Combining mobile mapping and aerial drone mapping to support a greener future

Peter Haddock talked to Getmapping specialist Helen Wattie in our Leica Geosystems studio at Highways UK to find our more.

Whether mapping street furniture to 10mm accuracy or capturing 25 UK cities from the air at 5cm accuracy, the combined capability of 3D mapping and GPR is transforming how we look at our environment.

And next year, with over 100 more cities in the UK set to be captured from the air at engineering grade accuracy, the possibilities are endless, as Helen explains:

"By combining aerial with ground level data using clever software, we can identify a whole range of different street furniture like bins, curb heights, and overhead powerlines in a matter of minutes. So, planning for an autonomous future will become much more accurate with real-world maps. And, of course, when you are looking at how and where to locate EV charging points, solar roof arrays or manage green spaces, all the information can be made available for pre-planning. 

"This means designers can work with engineers and surveyors to not only identify opportunities but also to ensure designs for machines using 3D machine control are accurate.

"And, of course, all of this data can be captured safely and extracted simply, removing the need to put surveyors in dangerous situations."