We are considering the purchase of the MX2 or the MX8 for some road surveys. Anybody have one?
I was considering the purchase of a stable scanner for the same purposes, but if a mobile scanner can actually obtain data at an acceptable quality, then it would be that much cooler.
With Mobile LIDAR, are topo crews becoming obsolete?
> We are considering the purchase of the MX2 or the MX8 for some road surveys. Anybody have one?
> I was considering the purchase of a stable scanner for the same purposes, but if a mobile scanner can actually obtain data at an acceptable quality, then it would be that much cooler.
I know this is slightly off topic, but I have to ask the question, is mobile LIDAR the future for roadway design surveys? Everything is scanned and augmented with photography. With that, why do you need a topo crew anymore? You just have to train the Engineers to use that kind of data for design.
Just wondering
With Mobile LIDAR, are topo crews becoming obsolete?
We estimate about 80% of the work would be completed. We would still need the ground crew to locate utilities (underground), structure details (inverts, exact rim elevations, etc.), wetland flags and other details that may not be really visible with scans.
We are just wrapping up the 3rd phase of a 20+ year plan to sewer the Town. The other towns nearby are heading to the same outcome. We have hired other surveying outfits and we have had varying results. Availability has been sketchy with the bettering of the economy and we are just trying to find a way to obtain superior results with minimal work.
One of our posters worked for a few days on this. His work was excellent though his equipment was not happy with our numbering system...
Love it, Great Solution
I know a company here that does it, its alot of processing. Here is a video that shows some of there mobile scanning projects. And a copy and paste from there website, they claim +/- 15mm accuracy @ 80km/hr.
The mounted MLS scanner on the MNG vehicle roof
‘Cloud of Points’ collected driving at 80km/h
The Benefits
Safety – The system delivers a safer way of acquiring data with minimal disruption to traffic at any time of the day or night.
Accuracy – McMullen Nolan Group has integrated four measurement systems that when combined with field survey techniques create an output of un-precedented survey accuracy.
Speed – Capturing at near highway speed combined with easy assembly and transportation enables quick acquisition and project turnaround.
Elimination of Duplicate Surveys – Once the data has been collected, surveyors can extract additional data sets as required without having to go back to the field.
The Applications
Road & Rail – Maintenance, upgrades and route mapping. Change and encroachment detection.
Mining – Volume calculations and rapid face mapping in active mining areas
Power – Rapid asset capture of power poles, conductors and transmission wires down to 3mm in diametre.
Other applications – Airports, street scape design, 3D asset capture, inventory mapping and harbour and river shoreline mapping.
I would also take a look at the Leica Pegasus One, which merges imagery as well. The benefit here is the scanner can be used as a stationary terrestrial unit as well.
With Mobile LIDAR, are topo crews becoming obsolete?
We do a lot of work with highway projects that are flown, it seems to me that you are substituting the flight with a ground based system, which is cool, but, it must miss areas, typically they are called voids that the field crews need to ground survey.
Also, utilities, pipes, bridges, ect need to be surveyed, along with any water which always seems to be needed. The pavement is usually also ground surveyed for tighter cross-section quanities, but maybe this van mounted lidar is accurate enough for that. We joke that when our ground surveys are completed we've topo'd the road anyway.