LiDAR Point Density

Recently, I prepared an article for LiDAR News.  The purpose of the article, Mobile LiDAR Point Density, is to serve as an introduction to LiDAR point densities.  Whether from a static, mobile or aerial system there are various influences to point density or nominal point spacing.

A portrait of our founder Michael Baker Jr. hangs in our conference room. Here, a static scan with a horizontal and vertical resolution of 0.005’ at 30’ is shown. The image represents approximately 1,375,000 points and was collected using a Leica ScanStation 2.

The above image represents a colorized point cloud of an Aerial LiDAR capture - utilized collected orthophotography to perform the colorization. The collection was planned and executed to achieve a point density greater than 20 ppsm. 

There will be additional parts to the topic of point density.  The next will focus on the influences related to Mobile LiDAR densities.  While following articles will examine tools that assist in feature identification and exploitation of the point cloud and imagery.

Cheers!
Stephen

Esri International User Conference

Baker, together with RBF Consulting, a Michael Baker Company, will be exhibiting at next week's Esri International User Conference in San Diego.  Baker & RBF staff will be on-site to discuss the many services our Geospatial Information Technologies Practice Area provides.

Our Mobile LiDAR group will be well represented by Bob Hanson, Senior Vice President of GIT, Aaron Morris, Program Manager and Stephen Clancy, Technical Manager.  If you are a reader of the blog and will be attending, please stop by booth #2017.

Also, as Silver Sponsors, Baker is presenting GIS Jeopardy—play and Win! on Tuesday, July 24th from noon to 1:00 PM in Room 14A.

I hope to see you in San Diego next week.

Cheers!
Stephen

Mobile LiDAR in the News

Baker's own Aaron Morris has prepared an article for the July 2012 issue of Professional Surveyor Magazine.  The article, titled LiDAR on the Tracks, discusses the Mobile LiDAR collection and processing of the Keystone Corridor - a 105-mile high speed rail corridor.  The project spanning from Philadelphia to Harrisburg, PA was completed last year.

The hi-rail equipped vehicle is pictured here at Parkesburg Station.  One of only a few locations  between Harrisburg and Lancaster to get off the track, we used the time waiting for a train to pass to grab a hot cup of coffee from WaWa.

I hope you enjoy the article.  Please leave comments or questions for Aaron here.

Cheers!
Stephen

PA-MAPPS Grand Award Winner

Baker's Bob Hanson, Senior Vice President of the
GIT Practice Area is on-hand to accept the award.

At the PA GIS Conference held this past May, Baker received the Grand Award in the 2012 PA-MAPPS Geospatial Products and Services Excellence award competition.  The Keystone Corridor Improvement Program (KCIP) - Mobile LiDAR project included collection of 105 miles of high-speed rail corridor from 30th Street Station in Philadelphia, PA to Harrisburg, PA.  Over the past several months, portions of the project have been included in various posting on the blog:

• Data Fusion: Mobile and Aerial LiDAR
• Riding the Rails
• Mobile LiDAR: Law #13

Although the collection was performed over a year ago and processing was completed shortly thereafter, we continue to utilize the data.  As I'm writing this blog, we are in the process of re-purposing the data for information at 4 additional locations along the corridor.  It hits right at the heart of a posting written by Jonathan Soulen:  Re-Purposing the Cloud.

Cheers,

Stephen