Ingeniero Geomensor - Chilean Mines
CHALLENGE
Bionic Eye was approached by Ingeniero Geomensor a Chilean surveying company offering accurate data report to local mining companies. Wishing to gain more accurate data for volumetric analysis, it also allows them to expand into other similar sectors such as forestry. Using their existing fleet of UAVs was not suitable as traditional photogrammetry does not allow topology digital elevation maps due to vegetation and tree cover occlusions.
SOLUTION
We built a specialist UAV which has multiple redundancy systems, from military grade control systems to dual propulsion and flight control systems allowing one complete system to fail and still be able to fly home. The final redundancy system was a low altitude ballistic parachute. Fitted to the UAV was the Riegl VUX-1 lidar scanner fitted our bespoke IMU and GNSS system to give survey grade sub 5mm average accuracy at a flight level of 50m.
In addition, the lidar scanner is able to penetrate the tree canopy, and by giving multiple returns it very easy to classify the different material allowing the trees and vegetation to be extracted either for volumetric analysis or to gain a clean topology.
BENEFITS
- Multiple redundancy systems
- Highly accurate cloud point data for optimum volumetric analysis
- Multiple return scanner, allowing classification of different objects
- Ability to extract vegetation for volumetric analysis
- Ability to gain clean topology even over dense forest area.
- Easy of use through military flight control systems
- Reduced Health and Safety considerations - lower human intervention, day time operating, no abseiling, no human connection on unstable structures
- Cost and speed of surveying is massively reduced