With our partner, Edinburgh Drone Company, we put on two demonstration days at the beautiful Hopetoun House in Scotland. Together, we were able to show off some outstanding YellowScan LiDAR technology and create some amazing 3D scans of Hopetoun House.
YellowScan Lidar Mapper
The YellowScan Mapper is a survey-grade Lidar scanner, combining the Livox Horizon sensor, Applanix APX-15 IMU, and a high-performance GNSS antenna to generate precise and accurate geo-referenced point clouds.
The Livox Horizon sensor boasts an 81.7° field of view enabling the capture of every surface it flies over. The high point density combined with YellowScan’s CloudStation software allows for advanced accuracy and precision of the data capture to below 5cm of variance.
YellowScan’s single camera module can be used on the YellowScan Mapper to collect images of the areas being covered. Through using YellowScan’s single camera module, the point clouds can be colourised using the GPS referenced images which are captured simultaneously.
M300 RTK
The YellowScan Mapper is designed to fit all DJI professional drones such as the M200, M210, M300 and M600. We use the M300 RTK as the YellowScan Mapper carrier. The Matrice 300 RTK (M300RTK) is the flagship inspection drone by the market leading DJI. With advanced features and incredible capabilities, the M300RTK is the go-to system for those serious about inspectons, surveying and public safety.
Hopetoun House Datasets
These images from YellowScan’s CloudStation software show Hopetoun House and its immediate surroundings. The point cloud can be colourised to a range of different properties, but here we’ve chosen the RGB-elevation view. The cool blue demonstrates the lowest elevation points while red demonstrates the higher points – the RGB-elevation range is relative to the whole dataset and fully adjustable for detailed visualisation and analysis of the capture.
By using the LiDAR scanner to assess the terrain through the dense vegetation to the side of the house, we were able to see the steep gradient beneath the canopy. The gradient of this ground level drop was not realised before, as in other scans it looks less steep. Only by using a LiDAR scanner to penetrate through dense vegetation would you then be able to assess the ground terrain.
This illustrates how the LiDAR scanner can be particularly useful when measurements needed are in hard to reach, or dangerous and unsafe locations. YellowScan’s CloudStation software was used to visualise the data from the scanner within 30 minutes of the flight.
Shown here is the flight path of the YellowScan LiDAR Mapper, the triangular points show each camera shutter actuation for RGB colourisation of the point cloud.
This image shows CloudStation’s interpretation of the flight path, cutting the flight down into useful sections of capture for greater accuracy. The CloudStation Strip Adjustment tool allows for the correction of the sections by finding common points and re-aligning the strips accordingly.
A GNSS base station was also set up on-site for an additional level of positioning accuracy, processing the flight path in APPLANIX PosPac UAV. This base station records positioning data of a known point and compares it to the recorded flight path data to bring the system-wide accuracy from a matter of meters to centimetres.
Uses of the information obtained
Point clouds can be used in a broad range of scenarios:
- Digital Terrain/Surface Modelling – topographical surveying, archaeological surveying
- Monitoring of coastal erosion
- Land clearing – able to work through dense vegetation to assess the ground condition below
- Measure parts of buildings that are inaccessible or dangerous
- Urban modelling – demonstrates the density datasets and spaces which could be used to better cities
- Detail a range of geospatial information
Edinburgh Drone company
Supply- Maintain - Inspect - Implement - Design
Edinburgh Drone Company is an sUAV specialist in Scotland. We look across the world to source drone technology that can help our clients complete a specific task easier, cheaper or more accurately than they could before. We believe supplying or manufacturing the technology is only the beginning and we aim to work with clients to get the most out of the technology.
We can be contacted for drone services and will proudly demonstrate and help implement any technology we offer. We are also one of the few sUAV manufactures in the UK and will be releasing more of our own products later in 2021/2022 and beyond.
