Abstract

The Basics of Mobile Mapping Technology
Track: Technology
Authors: Brenda Burroughs

Recent technology advances in mobile LiDAR acquisition and processing are changing the landscape of surveying and mapping as we have known it for many years. From its infancy in the mid 90's as a military tool, the technology has grown to be a legitimate player in the commercial surveying and mapping arena. LiDAR has been a driving force behind the "more/faster is better" concept in surveying and mapping that we see today. Where, ten years ago aerial LiDAR was collecting points at 5 meter intervals, today that has increased to 6 to 8 points per meter and when you mount that LiDAR unit on a ground vehicle, 2,000 points per meter is the "norm". More data, shortened turnaround times, more client demands. Those issues will be a major contributor in the continued evolution of the surveying and mapping community. This technology must be embraced by the surveying and mapping community to stay abreast of the future client needs. This presentation will help to eliminate the unknowns of the mobile LiDAR systems by outlining the configurations, the field survey requirements to meet accuracy specification and show some of the systems that are available to collect and process data from a surveying accuracy standard to a GIS accuracy standard.