Fugro have announced a new cycle of Airborne Lidar Bathymetry (ALB) system development and have commenced flights trials of the Fugro LADS Mk 3 ALB system. The new system has successfully acquired accurate depth and hyperspectral data over test areas in St Vincent and Spencer Gulfs near Adelaide, South Australia.
The new generation Fugro LADS Mk 3 system has been developed from the operationally proven Fugro LADS Mk II and RAN LADS 2 technologies, and is now smaller, lighter and more efficient to operate. The Fugro LADS Mk 3 is designed for operation in a wide range of aircraft and is suitable for small turbo props or rotary wing aircraft alike. The new system continues to offer a high laser power, large aperture receiver and automatic gain controls, enabling superior system performance to collect bathymetry to IHO Order 1a and 1b survey requirements.
The laser rate of the Fugro LADS Mk 3 system has been increased to 1.5 kHz and its maximum depth performance extended to 80 metres, subject to environmental conditions. The faster laser rate provides wider and more efficient swath widths up to 430 metres. The system also offers a range of complementary products, such as digital imagery and reflectance data that can be used to classify the seabed.
The Fugro LADS Mk 3 system can be used for a wide range of projects, including nautical charting, pre-seismic surveys, coastal engineering projects such as port development, and environmental surveys for habitat mapping and coastal zone management (CZM). The Fugro LADS Mk 3 system can also be fitted with a hyperspectral sensor (HSI) for simultaneous ALB/HSI data acquisition that
enables further habitat mapping and CZM applications to be undertaken.
The system enables shallow water and coastal zones to be surveyed faster and more cost effectively by enabling high quality data to be economically collected across a wide range of environmental conditions. The system architecture has also been designed to facilitate continuous technology development and there are plans in place to further increase laser rates and swath widths.
The Fugro LADS Mk 3 system build was completed in Adelaide at the end of March with ground and airborne trials occurring during April. It is planned that the Fugro LADS Mk 3 system will then be available from May 2011 for shallow water hydrographic surveys that Fugro conduct world wide.
Fugro collects processes and interprets data related to the earths surface and soil composition and provides advice based on the results. Fugro is listed on the Euronext Amsterdam and is included in the AEX-Index. Fugro has approximately 13,500 employees in more than fifty countries.
For information contact:
Managing Director Fugro LADS Corporation
Email: m.sinclair@furgrolads.com
Phone: +61 8 8161 4100