KPM Franklin is Reaching New Heights with LiDAR Aerial Scanning

KPM Franklin is Reaching New Heights with LiDAR Aerial Scanning

This article provides an inside perspective of KPM Franklin, a leading provider of engineering, surveying, and landscape architecture services. It is being provided here as told by the persons being interviewed. 

Background

“Prior to my start at KPM Franklin in 2020, my experience with 3D laser scanning and LiDAR technology was largely academic,” explained Mitchell Hill, PSM, Project Manager at KPM Franklin. He continued, “Part of the reason for my change at that time was to usher in the opportunity to translate that to real world experience. KPM Franklin had developed relationships with industry leaders in this space, which gave them the exposure to the technology necessary for preparation for their own foray into LiDAR. Our latest addition, and certainly the most exciting we’ve seen yet, has been our current setup with Harris Aerial and RIEGL. The hardware capability this has added to our tool chest has been a significant upgrade, yielding results we’ve become very passionate about with substantial benefits felt from our clients.”

Technology

Our primary hardware in use currently with our staff is a Harris Aerial Carrier H6 with a RIEGL miniVUX-3UAV scanner acquired in 2022. We leverage the RIEGL platform for processing, with RiPROCESS doing the heavy lifting and Applanix’s software handling the trajectory processing. We split from there, with aerial imagery processing moving to ESRI’s Drone2Map for the mosaic and GeoExpress as a compression software to generate a georeferenced SID. The processed point cloud moves from RiPROCESS to Trimble Business Center for data extraction into AutoCAD Civil 3D. We also utilize the proximity of RIEGL’s North American office to rent various terrestrial 3D scanners as projects demand and utilize RiSCAN Pro in those scenarios. Prior to this purchase in 2022, we utilized some DJI products, various rentals, and industry partnerships.

Evaluation

We evaluated several other options for both hardware and software while shopping for our latest laser scanning purchase. Several factors were considered during this process, but we ultimately found the RIEGL hardware platform to significantly outperform the competitors in several key factors. Our focus in comparing the different platforms came down to the miniVUX-3UAV’s ability to leverage 5 target echoes per shot, waveform processing, and a scan speed of 100 scans/sec in a compact, lightweight package perfect for UAV scenarios. It only felt natural to then utilize the associated RIEGL software for processing those collections, especially with our proximity to their local office.

Workflow Integration

A goal we had with integration of the RIEGL products into our workflows was a desire to provide the same final deliverables we have through conventional means. The amount of data collected with these systems can be overwhelming at first, and I think mistakes can be made in letting that data take too much control of a project. As with any collected data, it must be synthesized and tailored to the job at hand. Often, we’ve found clients have tried to utilize 3D scan data in the past and have found the deliverables to be too unwieldy, or their process hasn’t been formulated to function well with these new datasets. Spending extra time organizing the dataset to provide cleaner data to train the auto extraction tools has been key in allowing us to accomplish this goal. We’ve additionally found success in providing different final deliverables that were more appealing to the downstream user for the ultimate goals of the project. It’s important to approach this technology with an open mind, as the box we’re trying to think outside of has grown bigger with the capability these datasets provide.

Project Experience

A good example of a UAV laser scan application was a project we performed for Rocky Mountain Construction at Fun Spot America in Kissimmee, Florida. The goal of this project was to provide survey support of the Mine Blower roller coaster so the wooden track on this steel support attraction could be swapped out for a more durable steel track. The level of data provided from the 3D scan removed much of the guess work traditionally handled in this procedure, as conventional means only provided cross section locations at set intervals. We converted our 3D scan data into a format that aligned with their modeling programs allowing for a more accurate track fabrication with less installation modifications. Beyond data quality improvements, we experienced an increased ease in data collection. Rather than shutting the ride down for an extended period and having a field crew have to navigate the structure on foot, data collection was completed in 20 minutes in the morning before park open following target placement and preparation the day before providing cost savings, increased efficiencies, and safer work environments.

A more common project example from our past work experience was a laser scan flight completed for a multi-use project in Clermont, Florida. Land development projects often take several twists and turns through the design and construction phase as not all variables can be accounted for in the take-off. This project was no exception, containing several commercial lots beyond the residential development taking place. Once sale of these lots was completed, an impact study revealed updates were going to need to take place to the surrounding traffic infrastructure, which conventionally would have required additional survey work. Since an aerial laser scan was completed at the beginning, we were able to return to that processed data to extract areas we had collected that were outside the original scope. This saved on mobilization time and cost to provide the developer a quick way to clear this development hurdle.

The Future

The market sectors we’re having the most success with today with 3D technology are in the land development and theme park space, largely due to our location of operation. The intricate facades and level of detail found in a theme park environment almost demands a 3D solution for optimizations across the board throughout a project, while the uncertainties in land development at the early planning stages when survey is needed speaks to the adage “scan it and can it.” 

This is an exciting time to be involved in the 3D technology space. Advancements in hardware construction allowing for smaller, lighter, and more cost-effective systems are sure to yield an increased market presence in the coming years. As that shift becomes more apparent, the focus we place on its use today is sure to yield opportunities in spaces in the future we haven’t considered yet. It’s that untapped potential that keeps me passionate about experimenting with these tools and their applications in our industry. 

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