A 1.187Mb PDF of this article as it appeared in the magazine complete with images is available by clicking HERE
During the week of May 4 through 8, 2015, RIEGL held its most ambitious event ever with its "One- Conference-in-TwoExciting Locations" RIEGL LiDAR 2015, in both Hong Kong and Guangzhou, China. With a record number of 550 total participants from 40 countries attending the conferences, RIEGL honored China as one of its fastest growing markets and took an innovative approach to make the conferences conveniently accessible to all attendees.
At the conference, RIEGL debuted multiple instruments and software packages. These product announcements demonstrate RIEGL’s push for innovation.
One of the biggest announcements of the conference was the launching of the VUX series of LiDAR sensors for Kinematic Laser Scanning. In his welcome keynote, Dr. Riegl proudly unveiled the new products and also gave background on the company’s strategy and vision.
The new VUX-1HA, VUX-1UAV, and VUX-1LR are each optimally adapted for mobile, UAV-based or airborne mapping. The expansion of the VUX series into multiple areas of scanning offers a compact and lightweight scanning solution to help meet the demanding challenges experienced by users. Many of these companies who work with the VUX-1UAVsuch as Flying-Cam, Aeroscout, and Geo-Infowere present at the show and reported on their integrations and experiences with the innovative system. RIEGL has a broad and comprehensive portfolio offering advanced LiDAR solutions in not only airborne, mobile, and terrestrial applications, but also UAS-based surveying.
RIEGL also displayed the brand new VP-1, an ultra-compact helipod for airborne laser scanning missions. This helipod represents a user-friendly turnkey solution composed of a VUX-1LR sensor, camera solution and INS/GNSS fully integrated into the unit. A project video can be found on RIEGL’s YouTube Channel showing data integration and acquisition using the VP-1, as well as data fusion with terrestrial laser scanning.
For mobile and potential users, the debut of the VMQ-450 Mobile Laser Scanning System, featuring a single scanner head, represents a new costeffective mobile mapping solution that completes RIEGL’s broad range of LiDAR engines and systems for mobile mapping operations.
The Opening Ceremony in Hong Kong was conducted by Johannes Riegl Jr., CMO, and the Austrian Trade commissioner for Hong Kong, Christian Schierer, and was complemented by two featured keynote presentations. The first was delivered by Lawrie Jordan, Director of Imagery at Esri, who was the exclusive main sponsor of RIEGL LiDAR 2015. Mr. Jordan gave a fascinating overview and outlook on how LiDAR is able to support ESRI’s efforts to generate the map of the future. The final keynote was a technical presentation on RIEGL’s core technologies for LiDAR data acquisition delivered by Dr. Andreas Ullrich, RIEGL’s CTO.
Presentations were given by both RIEGL staff and RIEGL users from all over the world. RIEGL staff delivered key updates on all business segments, best practices for hardware and software, unique and interesting uses of RIEGL instruments, and how-to sessions for attendees.
User Presentation Tracks included UAV-based scanning, mining, bathymetry, mobile, archeology, multispectral, forestry assessment and many more.
Presentations offered by RIEGL users displayed the fascinating, one-of-a-kind projects they have undertaken. The different projects represent the diversity of companies that work with RIEGL and the projects that these companies are constantly working on worldwide. With more than 100 speakers presenting during the conference in several tracks it was definitely tough to pick which session to attend.
Highlights included: Jeff Deems from the National Snow and Ice Data Center on mapping avalanche starting zone snow depth using the RIEGL VZ-4000 and VZ-6000 long-range terrestrial laser scanners to improve avalanche control and forecasting; Russ Faux from Quantum Spatial highlighting the RIEGL VQ-820-G topo-bathymetric laser scanner for mapping nearshore coastal environments following hurricanes; Steve Snow from Esri on 3D GIS LiDAR applications and workflows, highlighting how RIEGL data integrated with Esri’s software to help during the Oso landslide. In the archeology track, Aneesh Seth from Plant Engineering & Geomatic Services spoke about a recent project at the world famous Taj Mahal to scan the outer areas of the monument using RIEGL’s long range VZ-4000.
There were many other presentations on topics such as bathymetric projects (Frank Steinbacher from AirborneHydroMapping), multispectral LiDAR (Antoine Cottin from CarboMap), the status of LIDAR in China (Dr. Yanjing Liu from Five Star Electronic Technology), and the use of the RIEGL VUX-1 for UAS (Masashi Tsuzuku from Nakanihon). For more information about all of the speakers at RIEGL LiDAR 2015 and their respective presentations please log in to the Members Area on the RIEGL website.
In addition to the presentations offered to users and potential users, over 30 sponsors were on hand to demonstrate how attendees could work with them and their RIEGL instruments and data. Sponsors included platinum sponsor Esri and gold sponsors Applanix, Flying-Cam, and Trimble. Attendees were able to browse through the interesting exhibitions and sponsors, which made the RIEGL LIDAR 2015 conferences even more useful for attendees.
One of the most talked about booths at the event was Euclideon, who showcased their unique Hologram Room to attendees for the first time ever at a LiDAR manufacturers event. In addition, ArcTron 3D was on hand in the 3D exhibitors’ area, showing off spectacular data of one of the best mapped castles in the world, Castle Vianden in Luxembourg, which now has additional data scans collected by the RIEGL RiCOPTER.
Another sponsor presenting an intriguing solution was SKUR with their SKURBOT, a robot that utilizes the terrestrial scanning technology of the RIEGL VZ-line to collect data to model changes in large scale environments. The use of the VZ-line terrestrial scanners with SKURBOT supports SKUR and their customers to deliver the right information at the right time.
In addition to an impressive line-up of sponsors and presenters and invaluable networking opportunities, RIEGL also held fun social events in great locations, the highlight being the nine-course dinner on the unique Jumbo Boat in Victoria Harbour.
There was also a Thursday workshop in Hong Kong that provided users with access to key information in all RIEGL business segments, including a highly popular session on the RIEGL RiCOPTER. These workshops gave users the opportunity for one-on-one question and answer sessions with RIEGL product managers and hands-on experience with RIEGL hardware and software.
RIEGL LiDAR 2015the OneConference-in-Two-Exciting-Locationswas truly an unforgettable experience. Stay tuned for news and announcements on the next RIEGL LiDAR conference!
A 1.187Mb PDF of this article as it appeared in the magazine complete with images is available by clicking HERE