Autonomous aerial 3D mapping, inspection, and maintenance

Drones with LiDAR

Capturing terrain aerially enables covering large areas quickly and easily, even in complex or difficult to access environments. Drones with LiDAR sensors are being deployed in a multitude of use cases, such as inspection or mapping in various industries.

Thanks to their compact size, low weight, and low power consumption, Blickfeld LiDARs are perfectly suited for use in UAVs. They can detect potential issues, assess equipment conditions, and create 3D models of physical spaces. This data can be leveraged to optimize maintenance schedules, prevent breakdowns, monitor crops and forests, increase efficiency, and enhance planning and safety.

Ultra-compact and lightweight LiDAR for drones

Compact and lightweight

The LiDAR sensor’s compact size enables easy integration into drones without compromising weight and balance while also improving efficiency for data collection.

Low power consumption

The low power consumption of LiDAR technology allows drones to cover more ground before needing to recharge or swap batteries, resulting in longer flight times and making it a more cost-effective solution for data collection applications.

Robust design

Thanks to the solid-state design and IP67 housing, the sensors withstand vibrations and collect accurate, reliable data even in challenging lighting and weather conditions.

High accuracy and resolution

The Blickfeld LiDARs’ wide field of view and long range, allows the drones to collect comprehensive, accurate data of terrain or physical spaces in real-time.

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LiDAR in Drones: Keeping an eye on things

Using drones with LiDAR for surveying terrain aerially has many advantages and therefore offers exciting use cases in numerous industries. Robust and small LiDAR sensors enable 3D mapping with drones with centimeter-level accuracy and thus provide information about the conditions while cutting down costs and man-hours.

Industries

Wind Turbines

The inspection of wind turbines can be very labor-intensive and therefore costly. Drones have allowed significantly reduced efforts for a safe and reliable inspection of the object’s structure and enabled remote maintenance by taking pictures of the turbines, which serve as the basis for a state-of-the-art safety inspection. LiDAR sensors support the autonomous flight and positioning of the drone in front of the turbine and thereby reducing the cost and the risk of inspection.

Cellular

Climbing cellular towers for inspection is a thing of the past! A drone LiDAR system can inspect cellular towers safely and efficiently by detecting and avoiding obstacles, ensuring safe and reliable operations. By combining the data with additional sensing technology, drones can collect the necessary data autonomously, reducing the need for manual inspections and making the process more cost-effective. This allows for more frequent and thorough inspections, ultimately leading to increased safety and better performance of the tower.

Forestry

LiDARs in UAVs collect accurate geospatial data and create detailed 3D terrain maps, providing precise information on topography and vegetation coverage. Besides archeology, aerial mapping is often used in agriculture as it is valuable for crop management, in forestry for monitoring tree health, and in construction and mining for site planning and safety assessments. The use of drones with LiDAR for aerial mapping offers a versatile and efficient solution for a wide range of industries.

Applications

The characteristics of Blickfeld’s LiDAR sensors enable a host of different drone applications.

Inspection and Predictive Maintenance

Physical assets, such as machinery or infrastructure, require regular inspections and maintenance. By using a drone, businesses can detect potential issues and assess the condition of equipment out of flight. The insights gained are used to optimize maintenance schedules, prevent breakdowns, and increase the lifespan of valuable assets, resulting in reduced downtime, increased productivity, and cost savings.

Autonomous Flight

By scanning the environment, an autonomous drone with LiDAR can detect obstacles and potential collisions reliably, allowing them to adjust its flight path to avoid accidents. This information can be used to optimize flight paths, avoid collisions, and increase the efficiency and safety of operations.

3D Mapping

Mapping the terrain by overflying it with a LiDAR-equipped drone enables businesses to create 3D models that provide accurate, very detailed representations of physical spaces. The data obtained can be leveraged to enhance planning and safety by providing a better understanding of physical spaces or monitoring crops, woods, or other vegetation.

Inspection and Predictive Maintenance

Autonomous Flight

3D Mapping

More resources

Delivery Drones with LiDAR – Making Logistics Green and Cost-efficient

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which sensor should I choose for my application?

Choose the Qb2 for a large field of view, high resolution, and advanced data processing capabilities for volume monitoring and security applications. Cube 1 is an excellent alternative when low weight and dimensions are particularly important or when the budget is limited.

Which power supply do I need to operate Blickfeld sensors?

The Cube 1 ships with a matching 12 V DC power supply. Maximum ratings are 10 – 26 V DC. Cube 1 Outdoor and Qb2 devices are powered via Power over Ethernet (PoE). You need a PoE power supplying equipment such as a PoE switch or injector that supports the IEEE 802.3af and/or IEEE 802.3at standard. These are the most common PoE standards.

How do the sensors perform in weather conditions such as snow, rain, smoke and fog?

Precipitation and other atmospheric disturbances such as smoke, dust, or fog can increase the false detection rate of any LiDAR sensor. However, by experience, Blickfeld sensors perform very well in such scenarios, as long-term installations at the Northsea shoreline, inside waste facility bunkers, silos, and similar locations have shown.

More about LiDAR

You would like to learn more about LiDAR technology and its possible applications? Contact us! Together we will find the right sensor solution for your application.

Schedule a meeting right away or give us a call – we are happy to assist you.