Developing a Forestry Mapping Solution

Client

DroneXperts

Funding

Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Partnership Engagement Grant (PEG)

Objective

This applied research project aimed to improve georeferencing for forest mapping and increase the accuracy of data collected by drone.

Methodology

Our team optimized a drone-based telemetry and laser imaging system.

A field test was organized once the equipment had been installed. The data collected was used to assess performance, particularly in terms of georeferencing and mapping accuracy.

Finally, the lidar data were texturized by assigning spectral values to the point cloud.

Equipment

Low-cost lidar system (Velodyne VLP16)

Multispectral camera (RedEdge-M from MicaSense)

Inertial navigation system (VN-310 from VectorNav) supported by real-time kinematic GNSS positioning (RTK)

Visible/color camera (Basler acA4112-20uc)

Fields

Resource management

Environmental monitoring