Until recently, aerial surveying was beholden to surveying technologies that result in an extended surveying process, and, as a result, high surveying costs. But, with the introduction of commercial laser scanning in the late 1990's, the aerial surveying process and the land surveying process became similarly revolutionized. Instead of counting on surveying technologies that offered poor accuracy from long distance, they found a technology that offered reliable accuracy and significantly shortened the duration of the surveying process thus decreasing its price. Today, almost all aerial surveying companies, with the exception of companies that focus only on photography and videography, offer laser scanning as a surveying technology. Below, we look at four applications where laser scanning can be used for aerial surveying. Planning Commercial Electricity Networks When planning commercial electricity networks, its necessary to gather the complete spatial data of the immediate environment where the network will be extended, like the spatial data of nearby roadways, waterways, buildings and objects-an application known as new line routing and design. More specific applications offered by laser scanning to the routing and design of commercial electricity networks include: tower and substation analysis, reconductoring and load analysis, and thermal up-rating studies. Planning Roads and Highways Like the planning of commercial electricity networks, the look of roads and highways requires careful measurement of environmental data-an application known as new highway and road route surveying. More specific applications offered by laser scanning to the planning of roads and highways include: slope stability surveying, earthwork inventory surveying, asset inventory surveying, and noise assessment mapping. Planning Railways Another type of network planning that benefits from laser scanners is railway planning, which requires the same overall approach toward environmental measurements as electricity network planning and road and highway planning. Mobile Mapping Eastfield offered by laser scanning to the look of railways include: track cant and gauge measuring, earthen bank stability surveying, and alignment sheet base mapping. Pipeline Planning and Maintenance Yet another type of network planning that advantages from laser scanners is pipeline planning. Laser scanning allows construction companies to evaluate pipeline planning and construction through the next applications: alignment sheet base mapping, ground movement monitoring, geohazard analyses, topographical modeling, and horizontal and vertical route alignment.
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