Swiss Alps to be laser scanned by drones; Swiss-Austrian consortium companions for flight checks – sUAS Information – The Enterprise of Drones

A Swiss-Austrian consortium will check large-area laser scanning purposes within the Swiss Alps, utilizing revolutionary drones. The companions are Dufour Aerospace, RIEGL, BSF Swissphoto and the SLF, who will collaborate for a collection of check flights over a number of months.

There’s rising curiosity amongst numerous non-public and public stakeholders in high-resolution, up-to-date and cost-effective knowledge, notably within the space of alpine environmental hazards or power manufacturing. Right this moment, aeroplanes and helicopters are used for large-scale, high-resolution laser scanning. This check collection will reveal the effectivity of drone utility with a view to a decrease environmental affect and vital price reductions.

Dufour Aerospace will assist the venture with its 3-metre-wingspan AeroMini and 6-metre-wingspan Aero2 UAS platforms. RIEGL will present the laser scanners and assist with the combination. BSF Swissphoto will contribute to knowledge validation and assess the industrial relevance of the expertise and the processes. The WSL-Institute for Snow and Avalanche Analysis SLF will make sure that the information high quality meets high quality necessities, and serves utilized science use instances and helps the sector check with skilled personnel.

Dufour Aerospace Co-founder and CEO Thomas Pfammatter mentioned: “This can be a implausible alternative to reveal the capabilities of our AeroMini and Aero2 vertical take-off-and-landing uncrewed aerial techniques in related purposes. We’ll have a shared, clear intention of accelerating effectivity in knowledge technology medium and long-term, supported by famend, skilled companions. We are able to’t wait to start out.”

RiCOPTER UAV GmbH (a RIEGL firm) Managing Director Michael Mayer mentioned: “Whereas we have already got a variety of expertise with utilizing our high-end sensors with UAS, that is these days largely restricted to smaller areas utilizing multicopter varieties, single-rotor drones or VTOLs of smaller scale. This venture will assist us to know the potential of drones in bigger scale, masking massive utility areas with the intention to exploit the efficiency of our high-end units much more. As a quality-conscious high-end producer of laser scanners, we’re predestined to contribute our experience.”

BSF Swissphoto CEO Jörg Wertli mentioned: “For a while, drones have been round for aerial geo knowledge acquisition, however solely usable for small areas. Dufour Aerospace develops a platform appropriate for initiatives that may solely be realised with crewed planes immediately. The deliberate check collection lays the idea for autonomous, massive space aerial geo knowledge acquisition. We’re excited to be a part of it.”

WSL-Institute for Snow and Avalanche Analysis SLF, Dr. Yves Bühler mentioned: “As a number one nationwide analysis institute, we depend on up-to-date, cost-effective and high-quality knowledge for our personal analyses in addition to for companies. We’re happy to signify the utilized science aspect of this check setup and to contribute our expertise in excessive alpine terrain. We’re satisfied that a lot progress remains to be doable, particularly within the area of snow- and mountain hazard analysis.“

The check collection is predicted to start this spring in Dübendorf, Switzerland, with primary practical checks and can then be prolonged to the Alpine area in the middle of 2024 and 2025, relying on the outcomes from every particular person check collection. This venture can be supported by the Fondation The Ark and armasuisse.

About Dufour Aerospace:
Dufour Aerospace develops environment friendly and sustainable plane for cargo transportation, logistics and public security. It makes use of distributed electrical propulsion and a hybrid module to have the ability to meet immediately’s Superior Air Mobility and medium-sized drone market necessities. The corporate was integrated in 2017 and has its headquarters in Visp, Switzerland, with a design workplace and flight testing amenities in Dübendorf, Switzerland. At present, Dufour Aerospace employs 47 workers.  

‍About RIEGL:
With greater than 40 years of expertise within the analysis, growth and manufacturing of laser rangefinders, distance meters, and LiDAR sensors and techniques, RIEGL is continually innovating within the area of 3D measurement expertise.

We mix our highly effective laser scanners and laser scanning techniques for terrestrial, industrial, cellular, airborne, bathymetric and UAV-based laser scanning with specifically developed RIEGL software program packages for knowledge acquisition and processing to create techniques optimized for probably the most difficult surveying duties.

Primarily based on RIEGL’s Final LiDAR expertise, RIEGL UAV LiDAR sensors and techniques provide a variety of capabilities to satisfy the necessities of the varied duties of UAV-based knowledge acquisition in surveying. The big selection of units distributed by RiCOPTER UAV GmbH, a RIEGL Group firm, permits customers to search out precisely the appropriate sensor for his or her particular surveying job.

RIEGL has at all times been dedicated to delivering the very best efficiency, high quality, reliability, and longevity of all its services and products, and strict adherence to relevant worldwide requirements is a precedence.
www.riegl.com‍

‍About BSF Swissphoto:

BSF Swissphoto is a Swiss-German service supplier for airborne surveying. We purchase geo knowledge utilizing fashionable, sustainable plane and newest expertise sensors, each massive format cameras and laser scanners. With a various group unfold throughout the three places in Berlin, Zagreb and Zurich, we ship numerous merchandise primarily based on the acquired knowledge, starting from conventional Orthophotos, excessive precision elevation fashions to finish 3D metropolis visualisation. Along with our core enterprise of airborne surveying, we seek the advice of governments within the area of land administration.
www.bsf-swissphoto.com‍

‍About WSL-Institute for Snow and Avalanche Analysis SLF:

The SLF is well-known worldwide as a number one analysis institute in its area. Together with primary analysis, the SLF performs utilized analysis and gives numerous companies, such because the Avalanche Bulletin. The SLF carries out superior analysis whereas on the similar time contributing to the decision of pressing social points, reminiscent of warning of pure hazards or analysing climatic and environmental modifications in mountain areas. 

Analysis for individuals and the atmosphere:

• The SLF displays and researches the situation, origin and evolution of pure hazards, snow, permafrost and mountain ecological techniques.
• The SLF develops ideas, methods and particular measures to guard populations towards pure hazards, specifically avalanches.
• The SLF develops sustainable options for socially related points, in collaboration with companions within the scientific and social sectors.

The SLF is a part of the Swiss Federal Analysis Institute WSL, making it a part of the ETH area.
www.slf.ch