EAARL, GIS, and IMA Data Processing Options for LIDAR

Since its beginning, LIDAR has changed the course of technology thanks to the numerous advantages it provides. The data processing options of LIDAR play a significant part in the results obtained. LIDAR counts with different systems like EAARL, GIS, and IMA whose data processing options bring advantages but also disadvantages to its users.

EAARL and LIDAR

Experimental Advanced Airborne Research Lidar (EAARL) is a light weight low-power sensor used on light aircrafts.  Unfortunately, because of the unique nature of the system, off-the-shelf software is not available for EAARL data processing, feature extraction, and image display (Hansen, 2008). Another disadvantage of EAARL according to Wright, lead investigator for NASA's Experimental Advanced Airborne Research Lidar (EAARL) system at Wallops Flight Facility on Virginia's eastern shore, is that “EAARL is uniquely able to make measurements over ground that varies tremendously in reflectivity and complexity.”

EAARL bright side is that compared to other LIDAR’s that tune for either weak or strong signals, EAARL can capture them all because it makes frequent measurements -- about four billion per second using multiple detectors (NASA, 2004). This trait makes it perfect for tracking hurricane damage in coastal areas, which are made up of water, sand and plant life (NASA, 2004). Other advantages of EAARL include its flexibility for charting storm damages, it does not require to be re-calibrated for every project and every sort of terrain (NASA, 2004).

GIS and LIDAR

GIS is one of the most commercially available software packages, it can be used to import and export LIDAR data. Unfortunately, GIS is limited in the number of points that can be handled at any one time but there is still hope (Barnwell, 2009).    Many LiDAR practitioners have developed proprietary software to handle the data volumes, and commercial GIS and photogrammetric software developers are beginning to address the problem (Barnwell, 2009). GIS in future years will have the advantage of making easer for service providers and clients alike to manipulate LIDAR data (Barnwell, 2009). Another advantage is that the data is acquired, processed and clients alike to manipulate LIDAR data (Barnwell, 2009).

IMA and LIDAR

Infrastructure Mapping and Autonomy (IMA), has the advantage of leveraging infrastructure developed for Civil Maps (Infrastructure Mapping, n.d.). This allows to process the data collected swiftly and accurately when the processing of LIDAR data is time consuming and hardware intensive (Infrastructure Mapping, n.d.). IMA benefits its customers through:

·         faster data processing

·         lower data creation cost and higher ROI on LiDAR

·         detailed, highly accurate maps of project areas

·         reduced landowner interaction

·         safe, secure and non-invasive data collection

·         rapid turnaround time with regular updates

·         easy asset inventorying and change detection

Sources

Barnwell, Charles. (2009). LiDAR for Terrain Mapping on the Alaska Pipeline Corridor. Arlis. Retrieved from http://www.arlis.org/docs/vol1/AlaskaGas/Paper/Paper_OFC_2009_LiDAR_TerrainMapping.pdf

Hansen, Mark. n.d. Louisiana Barrier Island Comprehensive Monitoring Program. Pontchartrain Institute for Environmental Sciences. Retrieved from https://www.lacoast.gov/reports/project/BICM4_part1-Lidar%20Systems%20and%20Data%20Processing%20Techniques.pdf

Infrastructure Mapping. n.d. Infrastructure Mapping and Autonomy: A New Era in Mapping. Infrastructure Mapping. Retrieved from                                  https://www.infrastructuremapping.com/

NASA. (2004). LIDAR: In the Wake of the Storm. NASA. Retrieved from https://www.nasa.gov/missions/earth/f_lidar.html

Wright, Wayne. (2016). Depth Calibration and Validation of the Experimental Advanced Airborne Research Lidar, EAARL-B. Coastal Education Research Foundation. Retrieved from http://www.jcronline.org/doi/pdf/10.2112/SI76-00