New technology has always been at the forefront of the spatial industry. The SKM survey teams have recently been using the latest developments in 3D laser scanning technology to great effect on joint projects with the Building and Structures Group in NSW and the Defence group form the SHIN Op Centre in Victoria.

A Cyrax 3D laser scanner was used to sweep a laser beam systematically over the structures that required survey. The Scanner uses a "time of flight" method to measure the time it takes for each laser pulse to hit the object and return to the scanner, whilst two rotating mirrors within the scanner record the horizontal and vertical angles. This happens many thousand times per minute.

The result is a 3D point cloud that represents an accurate virtual clone of the surveyed scene, that can be viewed from any perspective even during scanning with each point having a typical accuracy of a few millimetres. Detailed and complicated structures can now be captured quickly and accurately giving other professionals a digital data set that represents the best starting point for many ongoing design activities.

Wide Bay Power Station

HMAS Tobruk