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Article: LIDAR-mapping the Panama Canal: the Panama Canal Authority is using innovative light detection and ranging techniques and data for cadastral surveying and watershed protection.(LIDAR)
- Article from:
- Geospatial Solutions
- Article date:
- November 1, 2004
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2004 Advanstar Communications, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Since its inception about a decade ago, LIDAR (light detection and ranging)--a process of integrating laser scanning with airborne GPS and inertial measurement to accurately measure ground terrain from a remote airborne location--has been used primarily to gather points for generating digital terrain models (DTMs). Now, an enterprising effort by the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) has demonstrated that it is also possible, and perhaps more advantageous, to generate digital orthophotos directly from LIDAR-intensity returns.
In undertaking what is likely the largest project of its kind outside of the United States, ACP chose LIDAR technology to generate 8-bit digital ...