The Rise of the Drone

mazgeo SENTINEL 1

SAR RISE OF THE

DRONE GIS&BIM INTEGRATION

FROM THE EDITOR W

elcome to the second edition of mazgeo magazine. In this edition, we will explore the emergence of drone technology and its impact on the mapping industry across the African continent.

Initially deployed for the defense and combat purposes, drones have in the recent past emerged as innovative tools in many civil uses. By the most basic definition, drones are flying robots fitted with intelligent software program. Across the continent, drones are being deployed for environmental monitoring, agriculture uses to wildlife conservation. ‘The Rise of the Drone’, is a story that examines the adoption, deployment and upscaling of drone technology and its socioeconomic impact in the continent.

Sentinel 1 fleet of EU dedicated satellite designed to deliver wealth of imagery and data, is our second article. Based on Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), a technique of producing the resolution images from limited radar system. This article takes an in-depth look at the science behind this technology and impact it will have in remote sensing.

The design of city model and built up environment has led to the integration of the two fields: GIS and BIM. GIS domain describes location information about environment, while BIM focusses on information on design and construction of building sites. The data overlaps has found application n heritage environment in heritage management and urban environment analysis and 3D data. This article examines the role ESRI and AUTODESK are playing in achieve better integration between BIM and GIS. Geospatial element in the design of built environment is having an impact in the deployment of safer and smarter process and modelling.

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EDITORIAL Editorial Director Samuel Mwanza sammwanza@gmail.com | Senior Editor Tracy Cozzens Staff Editor Diane Sofranec Digital Media Manager Allison Barwacz Art Director Charles Park BUSINESS Publisher Marty Whitford Associate Publisher Mike Joyce Account Manager Ryan Gerard Director of Audience Engagement Bethany Chambers Director of Marketing & Events Michelle Mitchell Event Manager Allison Blong Marketing & Sales Manager, Buyers Guide Emily Adkins

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VANTAGE POINT

THE RISE OF DRONES

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FEATURE

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CONTENTS

SENTINEL 1

INTERFACE

GIS AND BIM INTERGRATION

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TOOLBOX

REVIEW FARRO LASER SCANNER AND SP80 RTK GNSS RECEIVER

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TABLE OF

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VANTAGE POINT

THE RISE OF THE

DRONE D

escribed by popular culture as Unmannered Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) or Unmanned Aerial System (UAS), drones have found numerous commercial and civil application. Initially, deployed by the military for defense and combat purposes, drones have in the recent past emerged as innovative tools in many civil uses. Its application range from land mapping and surveying, land use planning, surveillance, cargo delivery to crop damage assessment.

As a disruptive geospatial technology, drones are very versatile, can be used to capture very high resolution imagery under any weather condition and irrespective of time of day. Their capabilities to generate remote sensing data in near real-time rather than resulting lag in data acquisition from satellite or aircraft based imagery, has made drones the most effective spatial data capture techniques.

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In its most basic definition, a drone is a flying robot, by either remote device or is entirely autonomously driven. Fitted with intelligent software program, numerous onboard working sensors like GPS, has made these devices ubiquitous and geolocation compliant.

Over the year many manufacturers have emerged with the most popular being DJI innovation, Parrot, eBee, 3D robotics and Antel robotics. DJI, is the most successful manufacturer with valuation of more than one billion dollars.

Across, the African continent, numerous application of drone technology abode. Drones have been deployed for environmental monitoring in Casablanca, Morocco. The georeferenced images acquired enable creation of Digital Terrain Model (DTM) and ortho-images mosaic with very high resolution. These data products are used to quantify gully and bad erosion in 2D and 3D views for analysis and land related development activities. The overall impact has been reduction of data gap between field scale and satellite scale in soil erosion monitoring.

‘As a disruptive geospatial technology, drones are very versatile, can be used to capture very high resolution imagery under any weather condition and irrespective of time of day. ‘

In Sudan, UAVs are being used to reduce desertification. Massive semi deserts in the country have been slowly turning to desert due to climate change and human activities. Drones developed by two Sudanese inventors Mohammed Alhatum Ahmed Ibrahim and Hatam Mubarak Hassan are being employed in the dispersion of seeds and monitor plant health of planted tree seedlings. This innovative approach dubbed flying robot farmer, has enabled planting trees in areas ridden with warfare and conflicts.

Facility management is the other application of drone technology that is slowing gaining popularity. Port facility operators in Casablanca, Morocco are deploying drones to survey the port and monitor going constructions. Real time images of construction projects offer a quick and easy way of communicating progress to clients and stakeholders, and ensuring contractor s meet their project deadline.

Facility management is the other application of drone technology that is slowing gaining popularity. Port facility operators in Casablanca, Morocco are deploying drones to survey the port and monitor going constructions. Real time images of construction projects offer a quick and easy way of communicating progress to clients and stakeholders, and ensuring contractor s meet their project deadline.

Kenya has also deployed drone all over its 52 national park and reserves to help n stopping poaching of elephants and rhinos. Successfully deployed in the initial basis, poaching has been reduced up to 96%.Paul Udoto, spokesman for the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), say use of drone has shown that we can prevent poaching arrest many poachers on the tracks.

Despite all these perceived benefits, challenges still remain in the deployment of this technology in the continent. Broadly, classified into four broad categories, challenges facing adoption of drone are enumerated as technical, economic, social, and government regulation.

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Despite all these perceived benefits, challenges still remain in the deployment of this technology in the continent. Broadly, classified into four broad categories, challenges facing adoption of drone are enumerated as technical, economic, social, and government regulation.

The cost of operating a drone is the first economic challenge limiting the adoption of this technology in Africa. DJ drone for example costs up to $1000 and has limited battery capabilities and flight time restricted to several hours. There is need therefore to develop cheaper drones with longer battery flight time targeting users in the continent.

The continent, also lacks skilled workforce required by the industry whose competence range from planning flight itinerary, plotting UAVs, operating GIS and data analysis software. The recently launched African Drone and Data Academy, a UNICEF sponsored academy by Virginia technology in partnership with Malawi University of Science and Technology (MUST) intends to provide technology education for post undergraduate African students in the physics of drone flight, communication, mechatronics, data analysis and entrepreneurship. This academic will help in bridging the skill gap in the market.

UAV regulation are still in it’s infancy in Africa. The making and the presence of too restrictive or even disabling regulation governing the import and use of UAVs has hindered the development of many promising industry. The Civil Aviation (Unmanned Aircraft System) regulation, 2019 act, passed by the Kenya government lifting restrictions on importation of drone and deployment of drone. Experts say that this single legislation will result in the increasing the use of drone, since one does not need to obtain a license from KCAA or Department of Defense in order to own a drone. However, flight is prohibited with 7KM of airport.

Drone technology without a doubt is a potential game changer for the African continent. Adoption, deployment and Upscaling of UAS will have significant Social and economic impact. Thus there is need for collaboration, capacity building supporting infrastructure, research and development.

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The Copernicus sentinels are a fleet of dedicated EU owned satellite designed to deliver the wealth of data and imagery that are central to the European Union Copernicus Environmental Program. European Space Agency, ESA, is in charge of the space component, responsible for delivering family of Copernicus satellite on behalf of European Union and ensuring the flow of data for the Copernicus service while operations of Copernicus sentinels have been entrusted to ESA and EUMETSAT. Sentinel 1 satellite with currently two satellite in orbit were launched in April 2014 and April 2016 respectively. While Copernicus Sentinel 2 is a wide swath high resolution, multispectral imaging mission designed to give a high revisits frequency of 5 days it carries an optical payload that samples 13 spectral bands, which enables it to cover application such as agriculture, forestry and ecosystems monitoring, disaster management, humanitarian relief operations and risk mapping.

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Sentinel 1 is based on Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and this a technique of producing fine resolution images from a resolution limited radar system.

The basic principles of imaging radar is to emit an electromagnetic signal (which travels at the speed of light) towards a surface and record the amount of signal that bounces /echoes back or backscatter. The resulting radar imagery is built up from the strength and time delays of returned signal which depends primarily on the roughness and electrical conducting properties of the observed surface and its distance from the orbiting radar.

The wavelength that remote sensing radar use to observe Earth’s surface and microwave typically in the range of a few to tens of centimeter. Because radar signal loses energy as it travels- by the time it hits the surface the beam has spread dramatically.

SAR technique takes of advantages of mobility of the radar system is orbit to send continuous transmitting pulses and at the same time receive these reflected pulses and separation by time

The radar images bounces of every part on the ground on the path of its ‘swath’ many times and since distance from a specific points to radar constantly and predictable changes as radar passes overhead, and since the changed the history (phase history) being compensated through computer processing, a synthetic aperture is created. The resulting resolution is 5m SAR process improves the resolution in the long track or azimuth direction.

Interpretation of SAR images is not straight forward.

General rule thumb are: regions of calm water and other smooth surface appear black, because the radar pulse reflects away from spacecraft, rougher surface appear brighter as they reflect the radar in all direction and more of the energy scattered to the antenna, slope leads to geometric distortion due to layover the pulses.

Two more satellite are under development and will deployed soon. Although the data of deployment s yet to be outlined the four acquisition mode for sentinel 1 strip (5M mode feature 5*5m (16*16ft) spectral 80 km, interferometric wide swath 5*20m 250km wide swath, extra wide swath (EW) mode 25 by 100m resolution and 400km south, wave (WV) mode -5*20m orbital interval of 100km.

Recently Sentinel 1 has been used together with Soil Moisture Active Precipitation (SMAP) to achieve accurate soil moisture. Research carried out by Ridhwannah Gangst of University of Witwatersrand paper on estimating soil moisture using sentinel 1 and Sentinel 2 sensor for dryland and palustrine wetland areas, showed that these sensor can be used to predict Soil Moisture content with a high accuracy. By incorporating, artificial intelligence technique they estimated a high correlation to measurement taken by sampled field handheld soul moisture meter.

Sentinel technology is not affected by cloud cover.

African countries experience frequent cloud cover and thus satellite imagery is not very effective. Radar technology therefore offers opportunity to overcome this challenge.This freely available at can be used to inventory wetlands and monitoring ecological condition. In Africa, Digital Earth Africa has engaged Synergize to process the sentinel-1 radar data from 2017 which is captured every 12 days, totaling approximately 50,000 scenes every year. This mission comprises a constellation of two polar orbiting satellite, operating day & night performing C-band Synthetic Aperture Radar Imaging, enabling them to acquire imagery regardless of the weather, and in day or night time conditions, makes it ideal for ship monitoring.

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GIS and BIM INTEGRATION

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lassical definition of Geographic Information System (GIS) domain describes location information about environment, while Building Information Modelling (BIM), and focusses on information on design and construction of building sites. In the design of 3D city models and built up environment has led to integration these two field. This overlap of data concerning information on infrastructure, buildings and works has found application like 3D cadaster, heritage management and urban environmental analysis.

Smart communities are communities where most citizens using a strategy that includes consuming, analyzing and using information about natural and built environment in the decision making process.

These communities foster a data rich environment, make it accessible to citizens, business and government groups. Change detection is an active ingredient and they work actively to detect change in noise levels, transportation needs and utility usage.

Architectural, Engineering and Construction (AEC), focus more on ability to stay within project budgetary and schedule requirement. The degree of control, they exercise over the project determines their ability to continue functioning. Models, schedules and detailed asset information created during of BIM process enable better control.

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‘ESRI and AUTODESK have built new workflow to achieve better integration between BIM and GIS address. They have innovative modules transforming the project life cycle, providing continuous context of the site and environment around BIM projects, detecting site change.Most experts are gurus in their fields.’

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ccording to Chris Andrew ESRI product manager, 3D GIS information used as context for the designed assets environment offers the opportunity for BIM practitioner to achieve better outcomes during design and construction.

With their partners, ESRI has developed more representative model of the flow of information throughout communities. This model illustrates a continuous model of information throughout life cycles of the asset , showing that capital improvement project initiated with the help of GIS to inform design conclude BIM information flowing back into operational life cycles to inform analysis and planning.

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On the design side, architects and engineer shave difficulty accessing up to date GIS information, because outdated file workflows are as modules of exchange. This leads to duplication of efforts and conflicting data. Operational wise, GIS practitioners have to contend with loss of data that occurs when converting BIM information to GIS data layer.

Differences in spatial scales and graphical richness required in BIM environment mean that GIS staff are often asked to perform heroic feats of integration.

They must attempt to merge dense BIM models with GIS data into single visualization.

ESRI and AUTODESK have built new workflow to achieve better integration between BIM and GIS address. They have innovative modules transforming the project life cycle, providing continuous context of the site and environment around BIM projects, detecting site change.Most experts are gurus in their fields. Thus there is need for closer collaboration between BIM and GIS experts. Merging GIS and BIM introduces a geospatial element into structure design, leads to safer and smarter building roads and transportation.

Data is an unfortunate fact of the AEC (Architecture, Engineering and construction industry between every stage of the process from planning design to construction and operations.

3D modelling, which has extensively applied in the gaming industry, is slowly being used in GIS industry. The merging between GIS and BIM ultimately leads to holistic environment.

GIS information is critical in planning and operation of roads, bridges, airports, rail networks and other infrastructure, BIM information is key to design and construction of these structure. Through BIM you may design physical structure at an object level e.g. pavement. By adding GIS the object can be visualized with respect to larger, smarter landscape.

Building is contended to parcel of land, utilities and roads.

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TOOLBOX FARRO LASER SCANNER

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D scanning is relatively new to the world, but a variety of innovative products have been released to the market so that people can use to scan a 3D object with minimum hassle.New FARO Laser Scanner Focus3D X 330 can be considered as one of the best 3D scanners that can be purchased for under $10,000.he new scanner has been improved and it can now be used to scan in outdoors regardless of the sun glare.This 3D scanner also has the ability to offer an excellent view field. In other words, it has a 360 degrees vertical view field and a 300 degree horizontal view field.this 3D scanner has distance accuracy up to 2mm. The minimum focus range of it measures 0.6 meters whereas the maximum focus range is about 330 meters. Therefore, it can be considered as one of the most versatile 3D scanners available out there in the market to purchase.

SP 80 GNSS RECEIVER The SP80 is a new generation GNSS receiver. SP80

uses the unique Z-Blade technology to track and process all available GNSS signals, to provide the most reliable measurements and the highest possible accuracies in challenging environments. The SP80 GNSS receiver is a powerful, rugged and easy-to-use system designed for everyday surveyors.

The SP80’s Z-Blade GNSS-centric technology delivers fast and reliable GNSS positioning utilizing all available GNSS signals to produce the optimal solution even in challenging environments. GPS-only, GLONASS-only or BeiDou-only positioning modes are available when necessary.nique communication technologies keep the surveyor connected. Web UI access via WiFi and SMSs can be used to monitor and configure the receiver. RTK bridge can save you money as network corrections can be relayed via radio to any rover in the survey job area.

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