Lidar loading system

A loading system for a material, comprising:

• a grab dredger configured to selectively engage the material, the grab dredger including a boom, a line, and a grab, wherein the boom and the line are configured to move the grab throughout a working space, the working space including an arc within a plane defined by a first dimension and a second dimension of the working space, where a third dimension of the working space lies perpendicular to the plane, the working space including a minimum engagement distance and a maximum engagement distance;
• a Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) module configured to locate a material acquisition point within the working space, to locate a material deposit point within the working space, and to locate at least one obstacle point located in a pathway between the material acquisition point and the material deposit point;
• and
• a controller configured to operate the grab dredger to move the grab within the working space and operate the grab to selectively engage the material.

A method of moving a material, comprising:

• providing a loading system comprising:
• a material engagement means configured to selectively engage the material;
• a translation means configured to move the material engagement means within a working space having three dimensions, the working space including a minimum engagement distance and a maximum engagement distance;
• an optical distance measuring means configured to locate a material acquisition point within the working space and to locate a material deposit point within the working space;
• and
• a control means configured to operate the translation means to move the material engagement means within the working space and operate the material engagement means to selectively engage the material;
• engaging the material with the material engagement means at the material acquisition point;
• using the translation means to move the material engagement means with the engaged material through the pathway to the material deposit;
• and
• disengaging the material with the material engagement means at the material deposit point.