January 19, 2009 -- Canada’s highways are set to benefit from new 3D laser mapping technology following the announcement that Calgary-based Airborne Imaging has successfully tested a revolutionary Anglo-German vehicle-mounted mobile laser mapper. StreetMapper 360, which is being supplied by UK-based 3D Laser Mapping, has been specifically designed for the rapid 3D mapping of highways, infrastructure and buildings using vehicle mounted lasers. Travelling at normal road speeds, StreetMapper 360 offers a 360-degree field of view with high precision mapping to a range of 300 metres.

Airborne Imaging is a multidisciplinary geospatial data provider and has selected StreetMapper 360 to demonstrate the potential for mobile mapping on Canada’s highways. As part of an evaluation programme to test new technology for the collection of various road geometry information Airborne Imaging completed a rigorous field trial of the StreetMapper 360 system delivering highly accurate 3D models of the highway and related assets to Alberta’s Infrastructure and Transportation (INFTRA) service.

StreetMapper 360 captures every detail along the highway corridor including barriers, gulleys and overhead wires, surveyors can create highly accurate 3D computer models for new scheme planning, maintenance, wide load route assessment and post-incident investigations.

“Using StreetMapper 360 we were able to survey a stretch of Highway 53 to the east of Ponoka in just 15 minutes,” commented Marhlen Caverhill, Manager Business Development, of Airborne Imaging. “The resulting data was independently cross checked against various points along the vehicles trajectory and processed to produce more than 5 million georeferenced points. From this point cloud data we can create a number of different products and databases included Digital Terrain Models (DTMs), Highways Surveys, Road Geometry (Horizontal and Vertical) and Asset Management Locations.”

Alberta has 30,000 kilometres of Provincial Highway System. To support planning, design and programming of work activities on this system, INFTRA has developed the Transportation Infrastructure Management System (TIMS). To provide data for the various TIMS applications, the Integrated Data Collection Program has been developed to capture IRI, Rut, horizontal and vertical geometry, pavement cross-fall, and digital videologs. This is done on annual basis and has been ongoing for 5 years. The recent evaluation of mobile mapping for this programme may pave the way for the collection of additional data and increased survey cycles.

“The advantages of StreetMapper 360 over traditional surveying techniques are clear; speed, accuracy and safety, and we are confident that StreetMapper 360 has a significant role to play mapping the highways of Canada,” concluded Caverhill.

StreetMapper, the result of a joint venture between 3D Laser Mapping, German guidance and navigation specialist IGI mbH and technology company Riegl. The system employs the latest laser scanning technology for improved field performance and accuracy, precision navigation including a solution for reduced GPS coverage in urban areas, combined with a flexible, modular configuration and increased ease of use and deployment.

Airborne Imaging is based in Calgary, Canada, and offers complete airborne LiDAR, and GPS surveys for a number of mapping segments, including engineering, survey, flood, hazard , forestry, mining, transportation and other diverse mapping applications. Airborne is a Division of River Valley Energy Services Ltd. which is part of the Eveready Income Fund Group of companies. Eveready is a publically traded Income Fund listed on the TSX as EIS.UN and has a market capitalization in excess of $283 million dollars.

3D Laser Mapping is a global developer of laser scanning solutions for sectors such as mapping, mining and manufacturing. 3D Laser Mapping specialises in integrating laser scanning hardware with their own software and peripherals to create solutions at the cutting edge of technology. Through a worldwide network of distributors 3D Laser Mapping is able to provide frontline support and service for a growing international client base.

Contact Dr Graham Hunter, 3D Laser Mapping Ltd, Email Contact
tel: +44 (0) 870 442 9400, www.3dlasermapping.com