A Swiss-Austrian consortium will check large-area laser scanning purposes within the Swiss Alps, utilizing progressive drones. The companions are Dufour Aerospace, RIEGL, BSF Swissphoto and the SLF, who will collaborate for a sequence of check flights over a number of months.

There’s rising curiosity amongst numerous personal and public stakeholders in high-resolution, up-to-date and cost-effective knowledge, notably within the space of alpine environmental hazards or vitality manufacturing. In the present day, aeroplanes and helicopters are used for large-scale, high-resolution laser scanning. This check sequence will reveal the effectivity of drone utility with a view to a decrease environmental impression and important value reductions.

Dufour Aerospace will assist the mission with its 3-metre-wingspan AeroMini and 6-metre-wingspan Aero2 UAS platforms. RIEGL will present the laser scanners and assist with the mixing. BSF Swissphoto will contribute to knowledge validation and assess the industrial relevance of the know-how and the processes. The WSL-Institute for Snow and Avalanche Analysis SLF will be sure that the information high quality meets high quality necessities, and serves utilized science use instances and helps the sector check with skilled personnel.

Dufour Aerospace Co-founder and CEO Thomas Pfammatter stated: “This can be a improbable alternative to reveal the capabilities of our AeroMini and Aero2 vertical take-off-and-landing uncrewed aerial techniques in related purposes. We’ll have a shared, clear intention of accelerating effectivity in knowledge technology medium and long-term, supported by famend, skilled companions. We will’t wait to begin.”

RiCOPTER UAV GmbH (a RIEGL firm) Managing Director Michael Mayer stated: “Whereas we have already got a whole lot of expertise with utilizing our high-end sensors with UAS, that is these days principally restricted to smaller areas utilizing multicopter varieties, single-rotor drones or VTOLs of smaller scale. This mission will assist us to grasp the potential of drones in bigger scale, overlaying giant utility areas to be able to exploit the efficiency of our high-end units much more. As a quality-conscious high-end producer of laser scanners, we’re predestined to contribute our experience.”

BSF Swissphoto CEO Jörg Wertli stated: “For a while, drones have been round for aerial geo knowledge acquisition, however solely usable for small areas. Dufour Aerospace develops a platform appropriate for tasks that may solely be realised with crewed planes at the moment. The deliberate check sequence lays the idea for autonomous, giant space aerial geo knowledge acquisition. We’re excited to be a part of it.”

WSL-Institute for Snow and Avalanche Analysis SLF, Dr. Yves Bühler stated: “As a number one nationwide analysis institute, we depend on up-to-date, cost-effective and high-quality knowledge for our personal analyses in addition to for providers. We’re happy to symbolize the utilized science facet of this check setup and to contribute our expertise in excessive alpine terrain. We’re satisfied that a lot progress continues to be potential, particularly within the discipline of snow- and mountain hazard analysis.“

The check sequence is predicted to start this spring in Dübendorf, Switzerland, with fundamental purposeful assessments and can then be prolonged to the Alpine area in the middle of 2024 and 2025, relying on the outcomes from every particular person check sequence. This mission can be supported by the Fondation The Ark and armasuisse.

About Dufour Aerospace:
Dufour Aerospace develops environment friendly and sustainable plane for cargo transportation, logistics and public security. It makes use of distributed electrical propulsion and a hybrid module to have the ability to meet at the moment’s Superior Air Mobility and medium-sized drone market necessities. The corporate was integrated in 2017 and has its headquarters in Visp, Switzerland, with a design workplace and flight testing amenities in Dübendorf, Switzerland. At the moment, Dufour Aerospace employs 47 staff.  

‍About RIEGL:
With greater than 40 years of expertise within the analysis, improvement and manufacturing of laser rangefinders, distance meters, and LiDAR sensors and techniques, RIEGL is consistently innovating within the discipline of 3D measurement know-how.

We mix our highly effective laser scanners and laser scanning techniques for terrestrial, industrial, cellular, airborne, bathymetric and UAV-based laser scanning with specifically developed RIEGL software program packages for knowledge acquisition and processing to create techniques optimized for essentially the most difficult surveying duties.

Primarily based on RIEGL’s Final LiDAR know-how, RIEGL UAV LiDAR sensors and techniques provide a variety of capabilities to fulfill the necessities of the varied duties of UAV-based knowledge acquisition in surveying. The wide selection of units distributed by RiCOPTER UAV GmbH, a RIEGL Group firm, permits customers to search out precisely the proper sensor for his or her particular surveying process.

RIEGL has at all times been dedicated to delivering the best efficiency, high quality, reliability, and longevity of all its services, and strict adherence to relevant worldwide requirements is a precedence.
www.riegl.com‍

‍About BSF Swissphoto:

BSF Swissphoto is a Swiss-German service supplier for airborne surveying. We purchase geo knowledge utilizing trendy, sustainable plane and newest know-how sensors, each giant format cameras and laser scanners. With a various group unfold throughout the three areas in Berlin, Zagreb and Zurich, we ship numerous merchandise based mostly on the acquired knowledge, starting from conventional Orthophotos, excessive precision elevation fashions to finish 3D metropolis visualisation. Along with our core enterprise of airborne surveying, we seek the advice of governments within the discipline of land administration.
www.bsf-swissphoto.com‍

‍About WSL-Institute for Snow and Avalanche Analysis SLF:

The SLF is well-known worldwide as a number one analysis institute in its discipline. Together with fundamental analysis, the SLF performs utilized analysis and supplies numerous providers, such because the Avalanche Bulletin. The SLF carries out superior analysis whereas on the similar time contributing to the decision of pressing social points, comparable to warning of pure hazards or analysing climatic and environmental adjustments in mountain areas. 

Analysis for folks and the surroundings:

• The SLF screens and researches the situation, origin and evolution of pure hazards, snow, permafrost and mountain ecological techniques.
• The SLF develops ideas, methods and particular measures to guard populations in opposition to pure hazards, particularly avalanches.
• The SLF develops sustainable options for socially related points, in collaboration with companions within the scientific and social sectors.

The SLF is a part of the Swiss Federal Analysis Institute WSL, making it a part of the ETH area.
www.slf.ch