Light detection and ranging (lidar) mapping system
First Claim
1. A computer readable medium whose contents transform a computer system into an aerial survey system, comprising:
- a survey planner subsystem for generating an aerial survey flight plan;
a flight management subsystem for monitoring and controlling a GPS data module, an inertial navigation module, and a LIDAR module;
a coverage evaluation subsystem for monitoring the progress of an aerial survey flight; and
a graphical user interface subsystem viewable on a system display, said graphical user interface subsystem for controlling said survey planner subsystem, said flight management subsystem, and said coverage evaluation subsystem.
2 Assignments
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention is an rapid terrain visualization (RTV) flight management and planning system intended to assist operators of a LIDAR mapping system in planning and conducting aerial surveys. Its primary functions include flight management, survey planning, system control, coverage evaluation, and training. Flight planning capabilities are provided through a survey planner that allows a user to define mission parameters and automatically calculates LIDAR parameters and flight lines. A course deviation indicator (CDI) is provided to the pilot(s) to show both graphically and numerically their perpendicular distance from the current desired flight line. Real-time coverage tracking is provided through a plan progress window that provides a map of the survey area including flight lines. When the aircraft passes through a survey area while the LIDAR is activated, the resulting laser swath traced on the ground is drawn on a plan progress display.
33 Citations
34 Claims
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1. A computer readable medium whose contents transform a computer system into an aerial survey system, comprising:
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a survey planner subsystem for generating an aerial survey flight plan;
a flight management subsystem for monitoring and controlling a GPS data module, an inertial navigation module, and a LIDAR module;
a coverage evaluation subsystem for monitoring the progress of an aerial survey flight; and
a graphical user interface subsystem viewable on a system display, said graphical user interface subsystem for controlling said survey planner subsystem, said flight management subsystem, and said coverage evaluation subsystem. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A computer system for planning and conducting an aerial survey, comprising:
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an aircraft mountable rapid terrain visualization module comprised of inertial navigation measuring equipment for measuring aircraft flight data, GPS data equipment for measuring aircraft position data, and LIDAR equipment for tracing a laser swath over a specified area of terrain in order to obtain geographical information for said specified area;
a computer operably connectable with said aircraft mountable rapid terrain visualization module such that said computer receives data from said rapid terrain visualization module. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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- 29. A computer system for planning an aerial survey that is comprised of a computer running a windows based menu-driven graphical user interface responsive to operator input that is used to generate a flight plan for surveying a designated area, wherein said flight plan is comprised of a survey area, a survey resolution, and a flight profile, said flight profile including a survey flight altitude, a survey flight velocity, an overlap value, and a turn time, said computer system also comprising data storage means for storing said flight plan.
Specification