US 6,711,475 B2 · Light detection and ranging (LIDAR) mapping system

Abstract

The present invention is an rapid terrain visualization (RTV) flight management and planning system intended to assist operators of a LIDAR mapping system in planning and conducting aerial surveys. Its primary functions include flight management, survey planning, system control, coverage evaluation, and training. Flight planning capabilities are provided through a survey planner that allows a user to define mission parameters and automatically calculates LIDAR parameters and flight lines. A course deviation indicator (CDI) is provided to the pilot(s) to show both graphically and numerically their perpendicular distance from the current desired flight line. Real-time coverage tracking is provided through a plan progress window that provides a map of the survey area including flight lines. When the aircraft passes through a survey area while the LIDAR is activated, the resulting laser swath traced on the ground is drawn on a plan progress display.

Claims32

Dependent claims

A computer readable medium whose contents transform a computer system into an aerial survey system, comprising:

a survey planner subsystem for generating an aerial survey flight plan;
a flight management subsystem for monitoring and controlling a GPS data module, an inertial navigation module, and a LIDAR module;
a coverage evaluation subsystem for monitoring the coverage quality of an aerial survey flight;
and
a graphical user interface subsystem viewable on a system display, said graphical user interface subsystem for controlling said survey planner subsystem, said flight management subsystem, and said coverage evaluation subsystem.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Light detection and ranging (LIDAR) mapping system

Life of this patent

Light detection and ranging (LIDAR) mapping system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims32