Вы находитесь на странице: 1из 36

xy RA Pa

IN VI SHO
H D ge
T
t's E 4
SI RT W
DE U
A
L
PO SI T I O NING A ND M E A S U R E M E N T, EL EVATED JUNE 2020

SURVEYING
BIM
SCANNING
GNSS

SURVEYING
& SHIPBUILDING
Timeless arts
and timely
technologies
may help change
ocean shipping

INSIDE
17 GeoDude Looks at Early 3D Scanning
21 The Dazzling Art of BIM
26 What is ETL?
GO FURTHER.

Trimble® R12 GNSS System


with ProPoint™ GNSS
Engine Technology
Engineered for improved accuracy and
productivity in challenging GNSS conditions,
with ground-breaking signal management and
rugged durability. Get ready for performance
that takes you further.

Trimble.com/R12

© 2019, Trimble Inc., All rights reserved. GEO-182 (01/2020)


CONTENTS JUNE 2020

xyHt [ISSN 2373-7018 (print), ISSN 2373-7735 (online), CPC CPM No.
41437548] is free upon request to qualified subscribers in the United States.
The Canadian subscription rate is US $20/year. The International subscription
rate is US $40/year. Periodicals postage paid at Frederick, MD and additional
post offices. xyHt is published 12 months a year by Flatdog Media, Inc.,
20 W. 3rd Street, Frederick, MD 21701.

POSTMASTER: Send changes of address to: xyHt Subscriptions, PO Box 986


Levittown, PA 19055-9998. Send Canadian changes of address to: Box 697
STN A, Windsor, ON N9A 6N4, Canada. For advertising, editorial, or other
information, write to Flatdog Media, Inc. or call 301-682-6101.

OUR NEW
FEATUREs more
1 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
By Jeff Thoreson

10 26

5 LOCATED
ADVANCEMENTS IN MAPPING

HARNESSING ENERGY WITH DRONES

GEOLOGICALLY MAPPING THE MOON

DIG INTO A LOT OF NEW PRODUCTS

9 CONTRIBUTORS What is ETL?


Exact Translate and Load is a
tool or library commonly used
to work between different data

17
GEODUDE formats without too much
The early days of 3D hindrance. Here’s how it can
scanning, Part 1 help you.
Shipping and
Surveying
Handheld
32
MAPS AS ART In the jungle near Punta Morales, Costa 28
A burst of color Rica, a shipbuilding team and a surveyor Scanning
on the Red Planet. are changing ocean shipping. New scanning equipment is
making it easier to survey and
map historic sites where access
with traditional equipment would

21 be difficult. It’s helping to pre-


serve some of the world’s most
historic places.

BIM it Up and
Fly Them In
Using Building Information Modeling to re-
build the Mactan-Cebu International Air-
port in the Philippines turned out to be an
New Zealand-based surveyor Damian Macrae
traveled to the Costa Rican jungle to scan a
award-winning decision.
schooner under construction and survey its
launch route for a company called Sailcargo.
The company is building the ship to provide a
green alternative to ocean shipping.

JUNE 2020 xyHt 1


Looking Forward By Jeff Thoreson
June 2020 Volume 7 Number 6

Something New
Publisher Neil Sandler
neil.sandler@xyht.com

Editor in Chief Jeff Thoreson

I
jeff.thoreson@xyht.com

Editor Gavin Schrock, PLS


gavin.schrock@xyht.com

Director of Sales and Chuck Boteler


Business Development chuck.boteler@xyht.com
f at any point over name. We talked, got along created a company that did
Creative Director Karen Peacock
the 30-plus years of and here I am – a newcomer writing, editing and consult- karen.peacock@xyht.com
my career as a writer, to the geospatial world but ing for organizations and
Accounting and Angie Duman
editor and business- an old hand at editing maga- not-for-profits that needed Classifieds angie.duman@xyht.com
man you would have zines and shepherding them editorial services but couldn’t
Circulation subscriptions@xyht.com
told me that one day I through the production afford an editorial staff. That Phone: 1 (844) 862-9286
would write this col- process. led me into everything from
Editor, Pangaea Jeff Salmon
umn in a geospatial maga- Editor Gavin Schrock youth soccer, to golf, to a city and Located jeff.salmon@xyht.com
zine I would have returned usually pens this column, but magazine.
Editor, Field Notes Scott P. Martin
to you the mother of all he asked me to use the space Now, I look forward to scott.martin@xyht.com
blank stares. in this issue to introduce a new challenge. But I take
European Editor Nicholas Duggan
In my defense, for many myself. Actually, this column the editor-in-chief ’s chair at nicholasduggan@xyht.com
of those years the word “geo- was supposed to appear in a strange time. Proofreader Claire Napier
spatial” didn’t even exist. So last month’s magazine, but I spent only a few days claire.napier@xyht.com
when I was a sports writer on the world blew up and eve- in the office getting to know Contributing Writers Marc Delgado, PhD
the college basketball beat or ryone locked down, so it was the other professionals at Nicholas Duggan, FRGS
CGeog (GIS)
covering politics or editing a more fitting to appropriate Flatdog Media, talking to Geoff Jacobs
Kevin Lidtka
golf magazine, even readers the space for the two touch- xyHt’s freelancers and get- Joseph Kerski, PhD, GISP
Matteo Luccio
of xyHt, which then existed ing stories that Gavin and ting a general feel for things Jeff Salmon
Anthony Whitlock, PLS
as Professional Surveyor Mag- Neil wrote. before being sent home as
azine, would have been more Anyway, here’s my quick lockdowns swept across the
inclined to believe geospatial CV. I started writing for country. Copyright © 2020 xyHt magazine. Printed in U.S.A. No
had something to do with the newspapers, doing time at Shelly, the editor-in-chief material may be reproduced in whole or in part without
written permission from the publisher. The publisher
extraterrestrial as opposed to two of the country’s major for 13 years, is a woman assumes no responsibility
for unsolicited material, the
data linked to geographical newspaper chains and mov- who, despite her petite stat- accuracy of information supplied
locations. ing up the command line to ure, left incredibly big shoes by manufacturers, or opinions
expressed by contributors.
Careers take twists and edit sections in those news- to fill–a task oddly being
turns, and when the long- papers. Back then, the tail made both more difficult by
time editor-in-chief of this end of the Woodward-Bern- working remotely but eas- Partners and Affiliates
publication, Shelly Cox, de- stein-influenced era of jour- ier because I know exactly
cided to retire, Flatdog Me- nalism, college students all where Shelly is and that she
dia publisher Neil Sandler across the country wanted to has time to return my fran-
needed a replacement. Turns be journalists. Consequent- tic texts.
out I’ve lived within a few ly it was hard to make much Shelly and her also-re-
minutes drive of his office money in the profession. cently retired husband lit out THE

and his house for 30 years, So I turned to business and on a sweeping and suppos- IMAGING & GEOSPATIAL
TIAL
TION SOCIETY
INFORMATION

but didn’t know he or the edly carefree journey around


magazine existed. I was fin- the county in an Airstream
ishing a five-year project Now, I look trailer, only to make it across
with a city magazine, and, a single state line before be-
not being one to sit around forward to a new ing locked down in a camp-
with nothing to do, I heard ground for weeks.
of Neil’s need and got in challenge. But So we’re both in spots
touch with him.
Turns out we’re both
I take the editor- we never imagined we’d be –
but then aren’t we all at this
golfers, so he recognized my
in-chief’s chair at time? ■

a strange time.
JUNE 2020 xyHt 3
Welcome to
xyHt magazine's Virtual Trade Show
Your Logo
Introducing: Steve Cooper, VP Americas
Introducing: Jillian Kreider, TLS Specialist and the US Phase One Industrial Team
Product: Terrestrial LiDAR Systems (TLS), Product: Ensure
featuring the VZ-2000i and the VZ-400i you get image
accuracy for your
aerial, UAV, or
ground-based in-
spection projects.
See how our
selection of me-
dium and large
format digital
cameras and so-
lutions, built spe-
cifically for industrial markets, can support your project
with reliable data acquisition.
Hear directly from Jill by going to: Hear directly from Steve and the team by going to:
www.xyht.com/virtual1 www.xyht.com/virtual2
Riegl USA (407) 248-9927 https://industrial.phaseone.com/Contact.aspx

Introducing: Alexander Weichert, CEO Introducing: Jeff Fagerman and Forrest Briggs
Product: Brand New UltraCam Osprey 4.1 aerial Product: The new Snoopy CL-360 long range UAV
imaging sensor for 3D city mapping. The UltraCam and ground LiDAR systems featuring 10mm accu-
Osprey 4.1 collects photogrammetry-grade nadir racy and 5mm precision specs.
imagery plus oblique images simultaneously, ena-
bling unprecedented flight collection efficiency at
industry-leading image and data quality.

Hear all about LiDARUSA’s


Hear directly from Alexander by seeing the video at: Lidar and Scanning options at
www.xyht.com/virtual3 www.xyht.com/virtual4
Vexcel Imaging: (303) 586-1625 LiDARUSA (256) 274-1616

To see videos of all our booth presenters, go to www.xyht.com/virtualtradeshow


For more information about presenting your company in a virtual booth this summer,
email advertising@xyht.com for more information.
Send your Located items
to located@xyht.com

Located
Snapshots of what’s new and fascinating / Compiled (and often written) by Jeff Salmon

Mapping Your World


Esri: “Getting to Know
Web GIS” USGS 3DEP Data Now Accessible
BUILDING ON THE FOUNDATION of the pre-
vious three editions, Getting to Know Web GIS,
fourth edition, features the latest advances in
Esri’s entire Web GIS platform, from the cloud
server side to the client side. Discover and apply
what’s new in ArcGIS Online, ArcGIS Enterprise,
Map Viewer, Esri StoryMaps, Web AppBuilder,
Survey123 for ArcGIS, and more. Learn about
recent Web GIS products such as ArcGIS Ex-
perience Builder, ArcGIS Indoors, and ArcGIS
QuickCapture.

Home Sales Go Virtual


WITH THE UK IN LOCKDOWN, one area that
is thriving is home building and sales. An area of
the market that is growing is virtual tours in the
REGISTERED USERS OF OPENTOPOG- apply a lower processing threshold (150
real estate sector, with agencies (realtors) now
RAPHY from the United States academic million points per job) while monitoring the
community can now seamlessly download scalability and performance of the online
claiming that there is a growing number of people
and process USGS 3DEP data using the service. The USGS 3D Elevation Program
buying properties having never stepped through
OpenTopography.org website. This means (3DEP) is an ambitious lidar project that
the door, physically anyway. One of the popular
that any user with .edu e-mail address can aims to provide high-resolution elevation
solutions for this in the UK is Matterport, and they
access nearly 14 trillion lidar points cover- data of the entire United States, including
seem to be looking at making this virtual estate
ing two million square miles of high resolu- bare earth and 3D point clouds, by 2023.
agency a little slicker…rumor has it they are look-
tion topography data, or nearly 67 percent bit.ly/3bIkxTt
ing to provide video conferencing within the tour.
of the country, for academic and research —Marc M. Delgado, Marc.Delgado@xyht.com
At present this isn’t confirmed but if it turns out to
use. During this pilot stage, the website will
be true, it could provide some great tools for ar-
chitects, planners and us surveyors too.
matterport.com
— Nicholas.Duggan@xyht.com, @dragons8mycat

Help NASA Map Coral Reefs Around the World


RESEARCHERS AT NASA’S AMES RE- a video game, NeMO-Net, that allows iOS and
SEARCH CENTER in California have developed Mac users to virtually “dive” to the ocean floor
cameras that can look below the ocean surface in a research vessel called the Nautilus and spot
in unprecedented detail. Using complex calcula- and categorize the corals. While you have fun
tions to overcome the optical distortions created playing the game, researchers are mapping cor-
by the water over coral reefs, these sensors are als and getting the data needed to save them:
sturdy enough to be mounted on a drone or air- win-win.
craft flying above the water. Now they need more bit.ly/3bKTZRE
eyes on the prize. To that end, NASA has created

JUNE 2020 xyHt 5


Unmanned News
Will Drones Replace Windmills?

Credit: University of Pennsylvania

Nano-drone Fleets for


Mars Exploration
AS A BACKUP PLAN FOR THE MARS
HELICOPTER DRONE, a team at the Univer-
Credit: Ampyx Power sity of Pennsylvania is developing small levi-
WITH THE SUPPORT OF ESA’s Navigation is that, being set on the ground, they are har- tating drones that could be deployed in fleets
Innovation and Support Program (NAVISP), vesting from a narrow band of low-velocity to help survey the Red Planet. The small, flat,
Dutch-based Ampyx Power is developing winds. This means they tend to be very large rectangular devices are built from aluminum
kite-like autonomous drones that harness and relatively inefficient. Conversely, Ampyx oxide plates that have groups of slot-like mi-
the energy of high-altitude winds to run gen- Power wants to go after the high-wind alti- cro-channels running through their largely hol-
erators on the ground. Wind turbines are tudes above 200 meters (660 feet) by means low interior. As a bonus, the drones could be
one of the mainstays of renewable energy, of large, tethered drones. cheaply constructed and require a very small
but they have drawbacks. One disadvantage bit.ly/2yHHZBt footprint both in size and weight, a critical fac-
tor in pricey interplanetary flights.
bit.ly/2XZpByT

UAV Company Flies COVID-19 Samples for Quicker Tests in Ghana


DRONES OPERATED BY THE ZIPLINE company, flying drones over the countryside
COMPANY in Ghana have taken to the skies to the main testing centers cuts the time from
in an effort to speed up the COVID-19 testing days to just under an hour. Zipline has coordi-
in the country. Batches of test samples taken nated with the World Health Organization to
from rural areas are packed in special boxes ensure that proper biosecurity protocols are in
and are delivered by unmanned drones to the place to fly the samples. bit.ly/3aJKbpq
—Marc M. Delgado, Marc.Delgado@xyht.com
capital, Accra, for analysis. According to the

Underground/Utilities Geolgnite Virtual Esri International UC ILMF/SPAR/GeoWeek/


EVENTS

Asset Mapping (Virtual)* June 22-24 July 13-15 AEC Next


June 9 Ottowa, Canada San Diego, CA July 27-29 *
www.assetmapping.events Chicago, IL

UAS Summit & Expo Commercial UAV Show* GeoBusiness AUVSI Xponential*
September 1-2 Sept. 15-17 September 24-25 October 5-8
Grand Forks, ND Las Vegas, NV London, UK Dallas, TX
*xyHt-Supported Event

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is suggested to confirm event schedules before finalizing travel plans.

6 xyHt JUNE 2020


3D View Space 2.0
3D Printing
Community Rises to
COVID-19 Challenge
THE CURRENT COVID-19 CRISIS might just be
the boost that the 3D printing community needs
to propel the technology to the mainstream mar-
ket. Due to
the lack of
personal
protective
equipment
(masks,
face shields,
goggles)
and ven-
tilators in USGS Produces First Geological Map of the Moon
hospitals,
organiza- THE UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY (USGS) has released for the first time the
tions and entire geological map of the moon’s surface. The “Unified Geologic Map of the Moon” is
companies with 3D printing capabilities have based on work done by scientists from the USGS Astrogeology Science Center, in collabo-
shifted their production in order to manufacture ration with NASA and the Lunar Planetary Institute. “This map is a culmination of a dec-
these essential materials. For example, the As- ades-long project,” said Corey Fortezzo, USGS geologist and lead author of the project. “It
tronaut Center of the European Space Agency in provides vital information for new scientific studies by connecting the exploration of specific
Cologne, Germany is using its 3D printers, nor- sites on the moon with the rest of the lunar surface.” You can view the digital map in PDF or
mally used to print special items for astronaut download the GIS data.
training and spaceflights, to quickly produce bit.ly/LunarGeology.
—Marc M. Delgado, Marc.Delgado@xyht.com
components for face shields that are needed in
hospitals. The faster design and production time
that 3D printing offers is exactly the response
needed to help beat this crisis.
bit.ly/2VGXBOV
—Marc M. Delgado, Marc.Delgado@xyht.com
Hubble Telescope Marks
its 30th Birthday by
Remembering Yours
THE HUBBLE TELESCOPE is on its third dec-
ade of hovering and taking photos of the uni-
verse 24 hours a day, seven days a week. And it
would like to celebrate this feat by sharing the
images that it took on your birthday. Go to the
NASA website below, choose the month and day
of your birth, and the Hubble will search its data- galaxies are almost perfectly aligned, one behind
base for an image that it took on that day. Mine the other. What’s yours?
Credit: Made in Space is an awesome Einstein Ring formed when two go.nasa.gov/2VG6GHw

NASA Turns Trash into


Tech via 3D Printing Discovery Rover’s Operators Working From Home
ON THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STA- NASA’S JET PROPULSION LAB in Southern California
TION (ISS) there’s not a lot of room for trash. hosts the Discovery rover’s operation. Like the rest of us,
NASA’s answer? Turn plastic trash into tech. the COVID-19 crisis has affected its work, so the Curiosity
The firm Made in Space has designed a new team members have had to work out how to switch to re-
device called the Recycler, which does just mote working to keep business running as usual. Answer:
that. Recently delivered to the ISS, the device Work from home. The team ramped-up its tech and within
will take trash and up-cycle it into 3D printing three days were back in control of Discovery giving new
filament which will be used to create satellites meaning to “remote working.”
and other tech. zd.net/2RONpS0
bit.ly/3bQqP3B

Credit NASA/JPL-Caltech)

JUNE 2020 xyHt 7


New Products
NavVis RIEGL VMQ-1HA
IndoorViewer Helps Create a 3D
NAVVIS has announced the re- City Map
lease of NavVis IndoorViewer 2.6. THE LANDS DEPARTMENT OF
This major software release in- HONG KONG is remapping and
cludes a new measurement tool upgrading the current 3D city map
that lets users take highly ac- that will cover the entire city by 2023,
Black Swift Technologies curate measurements based on serving as an important tool for anal-
Awarded USAF Contract point clouds in realistic brows- ysis and planning. Geospatial data
er-based digital buildings. The on roadways, buildings and all other
BLACK SWIFT TECHNOLO- forecasts supporting Air Force, release also makes additional citywide infrastructure is being cap-
GIES has been awarded a United Army and Special Operations Forc- features available to structured tured using multiple technologies, in-
States Air Force SBIR Phase II con- es. The aircraft, called the Black e57 point cloud files, including au- cluding 3D lidar point clouds that are
tract to develop an unmanned air- Swift SØ (S-zero), is a compact, yet tomatically generating highly de- collected with the RIEGL VMQ-1HA.
craft system (UAS) to autonomously rugged, aerial platform designed tailed floor-plans and routing. The VMQ-1HA is a mobile scanner
conduct atmospheric profiling sup- to be hand-launched and quickly system mounted on a mobile map-
porting more accurate cargo drops climb up to 15,000 feet. ping system vehicle. An inertial navi-
and improved localized weather Nearmap to gation system and global navigation
Provide Imagery satellite system receiver provide pre-
for COVID-19 cise positioning.
STAR*NET 10
Relief Efforts
MICROSURVEY’S NETWORK dramatically improve the user ex-
ADJUSTMENT PACKAGE is get- perience. Additionally, the license AERIAL IMAGERY COMPANY
ting new features to help increase system has been updated so that NEARMAP announced that it is
efficiency. A new 3D network plot, existing customers can request making its high-resolution aerial
automatic sideshot detection, and temporary licenses for use at home imaging available free to state, lo-
a new iterative adjustment function or outside the office. cal and county health officials, and
government agencies for COVID-19
relief effort planning. Agencies that
do not currently have access to an
Golden Software Simplifies Surfer active Nearmap subscription or trial
can sign up for this service online.
Workflows for Faster Gridding

Trimble’s TBC
Version 5.30 Teledyne Optech
Galaxy T2000
TRIMBLE BUSINESS CENTER
v5.30 features a new CAD command Airborne Lidar
Line, point feature extraction en- Terrain Mapper
hancements, new surface tools and THE NEW ALTM GALAXY
updated road and tunnel workflows, T2000 is a wide-area lidar sensor,
and mobile mapping enhance- with high-density performance and
ments. As just one example, the collection efficiency, delivering high
new Command Line can run dozens quality data sets to meet rigorous
of CAD commands by simply en- USGS lidar standards. Now with a
tering command aliases, keyboard 6,500-meter AGL collection enve-
shortcuts, and values (with occa- lope and two-MHz on-ground col-
sional picking in graphic views). lection rate, Galaxy stands out as a
Most commands for creating and high performance sensor in a small
GOLDEN SOFTWARE, a developer of affordable 2D and 3D sci- editing 2D and 3D CAD objects are
entific modeling packages, has streamlined many workflows in form factor for maximum applica-
supported on the Command Line, tion and platform flexibility. Applica-
the latest version of its Surfer gridding, contouring, and 3D surface and users can run the commands in
mapping product. These enhancements will save time for end users tions include wide-area, mountain,
the Plan View, 3D View, Sheet View, urban and corridor surveys.
in oil and gas exploration, environmental consulting, mining, engi- and Cutting Plane View.
neering, and geospatial projects.

8 xyHt JUNE 2020


Leica Geosystems’ New
3D Laser Scanning Bundle

Contributors Left:
Marc Delgado
David Fowkes

Below:
Geoff Jacobs
Nicholas Duggan
Gavin Schrock

THE NEW BUNDLE consists of the Leica BLK360 imaging laser


scanner, Leica Cyclone REGISTER 360 (BLK Edition) desktop soft-
ware, and Cyclone FIELD 360 for tablets and phones. Customers
can get started straight out of the box with seamless connectivity
and workflows from Leica Geosystems Reality Capture products to
Autodesk’s Reality Computing and design solutions. With this bun-
dle, Leica Geosystems will deliver point cloud production while Au-
todesk’s technology will consume the data. Marc Delgado, PhD Geoff Jacobs
Marc (BIM it up and fly them in, Geoff (The Early Days of 3D Scan-
page 21) is a GIS specialist and ning, page 17) is a 27-year, for-
one of xyHt’s 40 under 40 laure- mer product marketing executive
ates. His PhD is in geography. He with Leica Geosystems (3D Scan-
Microdrones as a Service crisscrosses continents teaching ning/HDS) and Trimble (GPS), in-
GIS in Asia, Europe, South Amer- volved in commercializing these
MICRODRONES announces the surveying solutions, including ica, and Africa. “BIM is fast be- technologies through their ear-
launch of mdaaS, Microdrones everything needed to do drone li- coming the global language of ly stages. “People who’ve heard
as a Service, making its survey dar and surveying the right way, the AEC sector. But how could a my inside story–about those early
tech-heavy BIM process enhance days with the company most cred-
equipment and solutions acces- with convenient hardware and team collaboration and creativity? ited with pioneering 3D scanning–
sible to an even broader market of software packages and afford- Two BIM experts from the team have urged me to write about it.
surveyors and geomatics profes- able monthly payment options as that created the BIM model of the geoff.jacobs@xyht.com
sionals. MdaaS introduces drone low as $1,042. award-winning Mactan-Cebu In-
ternational Airport tell me that it’s
all about building trust and not just
building models.” Nicholas Duggan
Topcon Launches Webinar Program marcmdelgado@yahoo.com Nick (What is ETL? Page 26) is a
chartered geographer and leads
TOPCON POSITIONING numerous informative webinars, a team of GIS users, BIM users,
GROUP is launching a free webi- has been created in response to David Fowkes surveyors, gaming developers,
nar program for the construction, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and web developers to create in-
David (Giving Preservation a novative geospatial solutions.
geopositioning and agricultural and aims to provide those working Hand(held), page 28) is global stra- nick.duggan@xyht.com
sectors, exploring key topics af- from home with valuable educa- tegic sales director at GeoSLAM.
fecting the industry and provid- tional resources, while maintain- He has been heavily involved in
BIM since 2015 when the UK gov-
ing the latest updates and project ing steady communication with ernment mandated BIM on all Gavin Schrock, PLS
management solutions. The Top- Topcon customers, dealers and centrally funded projects. He re- Gavin (Scans, Soundings Sur-
con Talks series, consisting of the wider industry. cently joined GeoSLAM to work vey & Sailcargo, page 10) is a
with companies that are looking to land surveyor, technology writ-
disrupt the markets they operate in er and xyHt editor. “Sailing has
by leveraging the use of mobile la-
Pix4D Intros Photogrammetric Tools ser scanning technology.
been our family for generations,
so I was chuffed to contribute to
telling the story of how survey-
PIX4DSURVEY bridges the gap sands of images while maintaining
ing helped in the construction of
between digital photogrammetry survey-grade accuracy, halving the a new cargo-carrying schooner.
and CAD by transforming point data time taken to deliver large projects gavin.schrock@xyht.com
into CAD-ready formats. Substan- from images to point cloud and a
tially reducing overall surveying beta program is now open. Pix4D-
time, the program is now available scan is a drone flight data capture
for trial and purchase. Pix4Dmatic, app designed for the inspection
a new photogrammetry software of complex structures. It works in What is xyHt?
product, will enable accurate drone tandem with Pix4Dinspect cloud- Each of the conventions humans have used to visualize and convey representations of
mapping on a new scale. Built for based software as an analytics this physical worldcan be expressed via the simple variants of “xyHt”
the latest generation of drones, it platform able to manage and in- x: left-right
is optimized for processing thou- spect digital assets. y: fore-aft
H: up-down (orthometric height)
t: time

JUNE 2020 xyHt 9


Scans, Soundings,
Survey Sailcargo &
Timeless maritime arts and craftwork
mixed with modern technologies—including
high-precision surveying—are helping

I
reintroduce wind power to seaborne trade.
By Gavin Schrock, PLS

t was a chance meeting that changed ered cargo ship in the Caribbean, she met SAILCARGO AND THE JUNGLE SHIPYARD
two lives. It may also change the Lynx Guimond, a world-renowned mari-
way the world thinks about mari- time wood carver who shared her passion With Doggett as director and Guimond as tech-
time shipping. for sailing and eco-friendly shipping. With- nical director, Sailcargo wrote a business plan,
An accomplished sailor, Dan- in a few years they formed Sailcargo to build developed a budget, and pursued potential back-
ielle Doggett loves tall ships—the wind-powered cargo ships and established a ers. “We thought we could do things better, espe-
large wind-powered sailing vessels shipyard in Costa Rica. Fast forward to to- cially financially, than what we saw while sailing
that carry passengers and cargo. Her fas- day when they are building Ceiba, a wind- in the Caribbean,” Doggett said. “We believed
cination with the big ships started in her powered cargo ship. Ceiba is the largest we could turn these ideas into a viable business.”
teens, sailing on the Canadian side of the vessel built in Costa Rica and the largest She was right. In just over a year, they had a sol-
Great Lakes and eventually on the St. Law- wooden vessel currently under construction id foundation with what would grow to be more
rence II, a 72-foot two-mast brigantine built in the world. than 150 investors from more than 20 nations.
in the 1950s for youth sail training. “I have To build Ceiba, Sailcargo is using tradi- Costa Rica seemed like the optimal location
been taken by great sailing ships ever since,” tional arts and skills, locally sourced materials for their business on many levels. “I had worked
Doggett says. “The idea of shipping cargo, and meeting zero-emission goals. The endeav-
emissions free, as a viable business really in- or is a unique blend of centuries-old building
spired me.” techniques combined with modern business Above: The schooner Ceiba is being built in the
Doggett’s inspiration became a reality in savvy and cutting-edge technologies–includ- Costa Rican jungle. The inset shows surveyor
2010. While working aboard a wind-pow- ing high-precision surveying. Damian Macrae’s survey scan of the site.

Right: Lynx Guimond inspects wood which will


become part of the ship.

Far right: Danielle Doggett with a little friend.

10 xyHt JUNE 2020


JUNE 2020 xyHt 11
12 xyHt JUNE 2020
at shipyards in Canada and Northern Eu- surveying, where he got his first exposure to 3D
rope that were cold and industrial,” said Dog- laser scanning.
gett. “Costa Rica’s climate enables you to work Today Macrae is a survey consultant with
year-round in a productive environment. Not Allterra New Zealand, a survey distributor and
only are we closer to the wood used for build- solutions provider in Australia, New Zealand
ing, but the area is a global hub for green busi- and the South Pacific. He had long wanted to
nesses.” Sailcargo selected a location near Punta visit Costa Rica and the call for experienced
Morales and constructed Astillero Verde (The volunteers piqued his curiosity: Could the pro-
Green Shipyard), an eco-conscious and car- ject use his skills?
bon-negative shipbuilding facility. Doggett was excited to have Macrae vis-
Sailcargo has formed deep roots in Cos- it and identified several areas where survey-
ta Rica. The company developed local sup- ing and scanning could provide valuable data. Introducing Ceiba
ply chains, partnered on sustainable gardens, Surveying the shipyard would put his skills and
and built an educational pavilion where it of- equipment—a Trimble SX10 scanning total THE LARGEST WOODEN VESSEL under
fers classes on the environment and boatbuild- station and R10 GNSS receiver—to the test. construction in the world now has a name:
ing to local and international youth. Due to Ceiba, inspired by a group of tree species
its location, climate and Sailcargo’s reputation THE LAUNCH ROUTE native to tropical regions of the Americas
and business approaches, Astillo Verde has be- AstilleroVerde lies near the mouth of an estu- and West Africa. Ceiba is the flagship
come a magnet for skilled artisans and techni- ary on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica, 15 miles vessel of Sailcargo, an eco-friendly com-
cal professionals. off the Pan American Highway near the town pany building zero-emission ships.
The pavilion looks like something out of of Punta Morales. The tidal flats between the Ceiba was designed by naval archi-
shore and estuary channel experience high tides tect Pepijn van Schaik of Manta Marine
Design B.V., who also designed Tres
“We have been given a way on the order of four meters (13 feet), and the
Hombres, a smaller cargo ship that oper-
alignment of the ship during construction was
of looking at and measuring designed to minimize the launch route’s trav- ates between Europe and the Americas.
When complete, Ceiba will be a three-
things that we’ve never had erse over shore and shallow waters.
mast schooner, 45 meters (147 feet) long,
“We want this launch to go smoothly,” said
before and are very grateful to Doggett. “This ship will be a flagship for the with an eight-meter beam and a rigging
country and a source of national pride. The height of 34 meters. Cargo capacity will
[surveyor] Damian [Macrae] president [of Costa Rica] is expected to be at be 250 metric tons / 350 cubic meters,
for helping make this happen.” the launch.” plus additional on-deck space. It will be
Macrae identified several challenges in de- nearly 10 times the size of Tres Hombres.
Sailcargo director Danielle Doggett veloping an accurate 3D model of the launch Wood for Ceiba was sourced lo-
route. “The water is shallow for several hun- cally and included trees felled by tropi-
Peter Pan and the Lost Boys. It’s a rustic camp dred yards, even at high tide, and there are cal storms. Frames are Spanish Cedar,
with residences, a dining facility, a large tree a lot of unknowns about the bottom of the which is in the mahogany family and not
house, and a blacksmith shop for sharpening channel, such as how much is sand, mud or a true cedar, while the stem and fram-
tools. The ship’s keel is aligned towards a chan- silt,” he said. The solution was a mix of old ing are Guapinol, also known as Jatoba.
nel leading to the sea. Inside the pavilion is a school and high tech. Sailcargo has implemented a planting
lofting floor that runs the length of the ship. Macrae and a Sailcargo team rowed into program to offset timber used.
Doggett says a lot of thought and plan- the estuary and put lead lines over the side Ceiba will also feature two high-effi-
ning went into designing the shipyard and for soundings. “We had the R10 in the boat ciency 120 horsepower electric motors.
the alignment of the launch route, but they and took sag measurements to come up with The variable-pitch propellers will gener-
hadn’t had a comprehensive map of the facili- an offset. The horizontal positions were very ate solar power when the ship is under
ties, launch route or as-builts of the ship. Then tight, and we logged the soundings.” The team sail by working as underwater turbines
came the surveyor. captured soundings in areas close to shore to to charge batteries and meet onboard
allow cross-validation with laser scan data of electrical needs. Since routes will in-
THE SURVEYOR the exposed mudflats. clude equatorial regions, power will also
A sailing enthusiast, adventurer and experi- Macrae wanted to include local control for be added.
enced surveyor, Damian Macrae discovered the soundings and site survey, but there were Sailcargo is not saying that wind
Sailcargo while browsing the web. Macrae many unknowns, such as origins of existing power would be a practical replacement
started his career in information technolo- marks found on site, and lack of published val- for all fossil-fuel-based-seaborne com-
gy, and studied surveying at the University of ues or reference framework (datums). “It was merce. But it can provide another op-
Tasmania. easy to determine the average high tide, so we tion and there is a growing demand for
“Surveying was a great career option to get decided to establish values for the control and such alternatives. Companies with envi-
out of the office, but still with a strong focus on reference everything to that, including our ronmentally friendly and carbon neutral
technology,” says Macrae, who resides in New soundings and tide values.” products can now complete the supply
Zealand. After graduation, he worked in mine Macrae chose three existing survey marks chain by offering zero-emission marine
delivery. Sailcargo believes successful
businesses must follow the basic tenet
of providing what customers want.

JUNE 2020 xyHt 13


around the shipyard and performed static obser-
vations with his R10. He processed the data in
Trimble Business Center (TBC) against a con-
tinuously operating reference station (CORS)
five kilometers away and produced average hori-
zontal uncertainty of 10 millimeters (95 percent
confidence) for all three marks. Macrae con-
firmed the results via a three-point resection us-
ing the one-second SX10, generating residuals
of 8 millimeters. The resulting coordinate frame-
work was used for all the sounding, topographic
and scan work going forward.
“Since I had two R10 receivers, I could be
very efficient,” Macrae said. “While the static
observations were underway I started an RTK
job in the same datalogger project with the
second receiver and walked the shipyard pick-
ing up points of interest.”
Macrae also used the SX10 to scan areas
of the riverbed exposed at low tide. Using it as Naval architect’s rendering of the Ceiba (below) that will eventually carry 250 metric tons of cargo.
a total station, he back-sighted his local con-
trol and then scanned. “At low tide, I took the
SX10 out about 50 yards from shore with my
local control still visible. I did a full dome scan
at each setup, collecting millions of observa-
tions of the river bottom. Because I was using
existing control, the point clouds were auto-
matically georeferenced to the rest of my data.”
The dense point cloud was combined with
the manual soundings, RTK and optical ob-
servations to create an accurate 3D model of
the launch route. “We realized errors could
creep into the model from the soundings,
so scanning provided a good check,” he said.
Macrae then created several color-coded plan
views with best and worst-case scenarios. Be-
cause the density of the ship has not yet been
determined, he used a range of values for Cei-
ba’s final displacement. scanning, such as break lines and features in tall frames, specialty buildings and fences.
Doggett said the results of the soundings grass, were observed traditionally with a range With the processing complete, it was a sim-
and scanning were welcome as they confirmed pole and an R10 or SX10. ple task to plot contour lines, building foot-
that the alignment was good, and the launch Macrae traversed around the shipyard with prints, fences, road edges and utilities. Macrae
route accurate. Both the launch route across the SX10, taking a full dome scan at each set- produced a topographic plan that can be used
the ground and the shallow flats will be lined up. Each scan, including image capture (used for planning, drainage design and logistics. He
with logs to the point where the ship can float for automatic point colorization and panorama also used Trimble Clarity to create a 3D fly-
on its own. creation in TBC), took just under 15 minutes through of the site and true color point cloud
“There might be minor variations in the and captured an average of 120 megabytes of views, enabling the team to view it online and
tide beds before the ship is complete, but the data, with eight to 10 million points each. share it with investors and partners.
3D model gives us confidence that the launch Macrae collected nearly 40 scans in total “We had never been able to view our camp
will go smoothly,” Doggett said. before combining the scan data, RTK, tradi- in this manner before,” said Doggett. “We
tional total station observations and sound- were not sure where our facilities were relative
SITE MAP ings into a single TBC project. From this to the boundaries.”
Sailcargo’s jungle shipyard had grown organi- dataset, TBC automatically extracted ground,
cally, with structures built as needs arose. Prior building, power-pole and tree points. With SHIP AS-BUILT
to Macrae’s visit there was no formal map of the the bulk of processing on the massive data At the time Macrae visited, Ceiba’s keel
property, terrain or structures. Macrae provided set completed automatically, Macrae needed was down and 13 of the ship frames were
one using SX10 scan data gathered in just a day roughly two hours to clean up the point cloud in place. Although Sailcargo makes hand
and a half of fieldwork. Areas not suitable for and create regions of interest such as Ceiba’s measurements as the ship is constructed, a

14 xyHt JUNE 2020


scan would allow them to check design fidel-
ity. With several setups of the SX10, Mac-
rae produced dense point clouds registered to
reference marks on the ship.
Introducing the
“For most setups around the shipyard, I UltraCam Osprey 4.1
used full 360-degree scans with the SX10,
but for finer details of Ceiba’s frame, I chose
a smaller area with the polygon selection tool
on the TSC7 [data controller],” he said. This
yielded denser point clouds where more de-
tail was needed while keeping the average
setup time under 10 minutes.
“We had enough data to align the digital
CAD model of the ship against the georef-
erenced point cloud,” Macrae said. Once the
point cloud and CAD model were aligned,
cross sections of each frame were plotted for
as-built checking.”
The team could see the cloud in Trim-
ble RealWorks Viewer and online via Clar-
ity. 3D animation allowed them to compare
the cloud with the original design. Doggett
says she doesn’t know of any other wooden
ships of this size scanned this way while un-
Gain new perspectives on
der construction. “I had seen other scans af-
ter a ship had been completed, but there was 3D aerial mapping and push
a lot of detail missed. This gave us a unique your flight productivity to Discover more on
way to see how well we were sticking to the the next level. www.vexcel-imaging.com
design.”

NEARING COMPLETION

RT4
When we interviewed Doggett in April
2020, 75 percent of the frames were in place
and planking would begin by fall. “We have Carlson’s Rugged Win10 Field Tablet
been given a way of looking at and measur-
ing things that we’ve never had before,” Dog-
gett says, “and are very grateful to Damian for the
he New Standard for
helping make this happen.”
For Macrae, it was more than a wonderful
Field Data Collection
holiday to a place he’d always wanted to visit.
It was an opportunity to test the equipment
his customers are fast adopting. iGage Complete Kit and
“Scanning Ceiba, the shipyard, the tide- Upgrade Pricing
lands and generating the topo plan from
point cloud data was a good exercise on how
much we can do with the SX10,” said Mac-
rae. “We have TBC, and it was easy to extract
features from the point cloud. It is a good ex- Super-Fast (32X!)
ample of mixing traditional topo points with Bright Screen
data from a point cloud.” Precise Fine-Tip Stylus
As the principal structure of the ship Detachable Keyboard
nears completion and other construction be- Desktop Docking
gins, Doggett says she is reaching out to new Long-Range Bluetooth
investors. As framing is finalized, she adds, Charging Vehicle
hicle Mounts
another scan would be greatly welcomed, too. Lightweight 1.9 lbs.
Anyone interested in pitching in on a once- Unbelievable Battery Life, 12 to 15 hours!
in-a-lifetime surveying adventure? ■ 2-Year Warranty

www.iGage.com +1-888-450-4922

JUNE 2020 xyHt 15


HIGH RESOLUTION MAPPING
OF VERTICAL STRUCTURES

COMPLETE DETECTION
OF WIRES

VEGETATION ENCROACHMENT
DETECTION

G2 Sensor System
True 4 million points per second,
Hyper Realistic Mapping
The Galaxy G2 Sensor System features signature Teledyne Optech innovation
combining two Galaxy sensors on a single system. Maximize the capability of
SwathTrak and PulseTrak with the greatest number of points possible at 4 million
per second providing ground-breaking detail. Featuring an oblique view, the
Galaxy G2 Sensor System can be used for novel forest metrics and inventories,
accurate utility mapping and vegetation encroachment analysis.

INNOVATION AND DESIGN


» Combines two Galaxy Sensors for the highest available effective point density
» Oblique view angle and a forward/aft look for total target coverage
» Complete small target identification for utility applications
» Outstanding vegetation penetration for forest and utility applications

VISIT www.teledyneoptech.com
for more details
THE GEODUDE ON SCANNING

The Early Days of


3D Scanning
I
By Geoff Jacobs
How it began
consider myself lucky. When I first came across Cyra
I had the good fortune Technologies Inc., a start-up that
to be deeply involved in the was developing 3D laser scan-
very beginning of 3D laser ning, I was working at Trimble
scanning technology with a Navigation in Sunnyvale, Cali-
start-up company that was fornia, in the heart of the San
pioneering it. I look around Francisco Bay area’s “Silicon
and see where that technology Valley.” It was 1996. My role at
is today–a multi-billion dollar per the time was director of product
year industry–and I consider all management/product marketing
of the valuable benefits that it for Trimble’s survey grade GPS
has delivered to so many organi- receivers – “yellow boxes” as
zations and so many individuals Trimble’s customers often called
around the globe … and the tra- them. In 1996 Trimble was still
jectory that it’s still on … well, it’s a “GPS-only” company (i.e., it
been an amazing ride. was before Trimble merged with
Over the years, as I’ve talked Spectra to become a full-line
with others about my personal supplier of survey instruments).
story–of how I got involved in 3D Charlie Trimble was still head of
scanning and what happened the company at that time.
in those early days, their reac- Working at Trimble when I
tion has often been, “Wow, that’s did–through the 1990s–was a
very cool. You should write it very interesting time. GPS was
down, share it with others.” really starting to take off glob-
Now, with the further encour- ally and Trimble’s GPS survey
agement of my esteemed xyHt receiver business was king of
editor and writing colleague, the hill in the survey market.
Gavin Schrock, that’s what I’m We had introduced dual-fre-
going to try to do here via my quency RTK a couple of years
“GeoDude” column. earlier at a FIG conference in
There’s a lot to the story, so it Melbourne, Australia, and it
will take more than one article to
tell it. But, I’ve got to start some-
where, and this it. I hope you find it
The author with original Cyrax
interesting, informative and maybe 3D laser scanner. Note a large
even inspiring and entertaining. electronics box on the floor
wired to the scanner. Not shown
is a laptop that also needed to
be connected to the scanner to
operate it.

JUNE 2020 xyHt 17


Above: The first demo that I saw of 3D laser scanning was a live 3D laser
scan of a wall and dart board in Cyra's office in Orinda, California. I
was blown away by the demo–had never seen anything like it before. My
gut said this was something worth diving into a lot deeper.
Right: The author with Ben Kacyra, who had the original idea for 3D
laser scanning and co-founded a start-up, Cyra Technologies Inc., to
develop and commercialize it.

had taken the survey market by facturing of 3D laser scanners


storm. Things were good. Really and global sales, distribution, and
good. support, among other things.
That 1994 FIG conference, by I learned from Ben that while
the way–and whom I met there– there were other very respect-
would later play a huge role in able players in the survey in-
the way things eventually turned strumentation market, including
out for 3D laser scanning tech- Leica Geosystems, Topcon, and
nology and for me personally. Sokkia, several surveyors and
You never know when someone others had encouraged him to
you meet one day, in a seemingly try to focus on Trimble as a first
innocuous manner, might turn choice.
out to play a huge role in your life Their reasoning was that
and career down the road. Good Trimble, starting from scratch,
contacts are invaluable. had done a great job taking GPS
But back to my time at Trim- technology into the survey mar- Another plus for Trimble was Sorden, who reported to Charlie
ble … ket. In the big picture, GPS was simply location. Cyra at the time Trimble.
totally unlike any other technol- was headquartered in Orinda, The initial take inside was
Along comes ogy that had previously been California, a suburban commu- that this fellow, Ben, was very
Ben Kacyra used for surveying. It had no nity also in the San Francisco Bay enthusiastic about his new
Along comes a fellow by the optics, no angle encoders, no Area. Ben lived in Orinda and his technology, but wanted a non-
name of Ben Kacyra, CEO and electronic distance measure- company had rented space in a disclosure agreement (NDA) be-
co-founder of Cyra Technolo- ment elements. It was essen- small, commercial office building fore he would tell us (or anyone)
gies. For me, that's when it - 3D tially a radio receiving signals not far from his home. Trimble much about it. From a business
laser scanning - all started. from satellites and Trimble had was just a drive away. standpoint, my sense was that
Ben had approached Trimble very successfully engineered it From Trimble’s standpoint–or Ben was unusually protective,
looking for a possible “strategic into survey solutions, complete that of any manufacturer/ven- requiring an NDA so early in the
partner” to help commercialize with office software and acces- dor–the task in fielding such discussion. But Ben had envi-
Cyra’s fledgling 3D laser scan- sories, with a full organization to technology partnership inquiries sioned great potential for his
ning technology. Ben’s company market it and support it globally. becomes one of evaluating its new technology, and he stood
was still very small, his 3D laser Ben felt that an entrepre- business potential and fit, what firmly behind his grand vision
scanning technology was still in neurial Silicon Valley company would be involved in taking it to and his protective posture.
development, and he wanted to like Trimble, that had so suc- market, etc. At that time, Trimble was
eventually partner with a global cessfully taken such a non-tra- Ben’s initial inquiry into Trim- looking into the future, as all
organization that was roughly in ditional technology like GPS into ble found its way to business companies do, and, in its case,
the same market space–geom- the survey market, would be a development staff in the sur- had come to believe that add-
etry capture of big stuff. In a stra- natural candidate to explore as vey and mapping division I was ing optics/EDM based survey
tegic partner, Ben was looking for a potential strategic partner for in. At the time the division, the instrumentation to their product
a respected company that could his very non-traditional 3D laser company’s largest, was run by portfolio could well be beneficial
possibly take on volume manu- scanning technology. executive vice president Jim in the long run for the company’s

18 xyHt JUNE 2020


I’d never seen anything like it before–
quickly and remotely capturing
detailed surface geometry…

overall penetration and posi- etry of the wall and dartboard


tioning within the survey mar- gradually emerge on the laptop
ket. Of course, that eventually display. The guy working the lap-
materialized. top then used his mouse to move
the view of the emerging point
The demo that cloud in 3D and zoom in on the
changed everything displayed scan points.
At one point, our business I was not only able to see the
development guy who had field- dartboard surface relative to the
ed Ben Kacyra’s initial inquiry wall surface, but I was even able
thought enough of it to pass it on to see the “elevated” wire frame
to me for my direct involvement. I sitting atop the dart board sur-
don’t recall the exact sequence, face from a 3D perspective. On
but at one point I drove to Cyra’s his laptop display, he flew around
office in Orinda for a demo of the the emerging image in 3D and
3D laser scanner his company then took distance measure-
was developing. ments between some of the dis-
At Cyra’s office, on one end played points. To top things off, he
of a 20-foot long hallway, hung a then instantly converted all of the
dartboard. It was a tradition- scan’s green points into “intensity
al dartboard with metal wire map colors” – I could clearly read
frames on the surface, section- the dart board’s numbers, let-
3D RECONSTRUCTOR
ing off the numbered, 2x, 3x, and ters, and geometric sections! The
bull’s-eye areas. At the other end whole demo took a couple of min-
of the hallway was a big, black utes. It was jaw dropping.
box 3D laser scanner, still in the
development stage, oriented to- Next steps
ward the dartboard. The scan- Okay, Ben. Now I’m really
ner was controlled by a laptop. interested.
The laptop not only triggered the I’d never seen anything like it
scanner to scan, but it was also before–quickly and remotely cap-
able to display, as green dots on turing detailed surface geometry,
a black background, points be- instantly displaying it (in 3D no
ing captured in real-time as the less!), and immediately measur-
scanner was working. ing from it. It was amazing.
The scanner emitted a green Beyond my gut amaze-
laser. As laser pulses hit a sur- ment, I also thought that from a
face, you could easily see green “fit” standpoint from Trimble’s
dots on the surface. The scanner long-term perspective, this was
started scanning a sequence of intriguing, as the technology rep-
vertical columns, steadily moving resented a path into EDM type
from one column to the next col- of survey geometry capture, but
umn, from left to right across the with a very different technologi-
wall and dartboard. cal approach. Ladies and gen-
Then it happened. It’s hap- tlemen, it was time to kick my
pened to all of us at one point. The evaluation of this novel, sexy, 3D
moment that you first saw laser geometry capture technology
scans (point clouds) being ma- into another gear.
nipulated on a computer display in
3D–in this case in real-time as the Next article: Diving deep into
scanner was scanning. evaluating this new technology
I saw the straight-on geom- and the start-up company. ■
sales@stonexamerica.com
www.stonexamerica.com

JUNE 2020 xyHt 19


RECOVERY IS COMING.
Are you ready?

Your Solutions Partner - We Can Help!


Topcon Solutions believes in being more than a technology solutions provider.
We are committed to being your local partner. We know that economic recovery
is coming. Everyday we are helping firms be ready for the work to come rushing
back. Whether it’s better technology to make you more efficient, or training for
your teams to get the most out of what you already have, we can help.

topconsolutions.com/recovery

ASK ABOUT OUR CUSTOMER


RECOVERY PROGRAM
(855) 289-1772
BIM it up Designed using building
information modeling,

and fly them in


Mactan-Cebu International
Airport is a tribute not only
to technology but also team
collaboration and creativity.

E
By Marc M. Delgado, PhD

verything about the design of the newly built Terminal 2 at the Mactan- “I think that one of the winning features
of the airport project was its level of BIM ad-
Cebu International Airport is near perfect, from the extensive use of ex- vancement, even though we were still at the
posed wooden beams that give a natural tropical feel to the built-up space, design development stage,” shares Cruz, the
lead structural modeler and BIM manager
to the construction of arched ceilings with skylights that allow sunlight to
for the project. “We developed efficient BIM
enter its vast interior. Even the undulating metal roof has been intricately workflows and tools at that time when there
rendered, calling to mind the rolling waves that surround Cebu Island. were not many available references yet.”
For Pawlowski, it was their design phi-
losophy that made them win. “Personally, I
So it should come as no surprise that this their hearts. The two BIM experts and civ- think it was about the ethos of our approach
creatively designed airport in the Philippines il engineers at Arup, the international engi- to reduce time wastage, focus on established
has been winning international awards, in- neering and architecture services company, design principles and collaboration, and not
cluding last year’s most coveted prize: the steered a diverse team in creating the air- treating the BIM model as the be-all and
International Architecture Award in the Air- port’s building information model (BIM). end-all.”
ports and Transportation Centers category. Their team’s innovative BIM efforts were rec- With BIM as the main tool for the air-
Yet for Jessica Pawlowski and Demetrio ognized by the judges at the 2015 Autodesk port’s design transformation, Pawlowski, who
Cruz, one award might just be the closest to BIM Awards. was Arup’s lead designer as well as a structural

Photomontage shows the BIM model com-


bined with an actual photo of the Mactan-Ce-
bu International Airport’s roof. By Marcel Lam

JUNE 2020 xyHt 21


22 xyHt JUNE 2020
lead, said, “I think that you get better quality
facilities and architecture with BIM, includ-
ing better service and savings in the long run
throughout the entire supply chain.”

DESIGNING WITH BIM


Over the years, the term Building Information
Modeling has been given many definitions
and interpretations, a clear indication of its
broadening design applications in the archi-
tecture, engineering and construction (AEC)
sectors. Numbers from the latest survey of
companies in the UK show that BIM aware-
ness and adoption grew from more than 10
percent in 2011 to around 70 percent in 2019.
“BIM is business as usual for us at Arup,”
says Pawlowski. “When you are trying to achieve
world-class architecture with a limited budget
and tight timescale, BIM helps us resolve issues
in design to avoid them later in construction.” Above: Demetrio Cruz working on the BIM
BIM, however, should not be viewed sim- model of the airport. Left: Jessica Pawlowski.
© Arup
ply as a software that allows people to create
sleek-looking 3D models of buildings. While
BIM may not always speed up the design phase,
adopting it throughout should always speed up impact on the design. Doing so in the early
construction. BIM should be seen as a system stages helped us to keep the BIM model coor-
that provides different actors a way to efficient- dinated until the end.”
ly exchange building information resulting in a Together, the team worked in Arup’s BIM-
more cost-effective construction process. lite environment, where team members sim-
“BIM is a tool and it’s about how that tool plified processes and focused on developing
is used to enhance coordination and under- smart workflows, automation, and parametric
standing of a project that makes it useful,” ex- modeling. Members collaborated closely with
plains Pawlowski. the architects, often using multidisciplinary
When using BIM in projects, the crucial 3D visualizations to communicate different
element is not just the 3D model itself, but design options to the client, highlighting each
150-persons strong. A majority of us touched option’s pros and cons. Using BIM, the team
the information that has been created, man-
aged and shared among project managers, en- and used the BIM model in different stages.” was able to pinpoint issues that could have an
gineers, operators, contractors, and architects. The dominant part of the airport’s trans- impact on construction.
As such, the BIM environment can be applied formation is its new terminal, a three-story “For example, to identify the building
to any design project. “A project does not need building with exposed arches that show a cur- height limitation of the terminal, we did a 3D
to be unique to do BIM modeling,” says Cruz. vilinear ceiling. Topping the entire structure line-of-sight analysis,” says Pawlowski. The
is a wave-shaped metal roof covering 65,500 line-of-sight from the airport’s control tow-
TEAM COLLABORATION IN BIM IS A MUST square meters. The team also developed a wid- er was assessed by creating BIM/3D massing
Originally built to accommodate 4.5 mil- er airport plan, including reconfiguration and models of the airport’s roof, adding planes on
lion passengers per year, the Mactan-Cebu redesign of aprons, taxiways, existing facilities, the taxiway, and viewing it in the virtual air-
International Airport has been receiving an and the landside road network. port. BIM was also used to discuss various op-
overwhelming influx of 7 million passengers As the wider design team was globally dis- tions that could improve passenger movement
annually. To stem this problem, the team at tributed (Austria, Cebu, Delhi, Hong Kong, in the departure and arrival areas.
Arup worked with architects from Integrat- Manila, and Singapore) and had varying BIM “Graphic representation using BIM made
ed Design Associates (IDA) to draw up plans skills, there was a high potential for poor ex- it far easier for us to communicate with col-
for the much-needed airport transformation. ecution, especially when communication can laborators and agree on key parameters,” adds
The design challenge was to expand the exist- become complex due to different time zones Pawlowski.
ing airport to hold 15.8 million passengers per and fluctuating quality of Internet speed. With
year, or even more. these challenges facing them, collaboration is WORKING WITH A BIM PLAN
We collaborated with the architects at IDA undeniably paramount. WHILE FOSTERING CREATIVITY
and with other consultants,” says Pawlowski. Collaboration is a must in doing any BIM Essentially all BIM projects start with a BIM
“Arup’s daily core BIM team was just over two project,” says Cruz. “For this project, we had Execution Plan (BEP), a valuable document
dozen persons, with the entire team at around weekly meetings to discuss issues that have that defines how the information modeling

JUNE 2020 xyHt 23


aspects of a BIM-enabled project will be car- The virtual airport created with BIM/3D communication and relationships, as well as
massing models showing the control tower,
ried out. The BEP comes in handy to optimize roof arches and shading structure, with planes building trust between all parties.
work by minimizing errors, redundancies and on the taxiway. © Arup “I think our success is largely down to
gaps in the flow of information. trust. We ended with zero clashes in a very
For the Mactan-Cebu project, Cruz says is fostering digital-savvy operators but at the short period,” says Pawlowski.
the BEP was first decided with the other col- same time stifling their ability to produce To cultivate trust, regular workshops were
laborators. “We did not have a required BEP original and useful ideas. Could better collab- held to keep the team posted on everyone’s pro-
initially, and therefore we agreed on the key oration and collective decision-making within gress, while models were shared only when key
features together with the architects and client the BIM process enhance creativity? components had been updated so that less time
before embarking on any modeling.” “One important factor to successfully de- was wasted. “We often used overlays of mod-
Cruz then describes the team’s gener- liver a BIM project is to release the team’s cre- els, live in REVIT, and edited directly while dis-
al BIM workflow in a nutshell: “To start ativity while focusing on communication,” cussing details together. Doing so allowed us to
with, we worked in the same correct coordi- says Pawlowski. “It is possible to deliver mod- ensure that everyone was on the same page and
nate location so that it would be easy to link els for the entire project lifecycle without be- had clear actions to validate these adjustments
models in later stages. Secondly, we deter- ing so overbearing with project management in an agreed timescale,” says Pawlowski.
mined the divisions of sheets to be used in and procedures. This chokes creativity and The team also chose to share models less
all models to make sure the drawings are co- bogs down designers. You will find that de- frequently, and when they did so, they made
ordinated throughout the different users and signers enjoy their work more when they are sure that each model share counted, using
disciplines. This remained constant through- able to focus on design, and not on the process. updated notes and logs to keep track of big
out the project and ensured easy use of draw- And when your team is having fun, they do far changes. Furthermore, members were encour-
ings on site where the supply chain was not better designs.” aged to bring their skills up to date by learning
entirely BIM-enabled.” on the job. Models were likewise developed to
He further adds that the modelers func- BUILDING TRUST, NOT JUST MODELS suit the member’s design development prefer-
tioned as a leading part of the team. Com- With the airport’s BIM-based design, the ences and automation abilities.
municating what to build is foremost and team was able to carry out quicker and more “We encouraged the wider team to imple-
the team was always taking into considera- efficient testing of the inter-relationships be- ment as many efficiency measures as possible,
tion other disciplines to foresee and evaluate tween competing airport requirements, in- including automation and inbuilt features of
potential conflicts in the design. “We im- cluding issues in the tarmac’s topography, the REVIT. This freed us to go directly to a high-
mediately flagged up the person responsible terminal floor heights, and the airport’s road er level of development (LOD 300) if it suit-
whenever we saw clashes.” networks. ed or to step through the massing approaches
For the internal and external exchange of Pawlowski shares that for this project, they of LOD 100 or 200 as necessary,” Pawlowski
BIM models, Cruz says they kept records of abandoned the traditional BIM formula and explains.
all models issued and received. “We checked rethought how to best approach the assigned She also shares that instead of aiming to
the models that we received to make sure they tasks. “On previous projects, concept design create clash-free models at every phase, the
are usable and that their updates are based had been done in 2D and only moved to 3D team resolved key clashes before they mani-
on what we already agreed on during meet- later. In this project, 3D modeling in REVIT fested at later project stages by keeping com-
ings,” he says. "Another thing that we took ad- was adopted by the entire team from concept munication constant and by focusing on good
vantage of is the automation of processes to through delivery.” design principles. “This may sound counter in-
streamline repetitive workflows.” Aside from doing away with 2D CAD, tuitive, but it forced the entire team to take
Although sticking to a BIM execution the team also reduced wasted effort and em- charge of their work towards a coordinated
plan can sometimes be regarded as rigorous, it ployed a more efficient use of time by remov- design. This approach required the team to rely
should not limit the creativity of team mem- ing the need for formalized clash detection on their design experience and to proactively
bers. Many industry observers claim that BIM reports. Instead, they focused on fostering communicate,” she says.

24 xyHt JUNE 2020


According to Pawlowski, prioritizing ar-
eas and parts of the designs to be fully coor-
dinated proved a far more effective approach. CONNECTED INFRASTRUCTURE

ENABLED BY RFID
“Through this project, we proved that success
and quality design is possible if you work to-
gether and each team member takes responsi-
bility so that they can be proud of their work,”
she says.

DELIVERING A WORLD-CLASS BIM


Now that the airport project is complete, Cruz
says being part of the team makes him proud,
adding that their hard work paid off with all
the awards the project has received. Asked
about which part of the airport was both inter-
esting and challenging to render, Cruz points
to the distinctive arches of the roof. “There is
a limitation in working with curve elements
in Revit, but we were able to automate that
by using in-house tools while developing add-
ins and workflows to aid the process,” he says.
Pawlowski also chose the roof as the fea-
ture that most challenged her. “The multi-dis-
cipline zones near the departures deck were
challenging, especially where the roof arches
intersected through difficult architectural de-
tailing,” she says. She then explains they had
to make sure those areas worked well so that
they do not end up being poorly installed dur- 800.356.7388 | inframarker.com
ing construction, highlighting the importance
of not undermining the interplay between aes-
thetics and functionality of the design. “I think
we succeeded by spending time to get those
details to work in 3D because they look amaz-
ing now that the terminal has been built.”
Every modeler knows it’s hard to design
iconic architecture in a short period of time.
But Pawlowski says it makes her happy to be
part of the group that designed the BIM mod-
el for the airport.
RECORDS
“Delivering such ambitious architecture,
especially employing BIM techniques, to do Eliminate the hassle of
so cost effectively for the people of Cebu and resubmitting your
their many visitors, makes me particularly
proud of our work,” she says. “The most re- College transcripts
warding aspect would be the team effort right
Exams results
across the project team. Look what interna-
tional and local collaboration can achieve.” Employment verifications
With BIM becoming the global language
of the AEC sector, expect it to change how
Professional references
infrastructures will be designed in the future. each time you apply for a PS
For now, Pawlowski believes that BIM is here
to stay, expanding boundaries that will lead to license in an additional state.
more automation and parametric design. “In
this airport project, we pushed the envelope on
how to deliver excellent results with BIM, and
that is always appreciated. It helps move the Build your NCEES
industry forward step by step.” ■ Record today.
ncees.org/records

JUNE 2020 xyHt 25


GeoNinja Hacks

What
is ETL…
…and how can it turn you
into a geospatial rock star?

By Nicholas Duggan times, it can be integrated same capacity as in the last mat to another. It is propri-

I
into the software, though 10 years. Therefore, the sys- etary but a business case
magine a world where this is normally done through tem designers had to cre- can easily be written for the
there was only one leveraging a third-party li- ate data formats to ensure amount of time that is saved
data type for 3D, 2D brary. Before we get stuck the system could do every- in automating work. The
and point clouds. into the jargon, let’s delve thing required, and do it ef- other tool, GDAL (Geospatial
Wouldn’t it be bliss? I have into why we need it. ficiently; hence some of the Data Abstraction Library) is
to confess that about 30 When creating software, formats we have now, like a command-line tool which
percent of my time, when I the focus primarily is on shapefile, KML and DWG. is open source but converts
work in GIS, is spent work- the business need and then It wasn’t until the year data extremely efficiently.
ing between different data the deliverable. In the early 2000 that we had some ways These two tools are so
formats…a DWG from the stages you are more focused of working between some good that they have been
architect, an RCP from the on getting the application of these different data for- consumed into the two main
engineer, an SHP from the out to the consumers so that mats (in a stable, reliable GIS, Esri and QGIS. Arc-
council, and then the cli- they can use it and play with and supported fashion). One GIS Pro, by Esri, uses FME
ent wants a realistic 3D it. When we look at many of was FME by Safe Software for its “Data Interoperabil-
representation of their new the big players in geospatial, and the other was GDAL. ity” geoprocessing tool. If
building. most of their systems were FME, which stands for Fea- you have an FME license or
ETL stands for Extract designed over 20 years ago, ture Manipulation Engine, are licensed to use the tool
Translate and Load (or also when the word “geopack- is a whole software pack- through Esri, you can ac-
GTL for Geospatial Trans- age” and “geoJSON” were age which has a great in- cess conversion of all the
form and Load). Commonly not even thought of. In fact, terface that allows you to geospatial formats available
it is a tool or library which is there wasn’t a geospatial put together building blocks, within FME through the Esri
used to work between these standard consortium and like flowcharts to automate software. Although it is frus-
many data formats without OGC (Open Geospatial Con- some of the work but to also trating to have to pay for two
too much hindrance. Some- sortium) didn’t exist in the translate data from one for- software to do a job, it is ex-

26 xyHt JUNE 2020


tremely powerful and allows different formats. It is quite Screenshots of GDAL is a command- friend…and there is a lot of
all three ETL;
the user to work with almost common to find many GIS us- FME (left), line tool and requires a lit- useful help on the web.
any data. ers run both QGIS and Esri’s GDAL (top) and tle knowledge of the syntax Both tools have other
the ArcGIS Pro
QGIS, however, inte- ArcGIS on the same machine Interoperability which needs to be used. By benefits far and above the
grates GDAL (purists may (and no, they don’t affect one tool (center). running the tool on the com- ETL/GTL, which I’ve de-
call this GDAL/OGR) into its another). mand-line, there is no GUI and scribed above. In both tools
core, which right out of the As stated earlier, FME makes for much faster and there is the ability to alter
box is all open source. Al- and GDAL also run indepen- efficient processing. It feels and analyse the data. You
though there aren’t quite as dently. FME is a stand-alone extremely powerful. For more can see in the FME screen-
many formats (approximately software which provides a advanced users, it is possi- shot that there is the ability to
80 percent) available com- complete solution for trans- ble to put together batch files transform the data and add
pared to FME, you can use lating most geospatial and which can automate a few 3D extrusion or convert the
the translation in almost all other data formats. The in- of the tasks and, with a lit- color, as well as hundreds
parts of the software, rather terface is quite technical but tle Python knowledge, whole of other manipulation tools.
than being an extra tool. This allows for a whole world of workflows can be achieved With GDAL you can convert
means you can import geo- potential, with the capability from download to conversion coordinate systems, warp
json formats, shapefile, ge- to scrape websites, automati- to load. Unfortunately, there is and dissolve, as well as many
opackages and another 66 cally download and translate a little bit of a learning curve other operations.
vector formats (to date), even data through flowchart type and if you aren’t a command- There are, of course,
though QGIS’s native data models. This is used by many line type of a person it can be other methods of translating
format is spatialite (SQLite). companies to automate and a little intimidating, especially geospatial data using Python
Without going off track, translate data. I have per- when you get errors which and/or individual libraries,
many of the QGIS users I sonally worked with a few don’t make sense. I tend to but for your day-to-day geo-
talk with use QGIS for sim- companies where it is inte- find that the syntax for trans- spatial needs, you can’t go
ple GIS tasks and the abil- grated into the core of the lation is a little back-to-front, wrong with picking one of
ity to work with many of the infrastructure. but copy and paste is your these methods. ■

JUNE 2020 xyHt 27


SURVEYING
BIM
SCANNING
GNSS

Giving Preservation
a Hand(held)
Handheld SLAM mapping technology helps
preserve historical sites for future generations.

A
By David Fowkes must be taken into considera- these assessments of histori- Preserving a
tion when inspecting and sur- cal sites quickly and safely. Paris Landmark
cross the world, veying buildings which could Whether regions are adhering
France boasts over 40,000
places of histori- be centuries old. to lockdown, social distancing
historical monuments, all
cal significance are A handheld mobile map- or simply experiencing uncer-
of which have great signifi-
regularly monitored to ensure ping device using SLAM (Si- tainty in both the construc-
cance to the country’s rich
they are cared for properly and multaneous Localization and tion industry and the heritage
past. One of its most famous
preserved for future genera- Mapping) technology, there- sector–geospatial technology
is located at the tip of the
tions. This care and attention fore, comes into its own in could be one solution in as-
Champs-Elysees in cen-
can help us learn more about these situations, as it can sessing and maintaining these
tral Paris–the iconic Arc de
our past and inform design and easily, quickly and safely be valuable sites.
Triomphe.
building projects of the future. used in complex environ- Here are a few case stud-
Constructed in the early
When surveying and map- ments, even without GPS. ies of how SLAM technology
19th century, it honors those
ping historic sites, accessibil- In today’s world, it’s even has contributed to the ongo-
who fought and died for the
ity is often a key factor, and in more important to carry out ing surveillance and mainte-
country in the French Revolu-
confined areas such as laby- nance of historical sites.
tion and Napoleonic Wars. It
rinths, tunnels and
measures 50 meters tall,
stairwells the job
45 meters wide and 22
can literally require
meters deep, and stands
The Arc de working in the dark.
Triomphe in proud in the center of a
Paris and its Aging walls, masonry
busy roundabout, making
digital scan. defects and timber decay
access with traditional sur-
veying tools tricky.
The Arc de Triomphe is
one of the busiest and most
visited tourist attractions
in Paris, with approximate-
ly 600,000 visitors per year.
Navigating the crowds and
chaotic traffic with traditional
static scanning devices is not
a viable option. So a survey-
ing team from Geotopo

28 xyHt JUNE 2020


had to find a more versatile and
efficient solution.
Requiring a precise scan but
delivered at speed, GeoSLAM’s
ZEB-HORIZON was chosen as
the scanning tool, given its abil-
ity to capture distant features at
a range of 100 meters. The de-
vice captures 300,000 points per
second, ticking the requirement
for a rapid mobile scanning so- wanted to survey an elegant in Jerusalem. In its 160-year his- As such, the five-kilometer Above:
A digital
lution. Its primary method of and beautiful 12th-century Ben- tory the building has been used network of underground pas- look at the
data collection is “walk and edictine monastery in Jeru- as an orphanage, barracks and sageways–in some places 27 Ramsgate
salem. This was because the Tunnel
scan,” with minimal training re- ammunition arsenal. A year pre- meters deep–became the most under Kent,
quired for operators. entire building needed to be viously, another archaeological extensive underground public England.
In order to carry out the surveyed within the 30-minute team unearthed the remains of shelter system in the world.
Below:
survey, the operator walked period between the end of Ves- a Roman bathhouse and winery After falling into disrepair, The Schnel-
around the Arc, returning to pers–the evening service–and under the site. The next stage leaving behind a long-exist- ler Orphan-
age that
complete a figure-eight shape, the time when the public would of the building’s history is a con- ing collapse in one area of the operated in
all in one fluid motion. After 10 be allowed into the monastery. version into a museum of Juda- tunnels, it was decided to re- Jerusalem
from 1860
minutes, the entire data capture A project like this with a ism–hence the requirement for develop the site. The first step to 1940 was
was complete, obtaining 10 mil- tight deadline would have been a complete, high-accuracy sur- was to provide a preliminary one of the
beyond the scope of static first major
lion points with two-centimeter vey of the site. map of the damage to assess structures
accuracy–together depicting scanners but is tailor-made for Made up of four floors, 130 tunnels that were previously to be built
the engravings of war victories handheld mobile mapping de- rooms, an outer courtyard and inaccessible. outside the
Old City of
as designed by architect, Guil- vices such as the GeoSLAM a number of stables, the survey Using a GeoSLAM ZEB-HO- Jerusalem. It
laume Abel Blouet in 1833. ZEB-REVO. The ZEB-REVO em- team needed to work quickly RIZON handheld laser scanner, was scanned
to help plan
Achieving the same results ploys a highly robust 3D SLAM to scan the entire site. In three a team from Historic England for its con-
with a static scanner would algorithm, which is at its best in 30-minute scans the entire was allowed to assess tunnels version to a
complex, enclosed, multi-level museum.
have taken considerably longer building was captured, includ- that were previously inacces-
due to the numerous set-ups environments. ing survey control points to sible and map the extent of the
and the time it takes to com- The surveyors were able to geo-reference the data. Using damage and the approximate
plete each scan. check the survey data instantly traditional scanners, this would location relative to the surface.
With such significant pro- while on site, meaning they have taken several weeks and The technology allowed
ject restrictions due to the could go back and re-scan im- involved multiple set-ups. the team to reach further down
structure’s location and popu- mediately if necessary, reduc- The team also surveyed a each channel where a quick
larity, the surveying team from ing the risk of “data omission” dilapidated 19th-century mer- overview of the extent of the
Geotopo was delighted with the from missed features once chant house in the ancient Arab damage was needed, and its
outcome, generating data used back in the office. town of Jaffa. The challenge approximate location relative
to help preserve the Arc de Tri- With the use of a mobile here was to record the building to the surface.
omphe for many years to come. “go-anywhere” scanner, the while construction works were A total of nine scans com-
reconnaissance, scanning and in progress, with hoardings and prised the complete survey,
Scanning Sites creation of a detailed 3D record scaffolding obscuring struc- taking around 10 minutes for
in Historic Israel of the unique domed building tures. Once a near-impossible each scan. Compared to a stat-
were done in just 30 minutes– task, the ZEB-REVO was able ic scanner, using a handheld
When surveying historical sites,
up to 10 times faster than to collect survey-grade data mobile mapping solution im-
getting the information needed
a static survey would be in a matter of hours. That data proved the speed of the scan-
quickly, safely and without dis-
able to achieve. formed the basis of a working ning process dramatically.
ruption is a high priority, espe-
On the very same record of elevations, sections The scans were incredibly
cially when such locations are
expedition, Oxford and plans. revealing. One scan showed
operational and scans need
Archaeology also quite dramatically how the
to take place within small win-
dows of time.
scanned the Sch- History Under collapse of the tunnel caused
This was pre-
neller Building Kent, England a blockage, and the dataset
cisely the case Built as an underground nar- as a whole provided Historic
when a row-gauge railway in 1863, England with a real under-
team from the Ramsgate Tunnels in Kent standing of what needed to
Oxford Ar- were used to shelter some be done to preserve them for
chaeology 60,000 people during WWII. future generations. ■

JUNE 2020 xyHt 29


CO-LOCATED
IN 2020!
July 27-29, 2020
McCormick Place | Chicago, IL

USE CODE SAVE100


for $100 off any conference pass and/or free exhibit hall entry.

Register Online @
aecnext.com • spar3d.com/event • lidarmap.org

Produced by Diversified Communications


AUTODESK AXIS GEOSPATIAL, LLC

30 xyHt JUNE 2020


CONTACT ANGIE DUMAN TO PLACE YOUR AD
CLASsIFIED ADVERTISING
Instrument Repair Education
College of the Canyons
Land Surveying
26455 Rockwell Canyon Road
Santa Clarita, CA 91355
(661) 362-5096
Email: Regina.Blasberg@canyons.edu
Website: www.canyons.edu/SURV
Associate of Science Degree
Courses offered ONLINE (Video Con-
ferencing)

New Mexico State University


Geomatics Department
1060 Frenger Mall – Room 130
Las Cruces, NM 88003
Software Phone: (575) 646-6748
Email: kwurm@nmsu.edu or
elaksher@nmsu.edu
Website: https://et.nmsu.edu/geomatics-
WORLD LEADING LEAST SQUARES surveying//

ADJUSTMENT SOFTWARE Fully online program and +2 option.


BS Degree

Troy University
Unlimited number of stations and Surveying and Geomatics Sciences Program
observations Department of Geospatial Informatics
346 Wallace Hall Building
Import foreign data types of any kind with Troy, AL 36082
GeoLab’s custom import tool Phone: (334) 670-5693
Automated adjustments through the Fax: (334) 670-3796
Email: geomatics@troy.edu
SmartAdjust feature Website: www.troy.edu
Simultaneous network adjustments of BS Degree, ABET-ASAC accredited
all observation types
University of Florida
Geomatics Program
Watch GeoLab in Action & See a Demo Video | www.geolabsolutions.com/demo 304 Reed Laboratory
Gainesville, FL 32611-0565
(352) 392-9492
Equipment Instrument Repair Fax: (352) 392-4957
Email: geomatics@ifas.ufl.edu
Navigation Electronics, Inc. Website: http://sfrc.ufl.edu/geomatics/
BS Degree, ABET-ANSAC
124 Toledo Drive
MS & PhD Degrees
Lafayette, LA 70506
Online Certificates in Geomatics, Mapping
(337) 237-1413 with Unmanned Aerial Systems, & Geo-
Website: www.neigps.com spatial Analysis
Georgia Office: (770) 729-8005 Online MS Degree
Alabama Office: (256) 665-5589
Mississippi Office: (662) 347-1117 University of Maine
Want to see your ad here? Arkansas Office: (870) 273-6333 Surveying Engineering Technology
Contact: angie.duman@xyht.com Florida Office: (850) 228-2070 Program
5711 Boardman Hall, Room 119
Orono, ME 04469-5711
(207) 581-2340
E-mail: um.set@maine.edu
Stay Connected Website: http://www.umaine.edu/set/svt/
www.xyht.com Bachelor Degree, ABETTAAC

JUNE 2020 xyHt 31


MAPS AS ART

A Burst of Color
on the Red Planet
T he Jezero Crater on Mars will be the
landing site for NASA’s Mars 2020
mission. This image was taken by
instruments on NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance
Orbiter (MRO), which regularly takes images
Jezero Crater delta, sediments contain clays
and carbonates.
The image combines information from
two instruments on MRO: the Compact Re-
connaissance Imaging Spectrometer for
Malin Space Science Systems in San Diego
built and operates CTX.
NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a di-
vision of Caltech in Pasadena, California,
manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter
of potential landing sites for future missions. Mars (CRISM) and the Context Camera Project for NASA’s Science Mission Direc-
On ancient Mars, water carved chan- (CTX). The Johns Hopkins University Applied torate, Washington. Lockheed Martin Space
nels and transported sediments to form fans Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland, led Systems, Denver, built the orbiter and col-
and deltas within lake basins. Examination of the work to build the CRISM instrument and laborates with JPL to operate it.
spectral data acquired from orbit show that operates CRISM in coordination with an in-
some of these sediments have minerals that ternational team of researchers from uni- Text courtesy of NASA Science Mars
indicate chemical alteration by water. In the versities, government and the private sector. Exploration Program

Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS/JHU-APL

32 xyHt JUNE 2020


Legal-Aid
TM New Software!
Now supports TM
AutoCAD 2021 Now available

Create Legal Descriptions in Seconds...


AGT Topo/DTM with Volumes!

Right from AutoCAD®, Civil 3D®, or DXF™ files! An affordable mapping companion for your existing
COGO or surveying software. Import point data from
Legal descriptions are automatically created from your existing COGO software and create TIN models,
entities in your AutoCAD drawing. All phrases are Contours, Topo maps, boundary surveys and more.
customizable so you can create legals that reflect
your style.... not ours!
- Save Time! www.agtcad.com
- Reduce Errors! for more info!
- Improve Consistency!

- Import ASCII point files,


DXF, and ProCogo files
Legal descriptions as - Quickly and easily
easy as 1-2-3 create DTM TIN
1. Start Legal-Aid from the command line models of a surface.
- Automatically create contours. - Create and automatically insert
2. Select the parcel or boundary lines from your drawing custom symbols (blocks) from
- Calculate volume of spoil piles, feature codes.
3. Do final editing, then print your legal or paste it back into borrow pits and more.
AutoCAD as MTEXT - Includes built-in COGO routines.
- Label spot elevations on a surface.
For use with AutoCAD 14 or above, Land Desktop, - Complete set of Training Videos.
- Label bearings/distances and curves.
Civil 3D (all versions), or software that can create a DXF file. - Affordable pricing!

ProCogo XL
TM Visit www.agtcad.com TM
for a complete list of features. Info-Retriever 15 For details, visit
www.info-retriever.com
CAD, COGO, Data Collection, DTM, Contouring & Volumes!
New! Calculate volume of
spoil piles, borrow pits
and more
Automatically subdivide
a parcel
Mirror a building
footprint!
Improved Deed-Reader
Data collector support*
Available with
Import aerials and Contouring and Volumes! - New! Create a jobs location map
scanned maps in Google Earth™.
Export to Google Earth Fast, Easy and Affordable! - New! Agenda view for calendar. Info-Retriever “brings a
- New! Drag-n-Drop file attachments. collection of business tasks
Import data from a data collector, do Export drawings to AutoCAD and - New! More Forms! into a single program. A great
your surveying calculations and plot as other CAD/GIS programs via DXF - New! Improved QuickBooks Support, tool for an industry where
you go, then finish the plat and write and Shapefiles. Linework can be and more! (see our web-site) records and data seem to
legal descriptions all with this fast, exported to Google Earth. - Record and retrieve client files, jobs become scattered easily.
easy, and affordable ProCogo XL. and survey control.
Supports 9 different units including Even those content with the
- Scan and store drawings and
Includes “Legal-Aid for ProCogo XL” Meters, Chains, and Varas. accounting and scheduling
documents.
as well as ProCalc, surveyors RPN systems they are currently
Network versions are available. - Quickly recall jobs with search history.
and curve calculator software. using could benefit from the
Very affordable pricing. - Track and bill for time and material.
record keeping capabilities of
Optional DTM and contour mapping. - Create invoices, statements & reports.
this package.”
Visit www.agtcad.com for - Mail-merge and mailing list
Import and process data collector files - Stewart Spencer, PLS
more info and to see a demo. - Training Videos
(*.raw and *.rw5). - Affordable pricing! Visit our web-site for more information!

Pricing, more info, and demo videos at


www.agtcad.com, or call 1-800-548-9223 or 1-770-509-3661
Autodesk, AutoCAD, Civil 3D, and DXF are registered trademarks or trademarks of Autodesk, Inc./Autodesk Canada Co. in the USA and/or other countries. All other brand
names, product names, or trademarks belong to their respective holders. ProCogo, Info-Retriever, Legal-Aid, and AGT Topo/DTM are trademarks of Emerald Data, Inc.
OUTPERFORM
THE COMPETITION
Workflow efficiency from the field.
To the office.
To the client.

Laser Scanners, Robotic Total Stations,


Carlson Field and Office
GNSS Receivers, Data Collectors

SURVEY | CIVIL | GIS | CONSTRUCTION

Carlson Software, Inc.


www.carlsonsw.com ■ 800-989-5028
33 East 2nd Street ■ Maysville, KY 41056

Вам также может понравиться