defense schemes and for new housing developments. Interestingly, the article mentions that the processing software for FLI-MAP data - FLIP7 - has undergone considerable redesign to enable automatic classification and feature extraction. One result of this is that automatic filtering routines that operate independently of FLIP7 can now be written by third parties. This third-party support will be aided by a software development kit to be released at a future date. Such filters are critical to automate the classification of terrain features and reduce the task of manual classification and interpretation of lidar data. According to the article, over 25 such filters are already available. The FLI-MAP team is to be commended for opening up this usually proprietary process. Details and FLI-MAP data examples are also included in the article. Worth a look.
  
  
• John Chance Land Surveys Announces New FLI-MAP Web Site
  (06/00) John Chance Land Surveys, Inc. Lafayette, LA (USA) (formerly John E. Chance and Associates or JEC) operators of the FLI-MAP systems, recently announced a new web site dedicated to their FLI-MAP activities. The site includes a FLI-MAP system description, application notes and a library of articles on their work with the FLI-MAP system. Worth a visit even if you are already familiar with their FLI-MAP system.
  
  

  Kampsax

• Kampsax Offers Laserscanner Data Using a TopoSys Sensor
  (03/01) A major consulting firm in Denmark, Kampsax has expanded its range of activities from its roots as traditional engineering consultants to include management services with a special emphasis on information technology solutions and GIS applications. Today Kampsax has more than 500 employees in more than 40 countries with expertise ranging from agronomists, biologists, sociologists, engineers, computer scientists and land surveyors to economists and socio-economists. In their surveying and mapping departments Kampsax uses the technique of laserscanning to make various mapping products including digital surface models (DSM), digital terrain models (DTM), digital object height models (DEM) and contour maps. They are using a laser scanner from TopoSys which allows them to survey up to 25 points per square meter with a vertical accuracy of 10 - 15 cm. You may also want to check out their page on Denmark’s Digital Height Model.
  
  

  Kokusai Kogyo Co.
  

• Kokusai Kogyo Co. Announces LiDAR DEMs for Major Cities in Japan
  (12/00) Kokusai Kogyo Co., Ltd. (KKC) (Tokyo, Japan) has been a leading company in the geomatics business for over 50 years. Their main expertise is in remote sensing, photogrammetry, cartography, and GIs applications. These focus areas now form the basis for a variety of emerging LIDAR data applications and products. KKC has formed a strategic relationship with EnerQuest Systems, LLC (Denver, CO) and is aggressively pursuing new airborne laser mapping markets in Japan. KKC uses EnerQuest's RAMS system and sophisticated post-processing software to produce digital DEMs and orthophoto databases of major Japanese cities. The first data set is scheduled to be released in early 2001. These LiDAR DEMs are classified either as "true surface" (building and vegetation are removed), or "surface" (building and vegetation included). Each data set is available for either random-spaced data (2-5 m) or grided DEM (2-5 m). Custom data acquisition is also available anywhere in Japan . The company has some impressive data samples of Mt. Fuji, Downtown Tokyo, Osaka, and Yokohama. For further information, please contact them at ramse@kkc.co.jp or visit their web site.
  
  

  LaserMap Image Plus

• LaserMap Image Plus Updates Their Web Site
  (06/00) LaserMap Image Plus, Ottawa, ON (Canada) has also recently updated their web site. The updated site includes a good system overview, a list of application notes with data examples for each application (always nice to see) and some interesting imagery including a cool 360° fly-by of lidar data from hydro towers/wires. Definitely worth a look.
  
  

  Laseroptronix

• Low-Cost Laser Altimeter System For Low Altitude Airborne Applications
  (11/99) Of course, if you are looking for a simple, low-cost, low altitude solution to your airborne laser surveying problems and the high cost of an ALTM, AeroScan or TopEye system has prevented you from adding this capability to your operations, you might want to consider Laseroptronix' compact laser rangefinders. Starting around 30000 SEK - that's less than $5,000 U.S. - it may be just what you need for low-altitude airborne mapping. However, not that we here at airbornelasermapping.com want to cause any trouble, but we have to ask, isn't "ALTM" trade-marked?
  
  

  Leica

• LH Systems Acquires Azimuth; Will Offer LiDAR Sensors as Part of Product Line
  (12/01) Despite the relative lack of hoopla, April 25th, 2001 was a red-letter day in the lidar business. The announcement that LH Systems was finalizing the acquisition of Azimuth Corporation in order to distribute the AeroScan LiDAR sensor, rebranded as the ALS40, alongside their new ADS40 and traditional RC30 product lines certainly was the buzz of the ASPRS conference among the lidar crowd. For those of us who for the past five years have been promoting and supporting this technology as something bigger and better than any single brand or small group of system owners, the entrance of an established, well-respected and well-known firm such as LH Systems adds significant credibility to those efforts and our industry. And since a lot of those early efforts were done in relatively lonely isolation, we hope this development is as immensely satisfying for everybody who has been traveling that road as it is for us. Indeed, with this announcement the next five years in the lidar business look to be as exciting and interesting as the last five, perhaps more so!
  
  

  Magnolia Group

• Magnolia Group Adds Airborne Laser Imaging Technology
  (11/99) Advanced Lidar Technology, a subsidiary of the Magnolia Group, has acquired two Nortech ATLAS-SL airborne laser imaging systems. These systems will allow Magnolia to derive accurate orthorectified corridor maps and generate centimetric digital terrain models, incorporating precise 3-D elevation information into high resolution images and models. Details of their full services can be found on their web site.
  
  

  MobileMapper Co., Ltd.

• MobileMapper Completes Major LiDAR Project in Korea
  (09/00) The MobileMapper Co., Ltd. (Korea) is a venture company dedicated to airborne laser mapping combined with a variety of other sensor capabilities such as satellite and aerial imagery. They recently finished a major project in Korea using an Optech ALTM 1020 to generate highly accurate and dense DEM data for urban areas. The lidar data sets were used for automatic building extraction and orthophoto generation as well as other diverse GIS application. Their web site is still under construction but you can contact them via e-mail.
  
  

  Nortech

• (05/99) Nortech has an updated description on their site that focuses on their ATLAS -SL and -VL systems and has links to a library of downloadable application notes --- which are unfortunately not online yet. They have also added a Quick Quote form to their site that allows you to get a preliminary pricing estimate for your airborne laser mapping project within 24 hours. Very useful if you're not sure your current service provider is being "competitive".
  
  
• (05/99) Another manufacturer of commercial off-the-shelf systems is a company whose name is probably familiar to you if you have visited our site before; Nortech Geomatics. While continuing to offer their 15+ years of experience and expertise on the survey side of the business, they are also expanding in to the instrument sales side of the business with commercial instruments based on their field-proven systems. They are selling instruments based on both their successful ATLAS VL and SL designs, providing a choice between profiling and scanning systems. You can contact Bob Pusch at Nortech for more details.
  
  

  Optech

• Industry Group Announces Plans to Release Open-Source Format for LiDAR Data
  (12/01) Optech Incorporated, the world leader in commercial off-the-shelf airborne laser mapping systems, recently announced a plan to create an open industry standard for the binary interchange of LiDAR data. Its partners in this important initiative include Z/I Imaging Corporation of Huntsville, Alabama, EnerQuest Systems LLC of Denver, Colorado and the US Army's Topographic Engineering Center (TEC). LH Systems LLC. has also indicated it intends to support this effort. It is hoped that this initiative will benefit the entire LiDAR industry, bringing with it an expanded set of LiDAR capabilities and quantum gains in total system efficiency.
  
  
• Optech, Inc. Expands International Operations, Opens US Office
  (04/01) Optech Incorporated (Toronto, Canada), the world leader in commercial off-the-shelf LiDAR instruments, recently announced its expansion into the United States with the creation of Optech International Inc. The new company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the parent company, and will open its first office in Hancock County, Mississippi. This expansion is driven by Optech's desire to better serve its US clientele by providing regional and local support to its major customers. You can read more details online. If you have dealt with Optech before you might also want to put a face to a name or if you are looking for a job they currently have 26 job openings.
  
  
• Optech Announces Production of 33 kHz ALTM Sensors
  (12/00) Those of you wondering where lidar instrumentation capabilities and designs may be headed in the next year will be interested to know that Optech Inc. (Toronto, Canada) has announced a 33 kHz version of their industry-leading ALTM series of lidar sensors. Their newest ALTM model, the 2033, operates at 33,000 pulses per second with multiple returns and intensity capture capabilities while maintaining the ALTM accuracy specifications to operating altitudes of 3,000 m. The first model ALTM 2033 was delivered to the field in September and production models start shipping in January 2001. Optech is also offering an upgrade to 33 kHz performance for existing ALTM 1200 series owners. You can download a brochure on the ALTM 2033 from Optech's web site. Just when we were all getting used to really, really dense 25 kHz data sets .......
  
  
• Optech Announces New Options For ALTM Family of Instruments At ISPRS
  (07/00) Optech Inc. (Toronto, ON, Canada) is introducing several new options for their highly successful ALTM family of commercial off-the-shelf sensors. Already the market leader in terms of installed instruments with more than 20 systems in the field, Optech announced at the ISPRS conference in Amsterdam the availability of two new options; an extended altitude option allowing the operational envelope of an ALTM system to be extended to 6,000 m (20,000') and a bathymetry option allowing an ALTM system to be used to conduct shallow-water laser bathymetry to depths of ~10 m. With ALTM instruments already in operation by such groups as the US Army Corps of Engineers and the UK Environment Agency plus numerous commercial firms around the world, the addition of these new options to the ALTM line has the potential to open up the applications of airborne laser mapping even further. Details are available via e-mail from Optech.
  
  
• Optech Launches Revised Web Site
  (06/00) Not to be out-done by the applications crowd, Optech Inc. Toronto, ON (Canada) has also recently revised their web site. With the largest installed base of airborne laser terrain mapping systems in use worldwide, the Optech name is very familiar to most of us in the laser mapping industry. The ALTM product line is the market leader in commercial off-the-shelf LiDAR instruments, but if you think Optech only makes terrestrial mapping systems, be sure to check out their other product lines. And a special bonus prize to the first person to correctly identify the person in this picture.
  
  
• Flying Higher, Working Faster
  (12/99) Read a recent article from EOM discussing Optech's ALTM 1210 and some of its enhanced features including higher laser repetition rates, higher operating altitudes and simultaneous intensity capture of the return laser pulse. The article includes a good example of intensity data captured by an ALTM 1210 showing a Gainesville Airport runway in Florida. We are curious though; isn't this simultaneous intensity capture of lidar data starting to look a lot like black and white photography? You can request more details from Optech.
  
  

  Precise Mapping

• Precise Mapping Announces Strategic Partnership With Spectral Imaging Solutions (Download)
  Precise Mapping Inc. (PMI) of Calgary, AB, Canada announced that it has signed a strategic partnership agreement with Spectral Imaging Solutions (SIS) to make the PreciseMap technology available to the airborne laser scanning industry. The resulting partnership will allow the owners of laser scanners to collect DEM and imagery in a single pass using PMI's PreciseMap technology. Spectral Imaging Solutions will provide the technical support, software and processing services for the generation of PreciseMap products; Digital Elevation Models and Color/Infrared Orthophotos. The joint venture will provide airborne laser companies with the ability to retrofit their data collection system for the acquisition of simultaneous digital imagery.
  
  
• LAND INFO and Precise Mapping Inc. Reach Accord to Introduce Large Scale Imagery Products
  (09/99) Those of you familiar with LandInfo.com may be interested to learn that their parent company, Land Info International, has entered in to a strategic partnership with Precise Mapping, a Calgary-based company that offers airborne laser mapping as part of its services. PMI was formed in order to fully commercialise and advance multi-modal aerial remote sensing techniques that were jointly developed by the Alberta Research Council and New-Tech Remote Sensing of Kamloops, British Columbia. They offer advanced multi-modal aerial remote sensing including digital imagery and laser-scanned DEMs.
  
  

  Rotor Resources

• Rotor Resources/Terran International Now Offering Laser Scanning Services
  (07/00) The Australian firm Rotor Resources is now offering aerial laser scanning services throughout Australia, the Pacific Rim and the USA using an Optech ALTM 1020 owned by their sister firm, Terran International. The sensor is installed in a Bell JetRanger and has been used in various survey and mapping applications over the last two years. The company recently announced that they are completing an airborne laser survey of the entire city of Brisbane, Australia and that this urban data set will be available for purchase in one hectare tile subsets. A sample data set is available for download from their web site. Their web site is some what difficult to navigate, with some areas still under construction, but it does contain some interesting data examples.
  
  

  Schwartz Electro-Optics

• Schwartz Electro-Optics Offers Toposense To The Commercial Market
  (11/99) Schwartz Electro-Optics Inc. (SEO) is a diversified US laser company involved in the research, development and manufacture of advanced lasers and laser-based electro-optic systems. Their Toposense system is a reliable, high-resolution, eye-safe scanning laser range finder based on laser systems developed for U.S. military applications. In 1994 Toposense was successfully adapted for commercial aerial mapping and charting applications. Currently, Toposense units are flown by John E. Chance Inc. and Fuguro-Inpark b.v. as part of their FLI-MAP and FLI-MAP II systems but SEO also offers the system for sale to the commercial market. You can read more about SEO in our Industry Directory or review detailed technical specifications of the FLI-MAP systems on the JEC web site. Worth reviewing if you are in the market for a commercial instrument.
  
  

  Spencer B. Gross

• Lidar Technology at Spencer B. Gross
  (11/99) SBG recently posted copies of several presentations on their implementation of airborne laser mapping within their survey business. The presentations cover such topics as Development of A Bare Ground DEM and Canopy Layer In NW Forestlands Using High-Performance LIDAR and a topic that is of growing interest to the data end-users, Q/A & Q/C for Acquiring and Processing LIDAR Data. The presentations are large PowerPoint files but include informative facts and sample data sets outlining the "newest technology at SBG". Worth reviewing unless you are stuck with a 28.8k connection. There is also an online article on the SBG site entitled Applications of Advanced Lidar for DEM Generation that is worth reviewing.
  
  

  Terra Remote Sensing

• Terra Remote Sensing Adds To Its LiDAR Mapping Capabilities
  (07/00) Terra Remote Sensing Inc. (Sidney, BC, Canada) is a supplier of a variety of airborne laser mapping services for a long list of worldwide clients. Their Larsen 500 LiDAR system has been mapping coastlines and performing associated laser bathymetry in combination with more traditional sonar technologies for years, and they have recently completed development of a custom-built rapid pulse (10 kHz) scanning laser altimeter which adds terrain mapping capabilities to their services and, in combination with their VideoMap videography system, provides geo-referenced video plus digital mosaics, DEMs and other features down to a 10 cm (4 inch) detail level. They use their own proprietary software in conjunction with the scanned laser data to provide the orthorectified mosaics, digital elevation models and DTM's. The bonus for the client is the high resolution digital video that is flown at the same time as the elevation capture. Primarily designed for the linear engineering market, they have already performed projects for the utility, rail and telecommunications sectors. An interesting company, Terra Remote Sensing is one of the few organizations to offer both laser topographic mapping and laser bathymetry to the commercial market. Worth a visit to their site.
  
  

  TerraImaging b.v.

• Geodan Geodesie Changes Name to TerraImaging
  (01/01) In order to better serve its diverse clients and better focus its activities, Geodan Geodesie b.v. (Amsterdam, The Netherlands) has changed its name to TerraImaging b.v. effective January, 2001. TerraImaging will focus on airborne remote sensing technologies and their applications worldwide. The previous GIs software development activities of Geodan Geodesie will remain centralized in the company Geodan IT. The airborne remote sensing, including laser scanning, and hydrological modeling activities of Geodan Geodesie will continue under the new name; TerraImaging b.v., separate from the Geodan Group
  

  Terramatics

• Terramatics Offers LiDAR Technical Development and Operations Support
  (06/00) Terramatics, Inc. Woodlands, TX (USA) is a HARC affiliated company that offers the following services: Airborne Laser Scanning (LiDAR) Technical Development and Operations, GPS and INS Systems and Software Development, Product Research and Development as well as Training & Secondment of LiDAR Operators, Systems & Software Developers, Survey Engineers and Technicians. Most of their site appears to be under construction but details indicate that lidar system and software development, geomatics engineering and technical research is also carried out at Terramatics Canada, located in Calgary, Alberta. Terramatics does not appear to be directly related to the other Woodlands resident involved in lidar, TerraPoint.
  
  

  TerraPoint

• TerraPoint Deploys New LiDAR Systems to Address Corridor Market
  (01/01) TerraPoint LLC (Houston TX) has announced the deployment of its newest custom/proprietary airborne lidar systems. The HELIX helicopter-based systems are designed for corridor mapping applications such as; transmission line rating analysis and new line route assessment, highway planning and modeling, pipeline route analysis etc. Digital camera and video are a few of the additional real time sensors available on HELIX to complement the lidar data collection. Initially two systems will be deployed, bringing TerraPoint's base of lidar sensors to six.
  
  
• TerraPoint Expands Operations to Canada
  (11/00) TerraPoint LLC (Houston, Texas) recently expanded its North American operations to Canada and opened a new office in Calgary, Alberta. The company, a leading provider of broad-area mapping services including lidar mapping with its own advanced LiDAR systems based on patented NASA technology, chose this area of Western Canada because it is a rapidly growing technology hub. TerraPoints main operations will continue to be run from Texas with the new TerraPoint Canada office acting as a secondary technology development site and sales center. For further information please call Art Silver at 403-517-8862 or e-mail him.
  
  
• TerraPoint Data to Assist in Puget Lowland Risk Assessment Project
  (06/00) The Puget Sound LiDAR Consortium recently awarded their first major contract (to TerraPoint, LLC, Woodlands, TX (USA)). If you are not aware of the history behind this consortium, it is a great story that started with a 1996 pilot LiDAR program flown by Airborne Laser Mapping (no relation to airbornelasermapping.com) using the first Optech ALTM 1020 to be delivered to a commercial client. These flights discovered previously unrecognized topographical scarps along the Seattle Fault and from the lidar data geologists were able to determine that the Puget lowland geologic setting is analogous to the Kobe region of Japan, where a 1995 earthquake on an upper-plate, strike-slip fault killed 5,500 people and caused over US $150 billion in damage. A paper at the recent ASPRS 2000 conference (Harding and Berghoff) provides more details on the analysis that led to discovering the fault. You can also read a NASA press release about the project.
  
  
• TerraPoint Surface Data to Assist in Orleans Parish Flood Control Project
  (11/99) Officials with the New Orleans District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have acquired a set of TerraPoint's three-dimensional airborne laser-derived terrain data for Orleans Parish which will be used to assist in the design and development of projects associated with the Southeast Louisiana Flood Control Project (SELA). A good example of how large organisations such as USACE are increasing their acceptance of airborne laser mapping as a viable tool for mapping purposes.
  
  
• Additional TerraPoint "Off-The-Shelf" Data Sets Available
  (10/99) TerraPoint has added two more counties, Montgomery County, TX and Orleans County, LA to its original Harris County, TX set of "off-the-shelf" airborne laser-derived products. Data sets can be licensed as Full County, USGS Quadrangle or USGS Quarter Quadrangle and pricing goes as low as $0.30 (U.S.) per acre. Detailed pre- and post- flight pricing is also listed for average county data sets as well as an estimate of custom area pricing.
  
  
• TerraPoint^TM LLC Team Receives Goddard Space Flight Center Award
  (09/99) If you are following TerraPoint's progress you will want to check out their latest press release. If you are not familiar with TerraPoint, it is a business unit of Transamerica Real Estate Information Companies created in 1998 to exploit airborne laser mapping technologies in the GIS market. They were recently selected to receive the NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center's (GSFC) first-ever achievement award in the National Resources category. Our congratulations to Dan, Jack and the rest of the gang at TerraPoint for a great job although we have to point out that a few of our other regular visitors might take exception to the description of TerraPoint as "the top provider of three-dimensional surface mapping imagery and data".
  
  
• TerraPoint™ strengthens market presence with new appointment
  (05/99) Those of you in North America following the growth of TerraPoint LLC may want to read an interesting press release showing TerraPoint is committed to establishing a national presence in federal markets. Our diligent web spiders also came across some interesting information in the February 26, 1999 Vol. 3 issue of The Goddard News, a weekly publication by the Office of Public Affairs, Goddard Space Flight Center. Read it carefully to learn what NASA technology HARC will be developing next for TerraPoint. Incidentally, be sure to drop by and visit the new TerraPoint web site.
  
  
• Transamerica Commercializes NASA Technology To Provide Digital Terrain Database To Harris County Flood Control District
  (01/99) Straight off the presses; read the January 25th press release from Transamerica and TerraPoint™ announcing the sale of a digital terrain database for the entire Harris County Flood Control District. The terrain database of Harris County features one of the largest areas to be digitally mapped for drainage and flood control purposes including the entire city of Houston, Texas and the survey work was completed entirely by airborne laser mapping using patented NASA technology.
  
  

  Terrasolid

• Terrasolid Releases New Viewer for LiDAR Data
  (01/01) Terrasolid Ltd. (Helsinki, Finland), whose TerraScan software package for viewing, manipulating and classifying lidar data has been increasing in popularity, has released an extremely useful lidar data viewer. Similar to its full-featured parent, the TerraScan Viewer is an add-on application for Bentley's Microstation. It is useful for reading, viewing and outputting the large 3D data sets generated by laser scanning . The same enhanced caching logic that makes the full TerraScan package so useful makes it possible to view very large data sets with the viewer. A 30-day trial version of the TerraScan Viewer is available for download but you will need Microstation to use the software. At the end of the 30-day trial period you can register the program for US$ 295. And be sure to check out the complete TerraScan package if you need the power of its full classification and bare earth extraction features; a very useful tool to have even if you don't own a LiDAR system.
  
  

  TopoSys

• TopoSys Wins Two Major LiDAR Contract Awards
  (06/00) TopoSys GmbH, Ravensburg (Germany) recently announced that they have won two large contracts: (1) TopoSys, in conjunction with its partners Sodiplan and Aerodata, has been awarded a contract to produce high resolution elevation models of 2000 km of rivers in the south of Belgium for SETI, the Ministry of the Environment. The lidar data will be incorporated in to flood simulation models. The field survey commenced in the spring and will continue until the end of this year. (2) TopoSys has also been awarded a contract to produce detailed 3D models of 10 cities in Portugal for telecommunication planning applications. The areas to be surveyed total 850 km². This survey campaign is already underway and will be finished at the beginning of July. All 3D models are expected to be delivered to the client by October. In both contracts TopoSys will deliver their standard product: a 1 m raster DEM.
  
  

  TopEye AB

• TopEye Data Set Example Available Online
  (07/00) This is an excellent presentation of TopEye data covering the use of lidar data in producing elevation models in Finland. The project is a highway construction survey near Salo, Finland, northwest of Helsinki. The web presentation is extremely well done, including overlays of the data on base maps, a comparison to photogrammetric data and a discussion of the classification of the laser data using a commercial software package, TerraScan from Terrasolid. There is also a presentation on combining the laser data with orthorectified digital imagery captured simultaneously with the laser scan. Well worth a visit, especially if you have never worked with raw lidar data before or want to see some of the features available in off-the-shelf software packages for analyzing lidar data.
  
  

  TopScan GmbH

• TopScan Takes Delivery of Second ALTM; Model 1225
  (12/00) TopScan GmbH (Stuttgart, Germany), one of the early pioneers in airborne laser mapping, has added a second Optech ALTM sensor to their operations. To supplement their original ALTM 1020 instrument, TopScan took delivery of an ALTM 1225 earlier this year. This system, with a sampling rate of 25 kHz, has a maximum altitude of 2000 m and allows the simultaneous recording of both the first and the last return pulse. Incidentally, in 1997 the company won the Carl-Pulfrich Prize for their practice-oriented development of commercial laser mapping technology. This award, which is endowed by the Carl Zeiss company, is given for outstanding achievements in the science, application or design of surveying methods involving geodetic or photogrammetric instruments. They have also recently updated their web site, adding an English version of the site.
  
  

  Triathlon

• MDA Acquires Atlantic Technologies
  (11/00) MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd. (Richmond, BC, Canada) has announced that it will acquire Atlantic Technologies, LLC (Huntsville, Alabama). An acknowledged leader and innovator in the field of geospatial data, Atlantic is one of the largest producers of digital maps, images and other geographic information products in the US. Also a lidar service provider, Atlantic Technologies owns and operates an Optech ALTM 1210, using lidar data as an integral part of their of their digital ortho photo products. The acquisition of Atlantic is intended to strengthen the "geographic layer" of MDA's land information database business. For more information visit MDA's web site. You can also learn more about Atlantic's lidar capabilities online.
  
  
• MacDonald Dettwiler Subsidiary Triathlon Acquires Terra Surveys of Ottawa
  September 29, 1999 - Triathlon, formerly called Triathlon Mapping Corporation, has acquired Terra Surveys Limited of Ottawa, Ontario. Since neither of these organisations is currently listed in our industry directory, you may be asking yourself why our diligent web spiders posted this item. Well .....
  
  
  • Terra Surveys hydrographic division uses airborne laser scanning technology to conduct hydrographic surveys. They own and operate the LARSEN 500 Scanning Lidar Bathymeter, originally built by Optech Inc., which use similar laser technology to that found in terrestrial mapping systems but designed specifically to capture bathymetric data.
    
    
  • Meanwhile ..... Triathlon, based in Burnaby, British Columbia, is one of the largest service-oriented photogrammetric, mapping and digital imaging companies in North America. And curiously enough, they also recently acquired Forest Dimensions Inc. of Saanichton, B.C. with the goal of generating significant additional revenues from the export of forestry-related digital mapping services and their forest inventory management expertise.
    
    
  • But ..... Triathlon is a division of MacDonald Dettwiler Information Services, a full service spatial information company providing imaging, mapping and value-added processing services for land and resource management applications to government and commercial clients world-wide. Of course they in turn are a subsidiary of MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates LTD, a major producer of technology for data acquisition, processing, infrastructure, archiving and distribution of Earth Observation Satellite (EOS) platforms such as Landsat, SPOT, ERS-1, JERS-1, RADARSAT, ADEOS, IRS and Envisat.
    
    
  • And ..... they in turn are a fully owned subsidiary of Orbital Sciences Corporation, a world leader in turnkey satellite construction, launch and operations services. Their latest satellite, Orbview 3, will have the world's first commercial spaceborne hyperspectral sensor which will provide 280 spectral imaging bands to support precision land classification and thematic mapping efforts.
    
    
  • However ..... looking at the Orbital logo reminded one of our diligent web spiders that we had seen it somewhere else very recently, probably here.
  
  So what you ask? Well, if this organisation isn't in the business of licensing cheap, off-the-shelf multi-sensor data sets based on laser-derived DTMs for the forestry industry and natural resource managers ..... somebody should tell them they should be. :-)
  

  
  Vargis

• VARGIS Selected for New York’s Statewide Mapping Project
  (04/01) VARGIS is leading a multi-participant team to create 1 and 2 foot pixel resolution digital orthoimagery for New York State. Collection of new aerial imagery to support the program will begin this spring in the lower Hudson Valley. The VARGIS team for New York includes two LiDAR service providers; 3001, Inc., New Orleans, LA and Atlantic Technologies, LLC, Huntsville, AL. VARGIS also recently teamed with EarthData as a LiDAR provider on a North Central Texas mapping project. Incorporating LiDAR data collection as an integral part of statewide mapping efforts appears to becoming a popular option for state governments.
  
  

  Verimap

• Verimap Delivers VeriMap Plus - Continuous Differentially Rectified Image And Coincident LiDAR Elevation Mapping
  (07/00) Verimap (Calgary, AB, Canada) is offering its VeriMap Plus product to existing Optech ALTM owners. Essentially this is a digital camera package add-on that includes a digital color camera, false color infrared camera and an infrared thermal camera. The precision collection timing integrated within VeriMap Plus enables the client to drape simultaneous aerial imagery over lidar data collected during normal survey operations. Obtaining the precise terrain model of the ground with the laser scanning system enables the correction of the imagery for errors inherent in the aerial photography. For more details, visit their web site.
  

  
  Waggoner Engineering Inc.

• County Reaps Huge Rewards From Airborne Laser Survey
  (11/99) Read another recent article from EOM discussing how Chatham County, home of Savannah, Georgia, USA, used airborne laser mapping - courtesy of Waggoner Engineering Inc. - to develop 1-foot contour data for the entire 250,000 acre county at a significantly reduced price compared to conventional techniques. According to the article, Chatham is the first county in the U.S. to develop a county-wide, digital, 1-foot contour map exclusively using airborne laser technology.
  
  

  Western Aeroscan, Inc.

• Western Aeroscan Offers LiDAR Mapping Capabilities
  (09/00) Western Aeroscan, Inc. (WAI) (Calgary, AB, Canada) was formed in 1996 to provide aerial reconnaissance services to the oil and gas exploration industry. WAI now offers airborne laser survey services using proprietary LiDAR technology. Their system also incorporates a gyro-stabilized gimbal mounted video camera and a digital look-down video camera. Specialized sensors such as thermal imagers and high resolution digital frame cameras can also be integrated with the system. Their system provides sub-meter sampled digital terrain models for both engineering corridor surveys and wide area mapping. Examples from both their corridor and wide-area projects are available on their web site as well as some cool fly-throughs. Worth a visit.
  
  
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  Woolpert LLP

• Woolpert Adds LiDAR Section to Web Site
  (06/00) Woolpert LLP is featuring lidar prominently on their web site, where they have included general background information and an excellent overview/tutorial on lidar, its benefits, operational considerations and accuracies. We highly recommend their tutorial, Woolpert & LIDAR - Leading Photogrammetry into the New Millennium, to anybody interested in the technology. We especially liked the level of detail provide in the discussion and commend Woolpert for including details on issues such as the change in vertical accuracy with scan angle and details of their own accuracy analysis, that are often glossed over in manufacturer's specifications or material published by other service providers. You'll need to follow the "Click here ..." link to get to the tutorial. As much as we like the tutorial however, we're not sure about the graphic featuring laser scanning from a jet .....
  
  
• Woolpert Acquires an Optech ALTM 1210
  (02/00) Woolpert LLP is a 700-person A/E firm with 22 offices located throughout the U.S. and headquartered in Dayton, Ohio. In addition to traditional A/E services, they offer a full range of GIS, software application development, remote sensing, and photogrammetric mapping services. Woolpert owns and operates an Optech ALTM 1210 system. They currently have two aircraft configured to host the lidar system and they generally fly anywhere in the continental US (outside the US on a project-by-project basis). Additionally, they have a multispectral scanner capability with one of their aircraft configured with dual camera ports for simultaneous data collection (lidar and MSS for example). Their initial lidar program focus' around mapping applications, however, they are "open to any promising projects". There's limited information available on their web site at the moment but you can contact them directly.

Archive of Web Links:

• ASPRS Lidar Committee Announces Plans for Release of LiDAR Operational Guidelines
  (12/01) The Lidar committee of the Photogrammetric Applications Division of ASPRS is a volunteer group focused on professionalizing the practice of laser altimetry, also know as LiDAR mapping, in the commercial sector. In the past five years the rapid development of a commercial base of lidar data providers in the private sector has created a need for professional practices and guidelines for the proper planning, implementation, data processing and QA/QC of lidar data products. In addition, further adoption of the technology by end users and mapping practitioners will be enhanced and improved by establishing common data exchange formats, sensor calibration routines and uniform data analysis and accuracy assessments. The Lidar committee of ASPRS has several initiatives underway in conjunction with sensor manufacturers, data providers and data users to address these issues. The committee will be releasing its draft operational guidelines for the professional practice of LiDAR mapping at the annual ASPRS conference to be held in 2002 in Washington, DC.
  
  
• International Lidar Mapping Forum Set For February 5th in Denver
  (12/01) Following the success of last year's International LIDAR Mapping Forum (ILMF), the Second Annual ILMF meeting will be held in Denver, February 4-5, 2002. Over 100 people from the LiDAR mapping industry attended last year's Forum and represented every major LiDAR operator in North America, as well as system and component manufacturers, hardware and software companies, universities and end-users. This year ILMF is offering an expanded view of the industry, including both laser bathymetry and low-level LiDAR systems, and will have key speakers provide an update on the state of the industry. Other presentation and discussion topics on the agenda include LiDAR and digital imagery software and data format issues. February 5th in Denver? Bring your skies!
  
  
• FAA Uses LiDAR in Demonstration of Airport Obstruction Mapping
  (12/01) The US National Geodetic Survey (NGS), a part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), has collaborated with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the University of Florida and Optech Inc. to test the feasibility of using a commercial 33 kHz Airborne Laser Terrain Mapper (Optech ALTM) for various FAA programs. The objectives of the project included evaluating the ability of this system to meet FAA 405 obstruction accuracy requirements and other standards, to perform a horizontal and vertical accuracy assessment of the LiDAR data using ground control points collected by NGS and the University of Florida and to collect data for a possible future cost/benefit analysis. This includes determination of the cost and time for collecting and processing the LiDAR data. In February of 2001 an Optech 33kHz ALTM was mounted onboard the NOAA Cessna Citation for a LIDAR demonstration at Gainesville Regional Airport, Gainesville, Florida. Further details of this pilot project are available online.
  
  
• Puget (12/01) Sound LiDAR Consortium Web Site Now Online
  The Puget Sound LiDAR Consortium (PSLC) is an informal group of local agency staff and Federal research scientists devoted to developing public-domain high-resolution LiDAR topography and derivative products for the Puget Sound region of Washington. They came together in the fall of 1999, with initial participants from Kitsap County, Kitsap PUD, City of Seattle, Puget Sound Regional Council, NASA, and the USGS. Their web site is an excellent resource, well worth a visit. It includes a a selective history of their efforts which makes for interesting reading, especially as it documents some of the difficulties and problems that arose with obtaining good lidar data, there is a section providing online data and their VDF (Virtual Deforestation) code for extracting bare earth surfaces from a lidar point cloud. There's also a good section with background information about lidar. Definitely take a look.
  
  North Carolina Floodplain Mapping Initiative - Progress Report
  (12/01) The results from the first phase of North Carolina's Floodplain Mapping initiative are starting to become available for public review. This extensive mapping effort involved two major lidar contractors (EagleScan Remote Sensing and EarthData) and several additional lidar subcontractors on each team. The extensive QA/QC efforts are being coordinated for the State by Dewberry and Davis and are available for review online at the North Carolina Geodetic Survey site. Organized by county and presenting accuracy results in five land cover classes, this is a great online resource for anybody looking for extensive validation of achievable lidar accuracy on large mapping projects. Of particular note is that the results show consistency across a variety of sensor designs (LH Systems, Optech, custom) and commercial data provider teams. We'd also like to commend the groups involved for documenting and presenting the various issues they have encountered during the program. Ho