Prior to Ground Classification
Photo by The Thrasher Group .
Sorting Drone Data
Ground classification is an important part of the data parsing process for drones that use light detection and ranging ( LiDAR ) sensors . When the LiDAR data is collected by the drone , it picks up everything that it flies over . Engineers , however , usually only need the data points for the ground . That ’ s where ground classification comes in — a geospatial technician will review all the LiDAR information from the flight and use visual and statistical information to classify
the points into different categories , including bare earth , buildings , vegetation and water . This is an especially important technology for projects in West Virginia because of the high amount of tree and vegetation coverage . Companies like The Thrasher Group can filter through the dense point cloud of information the LiDAR sensors collect and remove the excess data — like trees and buildings — to provide the exact information the engineer will need for their design .
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WEST VIRGINIA EXECUTIVE