Acquiring, processing LiDAR data with Leica RealCity across the US in support of Fugro’s geospatial mapping services

Leica Geosystems, industry leader for reality capture and measurement technology, announced today the release of LiDAR data processing capability in the Leica RealCity solution package. Leica Geosystems partnered with international asset integrity and geo-intelligence solutions provider, Fugro, to begin acquiring and processing data over multiple cities and coastal regions across the US.

Fugro used the HxMap high-performance multi-sensor workflow to process oblique imagery, nadir imagery and LiDAR data of Denver, Colorado, USA captured with the Leica CityMapper hybrid airborne sensor.

Using CityMapper, Fugro conducted aerial surveys over some of North America’s most densely populated urban centres, in support of their geospatial mapping services. As the world’s first hybrid airborne sensor combining oblique and nadir imaging as well as a LiDAR system into one instrument, the CityMapper enables significant time and cost savings by flying once to collect both imagery and LiDAR data. All collected LiDAR and imaging data can be processed in the one unified workflow solution, Leica HxMap.

“We have a long history working with Leica Geosystems sensors, because they are so reliable. CityMapper has proven no different,” said Mike Wernau, Fugro program manager. “The platform’s superior design, coupled with Leica Geosystems’ newest version of HxMap, amplifies our ability to create highly accurate, feature-rich geospatial content.”

Upgraded end-to-end workflow
The results of the airborne surveys were post-processed using the latest version of Leica HxMap, the unified high-performance multi-sensor workflow. Within a single and familiar interface common to processing other Leica Geosystems airborne sensors, all typical data products, from orthophotos and oblique images to point clouds, 3D meshes and models, can be quickly and efficiently produced.

“The added enhancements enable users to work more efficiently while saving on training and IT costs,” said Belai Beshah, VP Software, Leica Geosystems, Geospatial Solutions Division.

The latest update of the common-sensor post-processing software sees the addition of LiDAR point cloud generation, calibration, strip matching and viewing to the current image processing capability. Leica HxMap version 2.2 also incorporates enhanced noise filtering for both CityMapper and Leica SPL100 single-photon LiDAR sensors.

“HxMap v2.2 is extremely powerful, as it establishes a single environment to process our CityMapper oblique and nadir imagery, point cloud and terrain data all at once,” said Wernau. “The products derived from the Leica RealCity workflow serve as the foundation for our land and property solutions, delivering real value to our customers in state and local government, insurance, and land-use management.”

For more information about Leica HxMap, please visit: leica-geosystems.com/hxmap