Development of a Commercial Laser Scanning Mobile Mapping System - Streetmapper

The performance and availability of modern 3D laser scanning systems has created a demand for a system that can survey many kilometres of highway very rapidly. Airborne laser scanning can offer this type of data but aircraft operations are expensive. Tunnels and bridges can be analysed from the bottom up. The StreetMapper mobile laser scanning system was developed initially to fill a demand for measurement and recording of highway assets, but has since been developed for other applications. The system uses Riegl 2D laser scanners integrated with an IGI TERRAControl GPS/INS system. A practical mounting system was developed along with a calibration procedure. Route planning and GPS visibility prediction are important components of the system. The prototype StreetMapper system has been operating during 2005 with excellent results. The system has been used on a number of projects including highway asset measurements, indivisible abnormal load route planning and 3D city modelling. Also the StreetMapper provides detailed data on the facades of buildings and high resolution measurements of powerlines beside streets. The accuracy trials under normal conditions resulted in an RMS error between StreetMapper data and ground control points as better than 30mm. * Corresponding author.