reporter48

Geosystems

The Magazine of Leica Geosystems

REPORTER 48

“When the water level in the stream falls you can see thestones better!“ We are currently going through a periodwhen this ancient, fundamental insight can be applied to theassessment of economic situations. At the moment it iseasier for us to see what foundations make up the stream-bed of the international flow of goods, people and informa-tion, and determine the shape of our environment and oursociety. When you also consider the landscape of manythird-world and emerging markets, including those of theformer Eastern Block, you notice the greatest advances inthose countries where privately owned property is docu-mented and legally protected. If, on the other hand, you goto the most attractive and popular metropolises in theworld, the gravitational centers of future urban develop-ment, they are linked with modern concepts of spatiallyreferenced information and geographical informationsystems. Geomatic know-how and surveying services form,in both cases, an important basis for the sustainabledevelopment of national economies, metropolises and ourenvironment.

The precise recording of spatial reality and the continuousupdate of changes to it, including its visualization and administration in manageable models, are the core areas of competence of land surveying and geomatics. Thanks tothe increasing importance of these services, geomaticengineers have become more and more central to modernadministrative activity during the past decade. And thistrend continues unbroken. In numerous national, regional,municipal and local authorities, at universities and in privateplanning offices, interdisciplinary networks are beingformed, grouped as specialist spheres that surround thecore competence of spatial information.

Even the planning, optimization and restructuring of the reality documented in the GIS models make use of thesegeomatic technologies. Infrastructure planners areincreasingly deriving their data seamlessly from suchsystems, up to and including direct spatial control of machinery. Today geomatics is not merely a central founda-tion for the sustainable development of our environment,but it now also represents one of the most dynamic anddiverse fields in the world.

In this issue of the Reporter you will find more reports fromvarious continents. Geomatic engineers appreciate the fact that Leica Geosystems offers the broadest spectrum ofsolutions in this field – and thus use Leica Geosystems’solutions more and more widely. Here too, geomaticengineers are now in a better position to recognize thestones upon which we will be able to confidently stand inthe future.

Hans HessCEO Leica Geosystems

2

One of the most dynamic and diverse fields in the world

I M P R I N TPublished by: Leica Geosystems AG, CH-9435 HeerbruggCEO: Hans Hess

Editorial office: Leica Geosystems AG, CH-9435 Heerbrugg,Switzerland, Fax: +41 71 727 46 89 E-Mail: [email protected]

Editor: Fritz Staudacher (Stfi); Editorial assistant: Teresa Belcher (Bt); Desk-Topand production: Niklaus Frei

Publication details: The Reporter is published in English, German, French,and Japanese two times a year.

Reprints and translations, includingexcerpts, are subject to the Editor’s priorpermission in writing.

The publication is printed on chlorine-freepaper made by environmentallycompatible processes.

© Leica Geosystems AG, Heerbrugg, January 2003, Printed in Switzerland

Editorial deadline for next issue: 30th May, 2003

You can find Leica Geosystems

at numerous exhibitions,

congresses and road show

presentations in your region.

In addition, you can find

information and

documentation on our

national websites or on

www.leica-geosystems.com,

www.cyra.com,

www.disto.com,

www.gis.leica-

geosystems.com,

and www.construction.leica-

geosystems.com.

Please visit us.

Contact

3

Contents

Prague Underground

Tunnels46DISTO

Handlaser

Meters

Speed-up

Construction

9

22The Point-and-

Click Future of

GIS

4Prague underground tunnelscrossing the Vlatava River

6

Leica Geosystems simplifies measuring with the new DISTOgeneration

9

New PowerSearch sensor forLeica TPS1100

Leica DIGI™ – tracking buried objects

10

Earth moving made easy by intelligent dozer

13

Leica Geosystems’ technology for the cadastre in Guatemala

14

Statue of Liberty Cyra scan pro-vides historical documentation

18

Setting new standards in porta-ble coordinate measurement

19

Non-contact measurementsopen new dimensions

20

Technology revolution spans 100 years on Mountain peak

22

The Point-and-Click future ofGIS

28

Leica GPS measures crustalmovements in the Antarctic

29

ENVISAT research project usesLeica GPS for disastermonitoring

30

RUGBY 100LR: combining heritage and expertise

31

Fusing GPS technology withMachine Guidance

TPS400 – A new approach in user friendliness

10

18

30

20

14

Page

New PowerSearch

Sensor for TPS1100

Leica DOZER 2000T:

Earth Moving made Easy

by Intelligent Dozer

Cover:

Statue of Liberty

3D Cyra Scan

The Origin of Modern

Surveying Technology

Metrology

4

The project for the construction of tunnels as part of the new extension of Prague’s Under-

ground was faced with certain space limitations due to the location of an existing station.

In addition, the particularly rough terrain in the area had considerable influence on the

position of the planned station. At the place of crossing, the line is located at a depth of

only one metre under the riverbed of the Vlatava. This minimal depth of the overlaying

formation prevents the use of the tunnelling method, and therefore there remains only

one “classical“ method of construction – cofferdams. It was decided to use three

cofferdams for the tunnel crossing situated in the Vlatava stream channel. This method is,

however, very time-consuming and expensive, and would cause considerable hindrance to

river transport, and even possibly damage to the works by flooding. Considering these

facts, the general building contractor Metrostav Co. proposed an alternative approach –

the so-called immersed tunnel launching.

Prague underground tunnels crossing the Vlatava River

Panel for controlling the totalstations TCRA 1101 X Range withgraphic output of the readingsand deviations of followed pointsfrom designed path.

The principle of the

immersed tunnel launching

method

The Underground line underthe Vlatava riverbed passesthrough two tunnels withhorizontal and verticalcurvatures. The basic princi-ple of the technique consistsof pre-casting the tunnels inan open pit – the “dry dock“.On one bank of the river, thispit is separated from theriver by means of steel sheetpiling. In the riverbed, achannel is dredged, intowhich the tunnel body islaunched. The tunnel body isclosed by steel lids and afterimmersion it is balancedwith the help of a system ofinterconnected water tanks,and placed within the tunnelallowing for selective flood-ing. Using two hydraulic stations on the oppositebank, the tunnel body is pul-led and thereby launched.

The third station is placedon the bank of the dry dock,and acts as a brake if necessary. The rear part ofthe tunnel is provided withsteel skids and moves onconcrete strips; lateralmovement is limited bymeans of steel profiles. Thefront part of the tunnel bodyis suspended with cableslings from a pontoon, theheight of which can be changed. When the launch iscomplete, the tunnel body isanchored to the concretestrips within the excavatedchannel in the riverbed. The bottom of the tunnel isseparated from the subsoilby means of textile bags,which are filled underpressure with concrete mix.The tunnel is additionallyanchored with micropilesand the excavated soil isused for backfill.

Surveying work

Following the realisation ofthis method, great attentionwas paid to the surveyingwork, as the slightest inaccu-racy of measurementswould have an undesirableeffect on the very principleof the technology. Tominimize these undesirableinfluences, a micro-networkwas proposed in the area ofthe site, with permanentdeep marking of points withforced centering. The sur-veying of the micro-networkpoints was followed by thecalculation of the three-dimensional coordinates ofthe points, which were

invariable for the whole period of construction of thetunnel.

Surveying work during

pre-casting of the tunnel in

the “dry dock“

The surveying technologymust secure the following:• Staking out and survey of

the three-dimensionalposition of the concretesoles;

• Survey of the three-dimen-sional position of thesliding formwork;

• Survey of as-built body ofthe underground tunnel;

• Calculation of the volumeof the tunnel body andcomparison with thedesign (special softwarewas developed for this);

• Calculation of the mass ofthe tunnel body on thebasis of the volumeweight of samples of usedconcrete mix;

• Calculation of the volumeof displaced water;

• Calculation of thecoordinates of the centresof gravity of the segments;

• Determination of three-dimensional coordinatesof the centers of reflectionprisms mounted on steelstructures in the front andcentral part of the tunnelbody

Surveying work during

the launching of the tunnel

body

The basic requirementduring the launch of the tunnel body was to createconditions for the conti-

5

nuous measurement andcalculation of the three-dimensional coordinates ofthe points in the front andrear parts of the tunnel. Itwas also necessary to imme-diately evaluate deviationsfrom the designed path; adifficult task especially whenthe bottom of the launchedtunnel body was about 13 metres below the waterlevel. The basis of themeasuring system was twomotorised total stations with a laser distance meterTCRA 1101 X RANGEconnected on line to thecomputer and controllingsystem equipped with specially developed SW.During the monitoring andevaluation of the changes inthe three-dimensional posi-tion of the launched tunnel,the influence of humanfactors was entirely elimina-ted. The measuring intervalwas set at 2 seconds, whichat maximum displacementspeed, represents an advan-

Tunnel Facts:

Length of the tunnel:

168 mMass of the tunnel:

approx. 7 000 tonnesExternal dimensions:

6.48 x 6.48 mThickness of walls:

730 mmThickness of top and bottom:

700 mmRadius of horizontal curvature:

750 mRadius of vertical curvature:

3800 m

Aerial picture of a dry dock withconcreted tunnel: (1) measuring and computercentre (2) station for centreindependent control (3)construction ditch for fixing ofthe tunnel after transport.

ce of two centimeters. Themovement of the front partof the tunnel was indepen-dently followed and evalua-ted in the classical mannerwith a total station TCA1102,and at the same time thetransversal tilt of the tunnelwas measured and evalua-ted.

During the launching, thenumber of measurementstaken was - 7907 in the front part of

the tunnel- 6668 in the rear part of the

tunnel

The medium deviation of thefollowed point from thedesigned path was- in the front part of the

tunnel: P 0.012 m- in the rear part of the

tunnel: P 0.015 m

The final deviation of thetunnel axis (at the front ofthe tunnel) as against thedesign was P 0.004 m.

Conclusion

The whole technologicalprocess of the constructionof the tunnel and its launchinto the desired position wasundertaken without majorproblems, and accomplishedwith high quality. The propo-sed automated system ofmeasuring and evaluatingfully complied with therequirements established bythe design, even though thisunique technology was usedfor the first time in theworld. Because the results of the measurements andevaluation were available ona continuous basis, it was possible to proceed andimmediately correct the path and thus prevent the“oscillation“ of the system.Justified praise goes to thetotal stations used, the TCRA 1101 X RANGE andTCA 1102, which contributedsubstantially to thesuccessful accomplishmentof the project, confirmingtheir highly professionalreputation. Following thesuccess of this technologyfor tunnel construction andlaunch into the designedposition, it will be usedagain without substantialchanges in the constructionof the second tunnel.

Dipl. Ing. Jaroslav Pohan, CCE Prague, Ltd.

Diagram of the measuring and computing centre

6

Staying a step ahead on the construction site with the new DISTO hand-held laser distance meter

“Anyone who has performed measurements just once

using a Disto hand-held laser meter, will always leave the

trundle wheel and folding rulers back at home in future.

And the same goes for a ladder and a second person to

hold the other end of the tape measure or to steady the

ladder,” says Franz Noser. Using his Disto™ hand-held laser

meter, Mr. Noser, a façade construction project manager of

the Bern-based company Gesta, calculates all the necessary

dimensions, areas and volumes at the press of a button.

the fastest growingcategories of tools in thebuilding and ancillarybuilding trade.

Franz Noser is one of anever-growing number ofconstruction experts whosave themselves a lot oftime each day by using theircompact Disto laser distancemeter: “Before I owned aDisto, I always had to take a ladder along with me whenever I wanted tomeasure the dimensions ofa façade. In most cases, acolleague would also haveto accompany me in order tohold the other end of thetape measure. Occasionally,our almost acrobatic ‘up-ladder escapades’ whenmeasuring high buildingswere not only dangerous butalso, to be quite honest, not

At the press of a button and witha precision of 1.5 millimeters,Franz Noser from Gesta AG useshis Leica Disto pro4a to check thespacings of the finished façadeon an over 200-meter-longbuilding complex “Baumgarten”in Bern.

even very precise due to thesagging tape measures orslightly bent and swayingfolding rulers. In future, such inaccuracies will betolerated even less. TheDisto makes light work outof measurement tasks suchas these – simply aim, shootand measure. Anyone cando this straight away!”

“Paid for itself in just one day!”

Franz Noser estimates that,thanks to his Leica Disto, he now saves himself anaverage of 15 minutes eachday performing a widerange of measurementtasks, while his dimensionalmeasurements are signifi-cantly more accurate thanbefore. Thanks to the factthat his Disto measurementsare precise to the lastmillimeter, it is now possibleto prepare material andcomponents from the outsetto provide a better fit, thereby allowing work to beperformed more swiftly,avoiding costly and time-consuming reworking and

The heart of the laser measuring technologyEach compact Disto comprises a miniaturized optoelectronicwonder of modern technology. It is based on the company’sexperience in laser measuring technology which is thelongest in the world and which Leica Geosystems developed35 years ago for professional measurement. This has sincebeen further developed with leading innovations in pin-pointprecision distance measurement, laser tracking and laserscanning. By way of illustration, the Leica Disto performs numerousindividual measurements in a split-second, from which it cal-culates the precise average value. The distance is measuredby means of light pulses, whose travel time over the distanceto be measured is determined with the aid of a quartz crystaland which thus permits a direct conversion into the distance.Since the motion of the light pulse and thus its speed is influenced by various environmental factors, the Disto hand-held laser meters use advanced software when averaging themeasured values to automatically take account of numerousparameters, such as the room temperature, brightness andtarget surface reflection. The “Disto pro4a” model suppliesthe distances accurate from 1.5 millimeters, and the othermodels accurate from three millimeters up to a distance of200 meters. The Disto hand-held laser meters are energy-saving and constant, with a single battery charge lasting forup to ten thousand measurements!

This means that he works agreat deal faster, more accu-rately and reliably as well asmore cost-efficiently thanwhen using conventionalsolutions – whether this befor drafting his quotes, con-struction plans, lists of mate-rials, cutting to size,planning and inspections orfor billing purposes. Inrecent years, these advanta-ges have helped make thesecompact and handy laserdistance meters from LeicaGeosystems become one of

The Leica team in attendance stands around an “Earlconic”Michigan Spatial Reference Network Antenna.

7

bills to be drafted morereliably. This is also particu-larly true for conversion andrenovation work, where frequently no plans are available or where plans thatdo exist no longer corres-pond to the buildingscurrent state due to a longhistory of modifications.When recording measure-ments for a schoolhouserenovation project, forinstance, Franz Noserrecently used his new Distohand-held laser meter torecord all the necessarydimensions entirely on hisown in only three hours.Without Disto, he and hiscolleague would have requi-red almost an entire dayusing a trundle wheel andfolding ruler for such anextensive measurementtask. The façade surveyorsaid: “My Disto paid foritself in a single day. I havebeen making money with itever since!”

A modern measuring tool fornumerous tasks

These distinct advantagesare what make thesecompact Disto hand-heldlaser meters so popularamong architects and inte-rior design specialists, painters and decorators,metalwork fitters andglaziers, joiners andplumbers, floor layers androofers, electricians andsanitary specialists – and ofcourse among construction

Gesta AG used Disto measuring technology to erect 5000 squaremeters of carmine red, enameled glass façade cladding to provideboth protection and an attractive appearance for the new servicebuilding “Baumgarten” in Bern commissioned by the generalcontractor Losinger Construction AG. Althaus Architekten Bern AGdesigned this aesthetically pleasing architectural service complexsituated directly on Bern’s east orbital highway for the clientWinterthur Versicherungen insurance company.

“For measurement tasks where I once had to run up and downsteps and mostly had to bringanother man and a ladder withme, I now simply pull out myDisto laser meter. The new Distomodels are even easier to use.Each of our construction crewsis now issued with thismeasuring device,” says FranzNoser of Gesta AG in Zollikofen.

site foremen and propertymanagers. They make anideal Christmas or birthdaypresent for any handymanor DIY enthusiast.

Fifth device generation witheasy-to-use controls

“With the fifth Disto genera-tion just launched, we willassert our number one position as the market lea-der and convince also newcustomers,” says KlausBrammertz, President of theConsumer Products Divisionof Leica Geosystems.“Today, following thereorganization of the salesstructure for the Leica Distohand-held laser meters, wehave more sales outlets thana year ago and have succee-ded in tapping into newsales channels in major markets such as the U.S.”The reasons for expectedhigher sales figures are alsodue to the fact that the development engineers atLeica Geosystems inHeerbrugg (Switzerland)have – in launching the fifthdevice generation of the

Disto hand-held laser meters– once again enhanced thecontrols, the weight, therange and the measuringdurations. This renders thedevices even more attractivefor everyone thanks to theireasy-to-use control keys. In addition to the new range

of between 20 cm and 200 mwith a degree of precisiondisplayed accurately to thelast millimeter, the devicesof the fifth generation excelabove all due to their clearlydefined function keys andtheir clear-cut assignment. It is possible to read off the

8

Does the length of the buildingcorrespond precisely with theplan and our façade sub-frame-work? Prior to fitting the bottomrow of enameled glass panes,Franz Noser of Gesta AG uses aLeica Disto lite5 to check thedistances quickly and accurateto the millimeter.

Measuring using a Disto hand-held laser meter is:

Fast and efficient: Measure in a split-second at the pressof a button without the assistance of another person, andsave time and money at the same time.

Accurate: Measures distances up to 200 m accurate to themillimeter.

Reliable: Robust and suitable for use on building sites intemperature ranges of –10° to +50°C.

Versatile: Suitable for both indoor and outdoor use.

Safe: Leica Disto helps prevent accidents at work, i.e. noneed to climb ladders.

distance in clear digits in lessthan one split-second afterpressing the key.

Strong DISTO position

The first hand-held lasermeter in the world – theLeica Disto classic – waslaunched onto the market insmall numbers by Leica Geo-systems in the mid-ninetieson the basis of the manufac-turing principle of small-batch instrument construc-tion. The now launched fifth

Klaus Brammertz, President ofthe Consumer Products Divisionof Leica Geosystems: “Our Distomodels makes it attractive andeasy for everybody to use laseraccuracy for his measuringwork.”

generation is produced inlarge batches at a factorythat has international experience in large-scaleproduction and logistics ofelectronic commodities andconsumer goods. The inven-tor Leica Geosystems is theclear market leader.

In Klaus Brammertz’s words:“It’s like this – in just thesame way as Franz Noser,no-one in the building tradetoday wants to be withoutthis clever and high-speedlaser-measuring tool. Andthis is why it is important forthe trusted supplier to inclu-

de hand-held laser meters inhis line. Via our distributionnetwork, we ourselves offerfour Disto models with diffe-ring features for differentranges of tasks.” The featu-res of the fifth Disto genera-tion also impress FranzNoser, particularly their clearuser controls: “I’m stickingwith my Disto pro4a due tothe 1.5-mm degree of preci-sion. However, for my con-struction crews, I have alrea-dy bought the new Disto lite5

featuring a Soft-Touch key-pad and clear function keys.”

Stfi

9

Leica DIGI – providing fast, safe and accuratetracking of buried objects

New PowerSearch sensorfor Leica TPS1100 ... Automatic, practical pro-

grams are the main features

of the TPS1100 Professional

Series. Modern functions

that make working more

productive, more precise

and more relaxed. Now the

new PowerSearch sensor for

the TPS1100 features a quick

and reliable prism search,

which sets new standards

for robotic surveying.

In PowerSearch mode, theinstrument rotates aroundthe standing axis and sendsout a vertical laser fan. Assoon as it finds a prism, theinstrument stops rotating,and automatically targets theprism, even if there are briefinterruptions of the line-of-sight. The total station isthen ready to measure.

The entire prism search only requires a few seconds,thus representing a signifi-cant time saving in initialprism search and resump-tion of automatic targettracking after interruptions.With PowerSearch, overallproductivity is increased significantly, making it idealfor stake out, topographical surveying and especially forone-man operation with theremote control RCS1100.

The entire PowerSearch sensor is integrated neatlyinto the total station and thisunique technology allowsworking with any passiveprisms. Consequently, noactive prisms or additionalaccessories are required. The TPS1100 ProfessionalSeries with PowerSearch

The DIGI™ System allows fastand accurate location ofunderground services. The toolsare rugged, easy to operate, efficient and increase onsitesafety for any excavation job.

You’re on the job site andyou want to start digging assoon as you can, but you’reunsure of what is undergro-und. You don’t want to waitfor the line inspector, andyou don’t want to incur the

offers everything surveyorscan demand from a survey-ing instrument: A light-weight practical design, aneasy-to-learn user interface,a wide range of practicalapplication programs, a

highly accurate reflectorlessdistance measurement, apowerful automatic targetrecognition, and an efficientone-man operation.

expense, either. Thesolution: Leica Geosystems’DIGI™ Underground ServiceLocation System, providinga fast, safe and accuratesolution for tracing buriedutility services.

Today’s industrialized areasare populated with somevery dangerous or at thevery least troublesome utility services buried under-ground. The main DIGI™System comprises of theDIGICAT™ 100 undergroundservice locator, DIGITEX™8/33 signal generator andDIGITRACE™ 30, 50 or 80service tracer. With this integrated system, locatingunderground cables andpipes becomes a secure,simple and speedy task.

DIGICAT™ 100 utilizes threedetection modes: Power tolocate energized powercables up to 3m deep; Radio

to locate metallic serviceswhich radiate radio waves;and Generator to locatetracer information generatedby the DIGITEX™ 8/33 ininactive power cables andother services.

The DIGITEX™ 8/33 is a dualfrequency generator formaximum flexibility givinghighly accurate results.

The DIGITRACE™ 30/50/80 isa coiled 4.5 mm diameterfibreglass rod on a reel,which incorporates a copperwire. The wire is connectedto a DIGITEX™ Signal Gene-rator to pass a 33 or 8 kHztraceable signal eitherthrough the entire length of the rod or just the end.This is used in tracing non-metallic pipes, such asdrains or sewers, plasticpipes, plastic ducting etc.

... automatically finds the prism

10

Moving earth is a fact of life in mining and construction –

a painstaking and time-consuming task. Leica Geosystems,

in partnership with Tritronics (Australia) Pty Ltd and assisted

by their Australian Distributor, C.R. Kennedy & Company Pty

Ltd, however, have developed just the solution – the Leica

DOZER 2000T. Without even stepping out of the office, the

mining engineer and surveyor have direct radio contact with

the machine operator who is working with the bulldozer.

Digital Terrain Models (DTM) are relayed directly to the

machine, guiding and verifying earth grading by real time

GPS and completing this task more efficiently, in less time,

and with considerable savings across the entire project.

The success of a recent trial by mining giant BMA (BHP

Billiton Mitsubishi Alliance) at their Blackwater coal mine in

Queensland, Australia, has led to an order of 15 Leica Dozer

2000T integrated systems for the Blackwater Mine. A further

19 units have been ordered for three other mines within the

BMA operation – a significant sign of the considerable poten-

tial that this revolutionary technology has for the industry.

Earth moving made easy task by intelligent dozer

The Leica Dozer 2000T guidesand verifies earth-grading byreal time GPS.

It was decided to trial theLeica Dozer 2000 package atBMA’s Blackwater Mine.Using Global PositioningSystem (GPS) technology,the Leica Dozer 2000 is ableto clearly indicate the posi-tion of the earth movingmachine relative to the desired “design“ surface,enabling the operator tomove left or right, and to cutand/or fill accordingly.

Better data transfer andintegration

Although the Leica Dozer2000 worked well during thetrial, there was still a requi-rement for better data trans-fer. “In particular we werelooking for productivityimprovement because atthat stage there was no wayto bring data back to the offi-ce automatically,“ said IanRogers, Technology andCommunications Managerfor BMA. The normal LeicaDozer 2000 setup meant thatdata had to be transferredvia a PCMCIA card from the office computer to theon-site machine.

“BMA wanted to simplifythe radio networks and ob-tain the production data inreal time,“ David Williamsfrom Leica’s AustralianDistributor, C. R. Kennedy &Company Pty Ltd said. “TheLeica Dozer 2000 is a standalone system as the memorycard needs to be returnedback to mine office for trans-ferral of data. On a mine that

stretches 64km, this can bevery time consuming.“

Integrated Mining System

In February 2001, BMA introduced Leica SalesRepresentatives to Queens-land Company Tritronics(Australia) Pty Ltd, worldleaders in the design,development and installa-tion of mine machine monitoring and informationsystems.

For the past six years, theBlackwater Mine has beenusing Tritronics’ Fleet Management System – a communications networkthat allows mine productionto monitor machinerythroughout the whole mineby use of GPS receivers.BMA has invested signifi-cantly into this system withthe upgrade of 75-80 piecesof equipment with new high-speed radios in orderto incorporate them into thenew system softwareIntegrated Mining System(IMS). The IMS combinespowerful reporting and ana-lysis software with reliableradio telemetry to deliveraccurate monitoring andreporting. “Tritronics werewell established and welltrusted,“ Anders Mangen, C. R. Kennedy’s NationalSurvey Division Manager,said. “They had proven toBMA that they could delivera good system – particularlyfor a complicated big minelike the one at Blackwater.“

For some time, BMA havewanted to improve theprocess of relaying instruc-tions from the office to thevarious machine operatorson site. After an assessmentof all dozer systems on themarket, BMA approachedLeica Geosystems at the endof 1999 to further investigatethe Leica Dozer 2000 machi-ne guidance package.

11

Leica Dozer 2000 The Leica Dozer 2000 com-bines a Machine GuidanceGlobal Positioning System(GPS) receiver with Com-puter Aided Design (CAD)software, to allow deter-mination of the exact posi-tion of the vehicle in “realtime”. A screen display inthe cab clearly indicatesthe position of the earthmoving machine relativeto the desired “design”surface, enabling the ope-rator to move left or right,and to cut and fillaccordingly.

For high accuracy, a GPSBase Station is establishedon site, consisting of aGPS receiver and radiotransmitter to transmit differential GPS signals toany number of rovers within 10km range. TheRover is mounted on theDozer, consisting of a GPSreceiver (Leica MC500), aruggedised touch-screen

The bulldozer operator is indirect contact with the office.

Mine design software is used toprovide details of cut and fill.

The cab holds a ruggedisedtouch-screen computer.

The GPS Base station transmitsdata to the Rover.

“With the IMS system wecan locate drills, watertrucks and other vehiclesover the entire 64km minestrip on a computer back inthe office,“ BMA surveyorBrad Payne said. “Informa-tion such as the job descrip-tion, production statisticsand current machine opera-tor can also be provided.“

Following discussions withTritronics, it was decided to incorporate the LeicaDozer 2000 package into theTritronics Integrated MiningSystem.

“We were asked to do theintegration between the GPS systems and the datatelemetry system and also toconnect the dozer into thereporting system,“ saidGeoff Baldwin, Manager ofTritronics. “It wasn’t overly

complicated. The biggestproblem was the file transfersystem – ensuring that largefiles can be transmitted over the radio system. Thisis especially difficult whenthere are often breaks intransmission such as whenthe dozer is turned offduring a download.“

Productivity, security andsavings

Consequently, over the lastsix months BMA Blackwaterhas been trialling the LeicaDozer 2000T integratedsystem – which has openedup a radio link, providing theengineer with direct contactby radio to the machine ope-rator and allowing completecomputer designs in the offi-ce to be sent directly out tothe dozer.

The integration of the IMSand Leica Dozer 2000 hasdemonstrated a consider-able increase in productivity.According to Ian Rogers, thecompany envisages consi-derable savings. “Webelieve the trial showedsome productivity gains andthough it’s hard to say howmuch at this stage, we arelooking for pay back fromthe system within threeyears.“

Most of these savings aregenerated by eliminating theneed for survey staking andreducing the re-handling ofspoil.

For Operators such as Les“Pfeffy“ Pfeff, the LeicaDozer 2000T has made thejob easier. “It’s a lot easier todo the job now because you follow a plan,“ he said. As

computer loaded with theLeica Dozer 2000 software,and a radio receiver. Theradio receives the GPS datatransmitted from the BaseStation where it is pro-cessed in the Rover GPSreceiver, displaying theposition of the machine onthe Computer.

Once operating, the RoverGPS receiver measures thegrade 10 times per secondand the Leica Dozer 2000software displays cut andfill amounts along withviews of the dozer.

In the office, surveyors andengineers need to preparedata files to the Leica Dozer2000. Mine design software(such as Vulcan) is used tocreate these files with textof final design plansdetailing the cut and fillfrom a design surface. Inaddition, the location ofequipment relative toexisting features (buildings,existing roads, bridges etc),

calculation of the offsetfrom a road centreline andthe volume of earth that hasbeen moved during eachwork period can beprovided. The ‘Leica SiteManager’ then enables theconversion of these files toconfigure the Leica Dozer2000. The information isthen ready to be transferredfrom the office computer tothe site computer and backagain.

The Leica Dozer 2000product can be purchasedas a standard Leica Dozer2000 stand-alone systemwith data transfer via aPCMCIA card, or it can bepurchased as the Dozer2000T system integratedinto the Tritronics IMSsystem. The Leica Dozer2000 system was intro-duced to the market byLeica Geosystems, incooperation with CarlsonSoftware.

re-grade a road we used tohave to work five to sixhours on the weekend justto build up the ramp and getit right. Now we get it rightthe first time – there is nocause for errors.“

Working smart will also save machinery from wear-and-tear as well as reducemaintenance and fuel costs.

There have also beendiscussions to install the

device in the supervisor’svehicle. “There is no reasonwhy this won’t work,“ BevanReibel said. “We could thenjust drive up and check theshovel for grade control. Inspection vehicles are becoming just as importantas the dozer.“

The future looks extremelybright for the Leica Dozer2000T following the order ofa total of 15 of the systemsfor the Blackwater mine,making it the largest singlesale of the Leica Dozer2000T to any single mine inthe world. These will befitted to six dragline dozers,four stripping dozers, twomining dozers, two pre-strip

dozers and one draglineassist dozer and were imple-mented during July andAugust. Another elevenhave been ordered for thePeak Downs mine, six forthe Saraji mine, and two forthe Goonyella mine.

“Ultimately, this is part of alarger program,“ said AndyDavidson. “The Leica Dozer package is a key element ofour long-term successstrategy. Demonstrating real

benefits from machine gui-dance technology promotesacceptance, which ultimatelystarts to change the cultureof the business. This is aclassic example of workingsmarter – not harder. Youhave to do different things,to get different results.“

And Tritronic’s GeoffBaldwin considers the Leica Dozer 2000T project as thebeginning of a long partner-ship with Leica Geosystems.“We are looking to forge atighter alliance with LeicaGeosystems and hope topromote the use of GPS-based guidance products inthe mining industry longinto the future.“ Bt

12

The Rover GPS radio receiver ismounted on top of the Dozer.

for training and operation,Pfeffy said that it really isjust a matter of pushing thebuttons on the touch screen.“You haven’t got to be awhiz kid to understand thissort of thing.“

Work is also safer, especiallyat night when visibility ispoor. There is now less needfor the operator to get downfrom the cab to check theequipment or stakes. TheLeica Dozer 2000T alsoprovides a warning alertwhen the design plan is notbeing followed correctly.

“Here on the mine its justlots of dirt and as quick asyou can,“ Bevan Reibel,Senior Stripping Foremansaid. “However, nearenough is not good enough– by doing it accurately the first time, it is quickerbecause there is no re-handle and re-work. Thissystem gives live informa-tion and therefore it is an aidin the machine to help theoperator to do his job.“

“Ultimately this allows theoperators to feel more incontrol,“ Andy Davidson,Engineer for the BusinessImprovement Group said.“Information between shiftsis shared, promoting moreefficient work towards acommon goal and elimi-nating time wasting. We areempowering operators to dotheir job better, and with million dollar equipmentinvolved, involving the operators is a crucial part of adding value to theprocess.“

Brad Payne was also keen tohighlight the productivitysaving during the re-gradingof roads. “The slope of agrade is really important –and it is best for themachines to stay in secondgear to get up the hill, other-wise the transmission isstrained. In the past, to

Surveyor Brad Payne: “Now weget it right the first time – thereis no cause for errors.”

The Leica Dozer 2000T communi-cations components are mountedoutside the cab.

Operator Les “Pfeffy” Pfeff: “The Dozer 2000T has made the job easier.It’s just a matter of pushing the buttons on the touch-screen.”

Blackwater coal mineThe BMA Blackwater coal mine produces up to 14 milliontonnes of coking and thermal coal per year and has beenoperating for over 35 years. As an open-cut operation, draglines and truck/shovel fleets are used for overburdenremoval and coal seams are mined by front-end loadersor hydraulic excavators. Website:http://bmacoal.com/bccom/export/operations/blackwater/index.html

Armed Forces Maps. As aScientific-Technical unit ofthe Army, the IGM reachedsuperior levels of excellence

13

Leica Geosystems’ technology for thecadastre in GuatemalaGuatemala signed a compre-hensive Peace Accord on 29 December 1996 to endthirty-six years of civil con-flict. The Accord supportsthe establishment of demo-cracy and the introduction ofeconomic policies that willfoster sustainable growth.The promise of peace hasprovided Guatemalansociety with a point of con-vergence, opening spacesfor the Government of Gua-temala to pursue fiscal, insti-tutional and legislativereforms to support its deve-lopment agenda. Guate-mala’s greatest challenge isto reduce the poverty, whichafflicts over 75% of thepopulation, 86% of the ruralpopulation and 93% of theindigenous population.

The Accord’s land-relatedcommitments includeestablishing a cadastral-based land registry. Othercommitments includeestablishing a Land Fundand land conflict resolutionmechanisms. Since thereturn of civilian rule to Gua-temala in 1985, progresstowards negotiating lastingpeace, establishingdemocracy and introducingeconomic policies that willfoster sustainable growth

Together with the 25 Leica TotalStations and 19 Leica GPSSystems, Leica Geosystems also provided comprehensivetraining. Through the knowledgeof area manager Leoncio Olveraand the office of Alfredo Branfrom Precision SA, Leica Geo-systems were able to completepractical training and continue tolocally support the initiative.

Graduation and the issuance of acertificate is the last step beforethe trained specialists move tothe field to perform their duties.

Bolivian IGM adopts leading-edge technologyThe Instituto Geografico

Militar (IGM) in Bolivia has

recently purchased 12 Leica

TC705 Total Stations to help

in the execution of the diffe-

rent surveying and geodetic

works around the country.

CORIMEX Ltd, the exclusivedistributor of Leica Geo-systems Surveying andEngineering Division in Boli-via, has been working close-ly with the IGM to providesolutions to their surveyingneeds. The IGM’s mission isto prepare the National and

thanks to their highly technical education and theefficiency in their work. “Theonly way to cope with the21st century challenges is tokeep ourselves technologi-cally up to date,” saidColonel Luis Suarez Arteaga,Commander of the IGM.

The purchased units will betransferred to the 13 diffe-rent Geographic Districtslocated around the country,equipping each of them withleading-edge technology.The instruments will support

has been slow and uneven.The World Bank and otherDevelopment Banks havebeen instrumental in theimplementation of LandReform Projects of whichseveral subprojects are now

in the execution phase.Leica Geosystems has beencontracted by Guatemala todeliver equipment for fielddata acquisition and thedevelopment of the NationalGeodetic Network. Twenty-

five total stations andnineteen global positioningsystems were acquired in2002. The continuation ofthe Land Administration Pro-ject stipulates to modernisethe Geographic Institute ofGuatemala for which Leicahas set the standards in thepast. The projects areongoing and will be suppor-ted by Leica’s local represen-tative, Precision S.A of Guatemala City, throughcontinued local technicalsupport and service.

the survey crews in theirfield works for the NationalCartography, giving moreemphasis to Thematic Maps.It will also allow them toexecute Cadastre works intheir respective areas ofcompetence, with the goalof providing the physical,juridical and fiscal identifica-tion of the properties for theCadastral and ScientificMaps.

14

Statue of Liberty 3D Cyra scan provides historical

State-of-the-art Cyra laser-scanning technology was adap-

ted to quite an extraordinary task recently when it was

used to document the detailed surface geometry of New

York’s most famous landmark – the Statue of Liberty. Tradi-

tionally used in the industrial plant and civil infrastructure

fields, laser scanning’s ability to capture highly detailed, 3D

surface geometry of large structures made it a good match

for the complex geometry of the Statue of Liberty.

Historical Documentation

The College of Architectureat Texas Tech University incooperation with HistoricAmerican Buildings Survey(HABS) and the NationalPark Service (NPS) begandigitally documenting theStatue of Liberty in order tocreate, for the first time,complete architecturaldrawings of the statue’sexterior, accurate to 1/4 inch.These scaled drawings willbe used to monitor and carefor the statue, providing acomplete historical docu-mentation. The drawingscould also be used to recon-struct an exact, full-scaleduplicate of the statue, inthe event of any catastrophicloss. The project team con-sisted of Associate ProfessorGlenn Hill, Associate Pro-fessor Elizabeth Louden,Professor John White, several grad students, allfrom Texas Tech University,

as well as Tim Woodrufffrom Cyra Technologies, Inc.

Point, Shoot, Survey!

Using the Cyrax 2500 3DLaser Scanner, a complete 3-D digital scan in the formof a dense, data point cloudwas made of the statue. The first step was to set 32highly reflective scanregistration targets on thestatue. Easily identified bythe scanner software, thesetargets would be used tovery precisely connect multiple scans that werecollected as the scanner wasrepositioned around the statue. The target centerswere also surveyed using aLeica Geosystems TCR702reflectorless total station for

independent quality control.The optimum location forscanning was at the pro-menade level – involving 13 scanner locations aroundthe base. The scanner wassimply oriented toward thescene, the desired measure-ment area and scanningdensity was selected, andthen auto-scan began.

Each of the highly detailedscans took approximately 15 minutes requiring about 2 hours for each of the 13scan locations. To speed upthe process, the team brokeinto two shifts, morning andafternoon. Each day, a two-person crew would arrive onthe first boat to LibertyIsland at 6:30 am and work

Bentley and Cyra Technologiesannouncepartnership tospur growth of“3D point cloud”content

Above: Frog’s eye view of theStatue of Liberty. Most of thescans were taken from the baseof the statue and a few from thetop observation balcony.

Above Right: The University ofTexas used their Cyrax 2500laser scanner to produce adetailed survey of the statue.

Bentley Systems, Incorpora-

ted, a global provider of

collaborative software solu-

tions and Cyra Technologies

have formally announced

that Bentley will distribute

Cyra’s CloudWorx™ applica-

tion software for Bentley

MicroStation™.

The CloudWorx application,first announced by Cyra inDecember 2001, lets engi-neers and designers takeadvantage of rich, 3D pointclouds directly in MicroSta-tion. Pointclouds created byCyrax®_3D Laser Scanningsystems represent a power-ful, new source of informa-tion content for organiza-

tions and projects that requi-re accurate “as-built” or “as-is” information. “As-built” informationderived from point clouds isbeing increasingly used byprofessionals to createbetter designs of modifica-tions to existing facilities, forbetter construction planningand quality assurance, andfor more efficient assetmanagement. Industriestaking advantage of pointclouds include plant manu-facturing, transportation,and building.

In addition to providing afamiliar interface forMicroStation users,

CloudWorx for MicroStationalso slashes time require-ments for processing 3Dpoint clouds into as-built 2D drawings and 3Dmodels. Another advantagefor MicroStation users isthat they can use 3D pointclouds as a backdropagainst which to betterdesign a modification to anexisting site or structure.Better retrofit designsenable retrofit constructionprojects to run more smoothly by eliminatingconstruction interferencesand construction fit-up problems.

15

documentation

The Statue of LibertyThe Statue of Liberty was a gift of international friendship fromthe people of France to the people of the United States inrecognition of the friendship established during the AmericanRevolution. The 93-metre tall statue has been standing proudlyover New York Harbor since 1886. Master sculptor Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi reproduced the statue, not from architecturaldrawings, but from multiple scaled models. It took a team ofcraftsmen over 10 years to shape over 81,300 kg of copper and113,400 kg of steel.Visitors climb 354 steps to reach the crown or 192 steps in orderto reach the top of the pedestal. There are 25 windows in thecrown that symbolize gemstones found on the earth and the heaven's rays shining over the world. The seven rays of the Statue's crown represent the seven seas and continents of theworld. The tablet, which the Statue holds in her left hand, reads(in Roman numerals) "July 4th, 1776." In 2001, more than 4 mil-lion people visited the Statue of Liberty.

More information can be found at:http://www.arch.ttu.edu/digital_liberty/

until 2.00 pm with thesecond crew working from2.00 pm until the last boatleft the island at 9.30 pm.Since the scanner works aseffectively in total darknessas in light, the 6.00 pmsunset did not hinder theeffort. In just four days, theteam scanned over 500 mil-lion points, measuring everyquarter of an inch of the statue’s visible complex surface!

Creating a polygonal model

Returning to Texas Tech University, the universityteam downloaded all of thedata to their servers andbegan converting the 200million xyz data points into a3D model and 2D drawingsin order to create a completearchitectural drawing recordof the Statue, Pedestal andFort.

For the 3D model, the firsttask was to register theseparate ScanWorlds (scanstaken from different scannerpositions) into a single pointcloud consisting ofpolygons, often referred toas a polymesh or polygonalmodel. Geometrical anoma-lies around the torch and thespires of the crown causedby swaying of the statue in50 mile per hour winds werecorrected or eliminated toachieve better results. Registration solutions basedon scan targets were supple-mented in certain cases withmathematical stitching ofthe different point clouds tocreate the final registrationof all 13 ScanWorlds. Thecompleted polygonal modelwas then used to derive 2Ddrawings.

Future phases

This initial scanning efforthas digitally registeredapproximately 60% of theStatue, which represents themost prominent and distinc-tive features. However, fromthe scanning position at pro-

menade level, the pedestalblocks the feet and the topof the crown is out of view.Future scans would requiresome limited scaffoldingand the remainder willrequire access to the Statuein some other way, such asphotogrammetry or airbornescanning.

Generating the eight eleva-tion drawings of the statuepresents a different pro-blem. One method involvescapturing line drawingsusing hidden line proce-dures in a CAD program.The other captures imagesof the 3D model from anorthographic view. Theserendered images couldserve as dimensionallycorrect photographs and,thus, could be traced in aprocess similar to photo-grammetry. The team plans

Above: A detail of the pointclouds containing the face. Somedetails were scanned at veryhigh resolution (points placeddensely) such as the highlightedgreen area on the crown.Below: A detailed view of thetorch.

to use both methods. Phase II funding is currentlybeing sought to scan fromthe Pedestal and photographthe statue. The team is alsoexploring airborne technolo-gy utilizing drone helicop-ters with similar laserscanning technology. Unfor-tunately, this method is lessaccurate (3/4“ to 1“). Phase IIIof the project is to begin to

use the 3D model and high-resolution photographs tocreate a small-scale GISsystem for the maintenanceand management of the statue.

Once finished drawings andmodels of the Phase I workare delivered to HABS andthe NPS, the NPS will usethe 3D model for maintenan-

ce. The 2D drawings willbecome part of the Library ofCongress archives, part ofrecorded history for at leastthe next 500 years.

Visualisation of North Sydney, Australia. This view was generated within a GIS project accomplished byLeica Geosystems customer PSN Survey, integrating data from different Leica Geosystems sensors (aerial camera, GPS, total stations) and digital photogrammetry software.

THE TOP TEN is a selection of some of the most innovative,exciting solutions from several of the company’s divisions.Each of these products has been developed in response tocustomers’ needs, to get the job done faster and more cost-effectively. Visit us at our websites or contact your local rep-resentative to learn more about the new possibilities.

Now incorporating the product lines of ERDAS, LH Sys-tems, Cyra Technologies and Laser Alignment, LeicaGeosystems provides the most comprehensive and inter-nationally unique range of products and systems for cap-turing, visualising and modeling spatial reality worldwide.Customers benefit from easy integration of all data, smoothworkflow and the extension of their activities into newgrowth areas. In each of its six divisions, Leica Geosystemsprovides products at the top of the scale for productivity,value and reliability.

Leica Geosystems AG, Switzerland, www.leica-geosystems.com

Capture New Dimensions in Productivity

THE TOP TENCYRAX™ 2500 / CYCLONE™

3D laser scanning system

and software for capturingdata and visualising objectsin a revolutionary way. www.cyra.com

ERDAS IMAGINE™

Geographic imaging soft-

ware for processing all typesof imagery into 2D or 3D GISmodels.www.gis.leica-geosystems.com

LH Systems ADS40

Airborne digital sensor withunique features for 3D dataacquisition in GIS and Map-ping. www.gis.leica-geosystems.com

DISTO 5 th Generation

Precise laser distancers

reducing time and costs. Up to 200m.www.disto.com

LEICA RUGBY™ 100LR

Rotating laser level withmany advantages for theconstruction site. www.construction.leica-geosystems.com

LEICA GPS System 500

Leading GPS solutions forsurveyors looking for highaccuracy, reliability and productivity.www.leica-geosystems.com

LEICA GS20 GIS/GPS

Professional data capturing

in your hand. Brand new GPSfor GIS and mapping.www.gis.leica-geosystems.com

LEICA TPS1100 PowerSearch

High-end total stations withautomated prism search forefficient one-man work.www.leica-geosystems.com

LEICA GeoMoS

Geodetic Monitoring System

to determine deformationperiodically and automatical-ly in or around active area. www.leica-geosystems.com

LEICA LR200

Coherent laser/radar tracker

for industrial measurementwith highest accuracy. Setting standards.www.leica-geosystems.com

18

Setting new standards in portableCoordinate Measurement

uniting all elements ofmetrology into a revolutio-nary All-In-One Solution.

Open software architecture

Thanks to the embeddedsystem control, the LaserTracker can be controlledfrom any platform. Whetherone chooses Leica’s leadinginspection software Axyz orthe latest CAD-basedsoftware Horizon, Leica’sTrackers provide perfect freedom and maximum easeof use.

The Leica Tracker with itsbuilt-in client server conceptopens new dimensions forfast, easy, and flexibleintegration and allows tocompletely integrate theLeica Tracker in automationprocesses in UNIX, Linux,and MS Windows.

New accessories to come

The accessories will enablethe LTD800 to measure anything – quickly, easily,

and on site: from sophistica-ted car bodies over exactingwindmill hubs to the latestadvances in aerospace technology. Depending onthe requirements, theLTD800 is applied for tradi-tional tracking, for wirelessand armless probing or forscanning with the uniquehandheld non-contact scanner.

Tracker Camera (T-CAM):

Measure precisely positionas well as orientation of anyobject in space.

Tracker Probe (T-Probe):

Inspect anything, due to itsability to measure easily intodeep locations on parts andtools.

Handheld Tracker Scanner

(T-Scan):

Digitize complex surfaceswith virtually no set up timefor subsequent inspectionand reverse engineering.

The cutting edge characteris-tics

• 3D non-contact coordinatemetrology

• Extremely fast digitizationwith the capture ofmillions of surface pointsin minutes

• Precise measurement andanalysis of large as well assmall parts

• Wholly portable coordina-te measurement system,fully mobile and with negligible set-up times

• Probing as well asscanning capabilities

• All-In-One Solution withthe coming unique seriesof accessories

• Proven for use in the toughest industrialenvironments.

Says Denny G. Deegan of Tooling Methods Engineer,Bombardier Aerospace,Wichita:

“The Tooling Departmentrelies on Leica lasertrackers to provide highlyaccurate, large volume 3D measurements tosupport the manufacturing,testing, and servicing ofBombardier aircraft as wellas the construction andmaintenance of precisiontooling for those aircraft.The quality of our Leicatrackers is matched by thesupport provided by thepeople at Leica who makeevery effort to ensure yoursuccess in the use of theirproducts.“

For over a decade, Leica’s

Trackers have defined

metrology in the aerospace,

automotive, and general

industry. In the near future,

Leica Geosystems will take

tracking to a new level by

turning traditional trackers

into portable CMM solu-

tions, adding a revolutionary

set of accessories.

New standards – more applications

The Leica Laser TrackerLTD800 sets new standardsin portable coordinatemeasurement.Based on proven technologyused by operators in everymajor industry, we onceagain set new standards byintroducing the LTD800,which will give you morefeatures and advantagesthan any other tracker on themarket. Add to this theLTD800’s compatibility withan upcoming series of accessories enabling 6DOFtracking, armless, wirelessprobing, and handheld, non-contact 3D-scanning, andyou can go beyond trackingtasks towards a completePCMM solution, giving you awider perspective – in alldimensions.The latest generation ofLeica Trackers and the upcoming accessories willprovide probing as well asscanning capabilities formeasurement and analysis,

In the near future it will be possible to scan precisely any surfaceusing the T-Cam and handheld T-Scan.

T-Probe for inspecting also deeplocations.

19

Non-contact measurements open new dimensionsIndustries worldwide have

come to rely more heavily

upon precision measure-

ment. Even though techno-

logies have moved toward

lasers and away from the

traditional contact probe

CMMs, most precision

measurement has continued

to include some element of

contact. Until lately precision

non-contact systems could

only measure small distan-

ces. It's only recently that

technology has made large-

scale non-contact precision

measurement possible with

the advent of a new type of

laser radar: the Frequency

Modulated Coherent Laser

Radar (FMCLR). MetricVision

acts as a partner in this

project.

Incomparable performanceopens new perspectives

The LR200 directly measuressurfaces, points or scans features using coherent laserradar. The sensor directs afocused invisible infrared (IR)laser beam to a point andcoherently processes thereflected light. As the laserlight travels to and from thetarget, it also travels througha reference path of calibratedoptical fiber in an environ-mentally controlled module.The two paths are combinedto determine the absoluterange to the point. Hugelaser modulation bandwidth(100GHz) makes precise measurement possible in amillisecond. The distancemeasurement is then combi-ned with the positions of thetwo precision encoders to

The LR200 may even measure backsights by reflection on a mirror

determine a point on a surface in space. The LaserRadar scans complex geo-metry that was impossibleto scan before because itwas too large, difficult toreach, very complex, soft ordelicate or just too labor-intensive. Comparison toCAD is an expected featurefor most work.

Large scale 3D metrologymade mobile

The new Laser Radar LR200is fast, easy to use, veryaccurate and portable. Theopen interface of the LR200enables direct software con-trol for embedded applica-tions. The system contains a cart with one or two monitors. In a two-displaysystem, one LCD screen displays the application soft-ware while the other screenshows a color video imageof the area to be measured.Only one person is requiredto set up the system, and itcan continue to run unatten-ded. The system works indoors or outside, in anylighting, and on any surface.The system may easily beintegrated into remote auto-mated systems. Data can be imported into leading3rd-party software to meet abroad range of inspection,quality assessment, reverseengineering, and otherspecial application needs.

LR200 speeds up ProcessControl

Aerospace firms like Boeinghave been early adopters ofCoherent Laser Radar.Antenna makers have elimi-nated mysterious noise byidentifying, modifying, andrechecking some very subtlesurface irregularities. Otherindustries as well have comeforward with compellingjustifications. The instru-ment accurately aligns largeparts during assembly. Itcertifies tooling and then

monitors its repeatabilityduring production. It measu-res metal, plastic and com-posite as-built parts andcompares them to as-designed CAD models.Coherent Laser Radar can beused for many applicationstoday. It rapidly samples as-built surfaces directly to aCAD model and does it overextremely large areas in acontiguous coordinatesystem. And because opera-tors can accurately referencekey features or fiducials as they go, relocating thesystem eliminates the needfor complicated reassemblyof data clouds after the job.

Says Bill Griffin, Senior Research Engineer of MissionResearch Corporation:

“Mission Research Corpora-tion in Dayton, Ohio uses LR200 Laser Radar to per-form precision 3D volumetricmeasurements and analysestoward the development,verification, installation andalignment. Our collimatingsurfaces, feed systems, posi-tioning systems, and shieldedanechoic rooms, all requirethe use of the LR200 LaserRadar to ensure the properdesign and cooperative relationship of all compo-nents. The ability to obtainprecise data on a non-contactbasis from the system hassaved weeks of on-site effortwith more complete results.Our success is guaranteednot only by the reliability andusability of the system, butalso by the support.“

Industry requirementsfulfilled

For in-process applications,the system aligns aircraftand automotive componentsand support robotic positio-ning. It can measure orienta-tion, gap, flushness, and fit.In addition, it monitors tooland fixture stability duringuse. A single machine canmonitor several manufactu-ring work cells automaticallywithout the need for opera-tor intervention.

Major manufacturers ofaircraft, large automotiveparts and heavy machinesare integrating CoherentLaser Radar technology intotheir manufacturing proces-ses because they do notwant to wait until parts faildimensional inspection totake corrective action. Andby embedding the LR200technology into criticalprocesses, they eliminatescrap and increase produc-tion speed in a broad rangeof manufacturing areas.

Non-contact 3D Laser MetrologySystem Leica LR200

20

Technological revolution 100 years ago onSwiss mountain peak

Everyone knows that a

specific landscape and

climate leave their mark on

the people living there. The

same goes for the history of

technology, surveying and

mapping where these

factors triggered important

technological developments

and signalled the starting

shot for new companies.

Thus, the history of modern

surveying began exactly

one hundred years ago in

Switzerland’s Lower Valais

region on the slopes of

the Dents du Midi. These

3200-metre peaks, whose

reflections shimmer on Lake

Geneva, were the decisive

challenge for a basic disco-

very in the field of survey-

ing. Not far away on the

Pierre de Nilton on Lake

Geneva, which was taken as

the zero levelling point,

work was commenced in

the same year on the new

Swiss national land survey.

In 2002, the Swiss Professio-

nal Associations for Geo-

matics celebrated 100 years

of surveying.

Only one hundred yearsago, theodolites were stillhuge pieces of equipment,which could only be carriedacross country with the aidof several people. Large,finely engraved, verticallyand horizontally-mountedmetal discs with correspon-

dingly heavy supportingbrackets were necessary toenable a precise triangula-tion.

In September 1902, topo-grapher Heinrich Wild whohad been instructed to mapthe Lower Valais region hadin the course of severaldays’ work just finished hea-ving his massive theodoliteto the high triangulationpoint when the weather suddenly took a turn for theworse. Before he was able tohome in on a neighbouringpeak serving as a triangula-tion point, a severe snow-storm forced him back intothe valley without havingachieved anything. “If asmaller, lighter piece of sur-veying equipment that didnot have to be readjustedeach time it was used hadbeen available, I would havecompleted my triangulationon the eastern peak of theDents du Midi long beforethe storm set in!” the dis-appointed topographer saidto himself and from then onstarted thinking about thepossibilities of constructingsmaller surveying equip-ment. The following decadesproved that Heinrich Wildwas not only a first-classsurveyor, but also anoutstanding inventor.Instead of huge metallictheodolites, he developed

circular glass discs no largerthan the palm of the handengraved with capillary-likedivisions. He then mountedthem into handy, stable andeasy to transport metal hou-sing, well protected againstdirt and moisture. In order to read the 21,600 miniaturearc markings scored ontothe glass discs and furtherarc seconds markings, Heinrich Wild developed anintegrated microscope.

A few years after his crucialexperience on the Dents-du-Midi, Heinrich Wild sub-mitted his patent applicationto the office for intellectualproperty (Patent Office) inBern, which at the time alsoemployed a federal clerk bythe name of Albert Einsteinwho later went on to win aNobel Prize. Two decadeslater, Wild, the geologist Dr.Robert Helbling, from Flums,and the industrialist JacobSchmidheiny from Balgach,put the ideas into practice intheir own Swiss plant inHeerbrugg.

Here Henry Wild constructedhis legendary Wild T2 theo-dolite – the precursor to allmodern surveying equip-ment. Heinrich Wild’s former“optical workshop” in Heer-brugg subsequently develo-ped into Leica Geosystems.

Left: A repetition theodolite likethe one used by Heinrich Wild onthe Dents du Midi.Right: The small theodolite WildT2 is the precursor of all modernsurveying equipment.

Leica Geosystems - Milestones in precision engineering - Heerbrugg

21

LH Systems – both belong-ing to Leica Geosystem’sGIS & Mapping division.With such equipment,experts in recording, visuali-sing, mapping and model-ling 3-D objects are success-fully continuing the pionee-ring work in geomatics ofthe surveyor and constructorHeinrich Wild. Their soft-ware products expand thesefunctions to include the analysis, integration andadministration of such datain geographical informationsystems (GIS). Following theelectronic angular sensingand distance measurementtechnology developed inrecent years and the globalpositioning systems today’s3-D laser scanning (Cyra)and geo-referenced 3-D soft-ware now count as key technology of the future. Inkeeping with tradition, LeicaGeosystems is a pioneer inthese two segments as well.

The topographer HeinrichWild would be amazed athow his business successorshave led geomatics into thenext century and secured aposition as a global playerfor his former workshop.Were he to look inside alaser tachymeter from 2002,which still reflects the

Following the descent from the 3200 metre Dents du Midi, itwas here on the banks of LakeGeneva, where Heinrich Wildhad his ground-breaking ideasexactly 100 years ago.

This chart prepared to mark thecompany’s eightieth anniversarycombines the principle survey-ing and photogrammetry productlines of Leica Geosystems’Heerbrugg factory, the succe-ssor to Heinrich Wild’s precisionmechanics and optical work-shop. The microscopy division,which is not included here, was separated in 1996 and thespecial products division in2002. Kern & Co., Aarau, wasadded to Leica Geosystems in1988. The companies Cyra,Erdas, Laser Alignment and LH systems followed in 2001.

Heinrich Wild’s ascent withheavy surveying equipment washard work, encouraging him tostart to think about smaller devices.

The most modern tachymeters ofour time are based on HeinrichWild’s basic idea. Admittedly,they incorporate laser distancegauging, microelectronics andsoftware including countlessmeasurement and calculationfunctions at a keystroke.

Superiority in the field

of photogrammetry and

remote sensing

As early as the 1920s,Heinrich Wild’s inventivegenius in developing aerialimaging cameras and photo-grammetry mapping deviceshad also a decisive influenceon aerial surveying – and thecompany’s strong “air posi-tion” has remained until thisvery day. For quick andaccurate survey of land-scapes and towns, 3-D lidarlaser scanners and aerialdigital imaging sensors andvisualisation are usedtogether with geographicinformation softwaredeveloped by ERDAS and

construction principle of hisT2 theodolite, Heinrich Wildwould not only discover thathis glass discs are now digitalised using barcodes,but also that countless otherelements have been mini-aturised ever further – suchas laser diodes and electro-nic chips. In addition, soft-ware used now to performthe equations – that wouldnormally take him weeks tocalculate. Having themodern instrument at hisside, would have enabledWild to gather the necessarymeasurements and returnfrom the summit, long before the snowstorm hadthe chance to interrupt hiswork. Stfi

The Leica premises in Heerbrugg (Switzerland) photographedin May 2002 using the world’s first digital aerial imaging sensor, the Leica ADS40.

22

From the orthophotos and the elevation information, one couldthen enter a virtual world and visitthe site of the imagery. Becauseall the imagery and orthophotoswould be geographically aware,they could all be used to createphotorealistic worlds, which couldbe accurately measured. This 3D world could be used to verifyexisting 3D GIS databases or buildnew ones. Software could thenrecognize and identify features inthe images such as roads, groundcover, buildings, and so forth. The3D world could also be sharedamong office and field workers,with wireless communicationsenabling two-way data flow. Fieldcrews could send data to theoffice, while office staff couldwirelessly transmit databaseupdates to workers’ image-enabled systems, all in real time. Is this a utopian vision of 3D GISdata capture – some wild dreamthat can never be realized? Hardly. After all, the convergenceof spatial technologies has beenproceeding at full steam for several years. Convergence. Once disparatetools used by distinct disciplines,GIS, GPS, and imaging technolo-gies are becoming increasinglyintegrated. Add to that the increa-sed power of handheld computingand the proliferation of wirelesscommunications capabilities andsuch an ideal seems quite realand very near.Such is the long-term vision ofLeica Geosystems’ GIS & MappingDivision. And it was just this type of farsighted thinking that led theDivision last year to integrate thegeographic imaging expertise ofERDAS and the aerial imaging and

ouldn’t it be nice if populating your GISdatabase was as simple as using adigital camera? With

consumer-level software fordigital cameras, one can shoot aseries of photos in a panoramaand the software finds thematches and mosaics the indivi-dual scenes into a single largeimage.Perhaps in the not-too-distantfuture, GIS professionals willacquire spatial data in a similarmanner. After all, it is alreadyquite commonplace for indivi-duals to acquire images locatedwith GPS. And many systems nowallow GPS field data to be feddirectly into a GIS. With the combination of GPS, inertial navigation systems, and digitalimaging, it is already possible tocreate accurate orthomaps withlittle or no ground control.As the software supporting thesesolutions continues to advance, the technological complexities willbecome increasingly invisible.Much as a GPS user needs toknow little about complex mathe-matics and satellite signal proces-sing, the user who wishes toextract features from imagery willsoon need only minimal knowled-ge about the underlying photo-grammetry to reap its benefits. Soon, software will be able totransparently assemble a collec-tion of images, automaticallydetermine tie points, solve the orientation, extract elevationinformation from the overlaps,generate orthophotos, and createa single large mosaic – with noneed for human intervention.

WSince its 2001 acquisition of

LH Systems and ERDAS,Leica Geosystems GIS &

Mapping Division hasmobilized to integrate

its product offerings inairborne data acquisi-

tion, geographicimaging, GPS/GIS, and

Land InformationSystems. As it begins to optimize the inter-

operability of thesecomplementary

technologies, LeicaGeosystems aims to

transform the way wecapture, analyze, and

use spatial data.

The Point-and-Click Future of GISThe Point-and-Click Future of GISA Report from Geospatial Solutions

23

applications that could benefitfrom image-enabled data acquisi-tion tools.With its roots in surveying andGPS technologies, Leica Geo-systems was already a top conten-der in GPS/GIS data acquisition.Its GS50, and now GS50+,coupled with its GIS DataPRO™office software, and the brand-new GS20 (see page 17) enableusers to collect spatial data andstore them in a GIS-ready format. Add the soon-to-be-released LandInformation Systems products tothe equation and you have top-notch management solutions thatbring survey-quality measure-ments into the GIS world. Theseproducts include a unique innova-tion to provide survey tools thatextend the functionality of ESRI’sArcGIS, providing a new routefrom survey measurements to the GIS database with integral qualitymanagement tools (ESRI’s SurveyAnalyst); a powerful package thatmanages surveying, mapping,and database operations for cadastral purposes (ArcCadastre);and a tool for field data collectionand update using the ESRI Geo-database format(FieldGIS). Indeed, each ofthe previouslydistinct organiza-tions that make upthe Leica Geo-systems GIS &Mapping Divisionalready boastedan impressive productlineup and supported awell-established customerbase in disparate applica-tion areas (see “CustomerSnapshot” sidebar on page24). But building on the synergies among theproducts and people is really where the Division’sfuture lies. The coalescingof talents and productsfrom these well-establishedtechnology leaders may justbe the key to realizing thevision of point-and-clickGIS.

photogrammetry know-how of LH Systems with its own GPS/GISprowess.“Combining these resources allows us to address the growingrequirements for acquisition, processing, and visualization of3D imagery to populate GIS andCAD databases,” said Bob Morris,President of Leica Geosystems’GIS & Mapping Division. “It crea-tes a tremendous opportunity toleverage the strengths of eachgroup in developing world-class solutions for producing intelligent 3D maps and databases.”And Leica Geosystems has a lot of strength to build on.

A firm foundationThe company already has exten-sive expertise in each of themarkets and technologies it aimsto coalesce. Its RC30 aerial filmcamera, for instance, is well established in its marketplace andhas recently been complementedby the ADS40, an Airborne DigitalSensor, and the ALS40, an Air-borne Laser Scanner. Each ofthese products is well positionedto serve customers whose focus is on airborne operations. The Division’s photogrammetricsolutions include options for theprofessional photogrammetristand the GIS analyst. The longstan-ding SOCET SET® software suite,with ORIMA for triangulation andPRO600 software for data extrac-tion and editing, is complementedby the DSW500 film scanner tomeet the increased editing andspeed demands of the professio-nal photogrammetrist. The ERDAS flagship product suite,ERDAS IMAGINE®, with its nume-rous specialty tools for image processing, remote sensing, andphotogrammetric processing andanalysis, enhances the workflowrequirements of the Division’sdiverse customer base. Its IMAGINE OrthoBASE® and Ortho-BASE Pro™ have also made aquick impact on the photogram-metric marketplace since theirrecent introductions to the GIS analyst. And, as a tool forvisualizing imagery and data,IMAGINE VirtualGIS™ has a significant future in a variety of

Coalescing technologiesToday, Leica Geosystems’ GIS &Mapping Division provides custo-mers with integrated mappingsolutions across four previouslydistinct areas – airborne dataacquisition, geographic imaging,GPS/GIS, and Land InformationSystems. The company’s sensors,field data collectors, workstations,and software enable users to create and update GIS databasesquickly and accurately. Such capa-bilities enable Leica Geosystemsto offer products and support for

data acquisi-tion rangingfrom space-

The company’s product lines are increasingly bundled andintegrated. Customers who purchase a GS50 or GS50+ datacollector through March 2003, for instance, will receive afree copy of IMAGINE Essentials software to organize, edit, and present their data.

IMAGINE VirtualGIS will be central to image-enabled data acquisition tools.

24

300 employees – plus 2,100 moreinnovators that drive Leica’s otherfive divisions (Consumer Products,Industrial Measurement, NewBusinesses, Special Products, andSurveying & Engineering) –

promises to yield technologicaladvances that cut across the company’s entire product line. “Leveraging the scope, exper-ience, and tremendous expertiseof our employees, along with the

borne (satellite remote sensing) toairborne (aerial photogrammetry)to handheld, with precise GPS/GISand land information manage-ment. And, cross-pollinationamong the Division’s more than

Customer Snapshot Versatility in mapping. In New Brunswick, Canada, the City of Fredericton uses Leica Geosystems’ GS50 handheldGPS/GIS data collectors to map snowmobile trails in thewinter and storm sewers and manholes when the snowrecedes. And the mapping work isn’t just done by sur-veyors. According to GIS Supervisor Rob Lunn, the GS50’ssimple interface means end users can complete their ownmapping tasks according to their own schedules and inaccordance with their specific needs.

Indiana DOQQs. In 2002, Kosciusko County, Indiana, taskedmapping and design firm Woolpert LLP (www.woolpert.com) with acquiring aerial photography, ground control,and LIDAR data and producing digital orthophotos.

Woolpert used SOCET SET, ORIMA, and GPS support software supplied by Leica Geosystems to perform theaerial triangulation. According to Woolpert, using SOCETSET and ORIMA decreased production time 75 percentcompared with using conventional aerial triangulationmethods.

Monitoring grasslands. In China,where grasslands compose 40 per-cent of the entire country, monito-ring the structure, function, anddynamic change of this importantland resource is critical, especiallygiven the growing population andthreats from natural disasters anddevelopment. To manage grass-lands, the Ministry of Agriculture(MOA) is building a unified infor-mation system for monitoringgrass bio-logy. It is using SPOT(www.spot. com) images to acquirethe most current information aboutthe grasslands, ERDAS IMAGINE to estimate the grass areas fromthese images, and ESRI’s(www.esri.com) ArcGIS to conductanalysis. The MOA will integratehistorical information, statisticaldata, and the considerable experience of its staff with spatialmonitoring of grassland conditions(including the transition from grassland to desert or marshland)and productivity. From the informa-tion gathered, the MOA will deve-lop a prediction and protectionreport to provide to governmentdecision makers.

City of Fredericton staff use the GS50 to mapsnowmobile trails in the winter (above andright) and city infrastructure in the summer.

Woolpert chose SOCET SET, ORIMA, and GPSfor aerial triangulation (below).

The Chinese Ministry of Agriculture is using ERDAS IMAGINEto estimate grass areas for the entire country.

25

zing imagery and data is remark-able and will have a significantfuture in a variety of applications,”said Morris. This particular developmentavenue truly highlights theongoing trend toward coalescingspatial technologies.“These small examples demon-strate our commitment to productintegration,” said Morris, “but soon we plan to introduce evenmore integrated service offeringscovering the spectrum from hard-ware service through softwaresupport to education andtraining.”Meanwhile, the company continu-es to innovate in each of its business and technology areas.

user selects the images to be corrected, the product sectionsimagery into tiles and collects statistical information aboutbrightness and contrast. It thenuses this information to create acorrection function that compen-sates for disproportionate varia-tion for each image.

Image-enabling. Among the most lofty product integrationgoals still in development is thatof image-enabling many of thecompany’s data acquisitionproducts to make them even moreintuitive and easy to use. TheERDAS IMAGINE product line willserve as a core development environment for this task.“The power and versatility of IMAGINE VirtualGIS for visuali-

pure economies of scale, willallow us to provide unparalleledservice to our customers,” saidMorris.Already, the GIS & MappingDivision has announced signifi-cant developments that demon-strate the evolving technologycohesion.

Digital data processing. In May, for instance, the Divisionintroduced the Leica TerrainProductivity Bundle, a softwarepackage that combines the work-flow functionality of IMAGINEOrthoBASE Pro with the terrainediting capabilities and speed ofSOCET SET. Comprising ERDASIMAGINE, IMAGINE OrthoBASEPRO geographic imaging soft-ware, and SOCET SET’s CORE,STEREO, and ITE modules, thebundle enables customers tomore effectively process, edit,analyze, and visualize such dataas automatically generated digital terrain models.“We are developing logical inter-action across our extensive pro-duct lines to make our systemseven more intuitive and respon-sive to customer needs,” saidMorris. “This bundle is especiallydesigned for GIS and mappingprofessionals whose technicalrequirements demand greater terrain editing flexibility than isavailable with IMAGINE, but donot call for the full functionality ofSOCET SET’s advanced photo-grammetry system.” (For moreabout uses of SOCET SET, see“Mapping the Hoover DamBypass” sidebar. Read moreabout image processing withERDAS IMAGINE in the“Calculating Open Land” sidebaron this page)

Image cleanup. For imagedodging and balancing, LeicaGeosystems’ GIS & Mapping Division recently introduced theImageEqualizer. Tailored forphotogrammetrists, the product isa standalone application forcorrecting such image variationsas hot spots, unequal lighting,atmospheric and temporal effects,or color cast in single and multipleimages simultaneously. Once the

Mapping the Hoover Dam Bypass

When contractors for the Federal Highway Administration began to weigh theiroptions for the $198 million Hoover Dam Bypass, they required aerial imagery tohelp them evaluate the environmental, historic, cultural, and aesthetic impact ofmultiple proposed roadway and bridge concepts. The bypass project aims torelieve major traffic congestion on U.S. Highway 93. A major commercial corridorbetween Arizona, Nevada, and Utah, the highway passes along the top of theHoover Dam National Monument.

In July 2001, the prime contractor,HDR Engineering (www.hdrinc.com), tasked Kenney AerialMapping (KAM, www.kam-az.com)with the aerial mapping. Once ground control was established,KAM flew nine flight lines at 1,800feet over the project area, acquiringphotography at a scale of 1:3,600with 80-percent overlap. Theycaptured additional stereo coverageat 1:12,000 and 1:24,000 to supportfuture mapping efforts. Designmapping was completed coveringan area 4.3 miles long and 500 feetalong either side of the proposedalignment. Next, using SOCETSET’s digital photogrammetric software from Leica Geosystems,KAM created color digital ortho-photography with a 0.3-foot groundsample distance.

The mapping project extended up the cliff faces. KAM digitized a 3D model wherevertical stereo imagery was inadequate. Surveyors scaled the cliffs to establishcontrol for these areas. Ground-based LIDAR helped capture 3D data of the clifffaces, resulting in an integrated 3D surface model for the entire project.

“Compilation of the irregular terrain created a challenge,” said KAM’s John Cahoon. “It required numerous breaklines to depict rock outcrops and roughswales accurately, and that’s not to mention processing the massive and complexelectrical facilities of Hoover Dam.” Despite the challenging work environmentand schedule, though, the imagery was acquired, processed, and delivered inonly six weeks.

Kenney Aerial Mapping used SOCET SET digital photogrammetric software to createcolor digital orthophotos of Hoover Dam.

26

ranging) to the mix. Its ALS40reportedly offers the widest fieldof view (75 degrees) and highestaltitude capability (6,100 metersabove ground) of any LIDARsystem available. Further, rangeand intensity can be altered midflight, on a flightline-by-flight-line basis. “The ALS40’s flexibility to switchmodes midflight can save users atremendous amount of storageand processing costs by collectingexactly the level of detailnecessary for each flightline,”said Doug Flint, Director, LIDAR,Leica Geosystems GIS & Mapping.

Centimeter-level GPS. To enablecentimeter-level GPS/GIS datacollection, the division recentlyunveiled its GS50+ with a real-time kinematic, 24-channel, dual-frequency receiver GPS engine.For GIS data acquisition with GPSposition, the GS50+ stores ESRIshapefiles in its GIS DataPRO postprocessing software. (For moreabout use of the GS50 andDataPRO software, see “Buildinga Bus Route GIS” sidebar on page27.) The shapefiles can be auto-matically transferred to anysoftware capable of readingshapefiles – including ERDAS IMAGINE – to visualize, manipu-late, analyze, measure, andintegrate geographic imagery intotwo- and three-dimensionalenvironments. The unit features full expandabili-ty, offering scalable architecture in

LIDAR. Moving well beyond traditional digital sensors, LeicaGeosystems’ integration of LH Systems also introducedLIDAR (light detection and

The ADS40 simultaneously captures data from threepanchromatic and four multispectral bands, as seen in thisimagery of Adria, Italy - no difficult choice to make betweenpanchromatic, color and false color film.

Digital sensing. In the airbornedata acquisition realm, the GIS &Mapping Division recentlydebuted the ADS40 to Americancustomers. Offering the coverageperformance of an aerial filmcamera, the ADS40 provides mul-tispectral data, something normal-ly acquired from a spaceborneplatform. The digital sensor –which captures 3 panchromaticchannels (forward, nadir, andbackward) and 4 multispectralbands (red, green, blue, and near-infrared) simultaneously – can beused for crop and land-use analy-sis, environmental planning, andall photogrammetric applications. “The convenience of the all-digitalworkflow means an up-to-date, efficient production environmentfor our customers,” said LudgerUllrich, Vice-President of AirborneData Acquisition, Analog/DigitalSensors.

Calculating Open LandHuman alteration to the landscape of the Nemadji River watershed — whichcovers 275,000 acres in northeastern Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin —has accel-erated erosion of the area’s glacial till and red clay soils. Consequently,extensive sediment is being deposited into Wisconsin’s Superior Bay. To analyzeand address the problem, the Nemadji River Basin Project set out to identify thesubwatersheds in which the amount of open land — land that is either in agricul-tural production or timber that has been harvested in the past 15 years — was 40percent or greater.

To identify open land within the watershed, the project called on Community GISServices (www.commgis.org), a nonprofit organization serving the needs ofgovernment entities. Community GIS used 16 years of Landsat 5 and Landsat 7imagery to develop 0–15-year timber age class GIS coverage using ERDAS IMAGINE Professional software for image rectification and change detection.

“ERDAS [IMAGINE] performedastoundingly well while rectifying16 scenes of Landsat imagery,”said John Kubiak of CommunityGIS. “Our next step was to analy-ze changes in the land cover bycomparing the rectified Landsatscenes on a year-to-year basis.We used ERDAS (IMAGINE) chan-ge detection to give us a goodidea on where to look, but conti-nued to review them manuallythroughout the analysis.”

Local governments will use theinformation to work on a volun-tary basis with public and privatelandowners to coordinate timberharvesting and tree plantingalong riparian corridors in sub-watersheds that are approachingthe 40-percent open land thres-hold.

To delineate open land and conduct changedetection, Community GIS processed Landsatdata using ERDAS IMAGINE.

27

calculation, and one-step trans-formation and coordinate geometry that allows users toconform to any coordinate systemin the field and on-the-fly. Fortransferring data, the unit

which users can switch from GISto survey functionality or add GIScapabilities to an existing surveyreceiver. It also boasts a real-timeaccuracy monitor, graphical navi-gation display, area/ perimeter

Building a Bus Route GIS

The GRTC Transit System operates more than 180 busesand serves about 2,800 county bus stops. In the past, it ranthis extensive network without an in-housespatial database. As the primary providerof bus and other transport-ation services tothe fastest-growing metro-politan area incentral Virginia, GRTC Transit needed toremedy this situation, and quickly, especi-ally with urban growth demanding thatnew bus routes beadded regularly. So, inearly 2001, it acquired aGS50 data collectionsystem and set out tobuild a GIS.

GIS Coordinator JakeHelmboldt first built abase layer using cen-terline, roadway, andsidewalk files, alongwith orthophotos andparcel data obtainedfrom the City ofRichmond and HenricoCounty. To develop thebus stop layer, he hitthe streets with theGS50 and recorded theGPS locations of all exi-sting bus stops. Whileat each stop, he alsorecorded curb lengths. He obtained positions on each endof the curb when necessary and recorded such impedi-ments as intersecting driveways or business entrances. Hefurther documented the positions of trash cans, benches,shelters, and ramps and noted existing conditions andmaintenance needs.

Using a codelist he specifically developed for the project,Helmboldt recorded attributes of each feature, including

length, bus stop number, sign type, and bus stop-facingdirection.

He used the GS50 to note which bus stop signs needed tobe replaced or repaired, and to indicate which signs had

already been replaced.From a project manage-ment standpoint,Helmboldt said the signreplacement data had been especially valuable.Back at headquarters,Helmboldt downloadedthe data into Leica’s GISDataPRO for post processing.

“This was really easy with DataPRO,”Helmboldt said. “Notmuch post processingwas necessary. It wasmainly a matter of mat-ching up our data toverify our bus stop identi-fication numbers and eli-minate duplication in ourdatabase.”

To accomplish this, he simply cross-referenced bus stopidentification numbers with bus routes. Then, he convertedthe data to ESRI shapefiles and used them to create an enti-re route network.

Using this GIS database, he’s already conducted some proximity analysis to assess holes in coverage areas anddone some buffering to analyze walking distances for pros-pective riders. In addition, some of the attributes Helmboldtcollected have helped the transit company to determinewhether stops are Americans with Disabilities Act–accessi-ble and decide where additional amenities are needed.And, as soon as they get their hands on ESRI’s NetworkAnalyst, GRTC Transit will start to conduct routing analysis.

Using the GS50, Jake Helmboldtmapped the location and attri-butes of 2,800 central Virginiabus stops en route to building atransit system GIS.

Merrick and Company usedthe ALS40 to acquire LIDAR data and render the above image of footballstadiums in Aurora, Colorado.

supports data radios and also enablesusers to transmit via digital modems or cellphones. By plugging the modem into theproduct box, users can control it from theirhandheld terminal.

Just point and clickSo what does the future hold for Leica Geosystems’ GIS & Mapping Division? “Very simple,” said Morris. “We aspire to be the leading player in offering 3D solutions in data acquisition,processing, quality control, update, andvisualization for GIS databases. 3D GIS is at the very center of our developmentefforts.”Combine this with effective workflows and wireless data transfer, and LeicaGeosystems may just make point-and-clicksimplicity a part of your GIS world.

28

Leica Geosystems isproviding eight Global Posi-tioning System (GPS)receivers to the West Antarc-tic GPS Network (WAGN)project to assist in themeasurement of crustalmotions of the bedrockunderlying and surroundingthe West Antarctic Ice Sheet(WAIS). Antarctica occupiesa key location in both theglobal system of tectonicplates and the global climatesystem. The future of theWAIS and the correspondingeffect on sea level is largelycontrolled by the behaviourof the lithosphereunderlying the ice sheet. WAGN is a National ScienceFoundation-sponsoredproject involving TheUniversity of Texas at Austin

Nowhere is volcanism more

impressive and varied than

on the largest volcanic

island of the earth – Iceland.

During the last decade the

European Space Agency

(ESA) has supported a num-

ber of disaster monitoring

research projects utilizing

the radar satellites ERS-1

and ERS-2. Following the

recent launch on 1 March

2002 of the ENVISAT – Euro-

pe’s newest polar-orbiting

scientific satellite – it is envi-

saged that this continuing

research will be greatly

improved.

Dr Ulrich Münzer from theInstitute of General and

Europe’s Earth Observa-

tion Satellite – ENVISAT

Envisat is in a near-polarSun-synchronous orbit at amean altitude of 800km.The satellite has ten diffe-rent instruments mountedon-board, many of whichare a development ofthose from ERS-1 and ERS-2. This means that itwill be possible to makecomparisons between con-ditions observed duringEnvisat’s lifetime andthose recorded during thepast 10 years. Envisat iscarrying three imagingdevices: the AdvancedSynthetic Aperture Radar(ASAR), the AdvancedAlong Track ScanningRadiometer (AATSR), andthe Medium ResolutionImaging Spectrometer(MRIS). The remaininginstruments are designedto measure certain atmos-pheric parameters andmany of the actualconstituents of the atmos-phere helping scientists tounderstand each part ofthe Earth system and topredict how changes inone part will affect others.There is a dual-frequencyradar altimeter (RA-2) tohelp with the determina-tion of the surface topo-graphy of the oceans andalso a DORIS microwaveDoppler tracking system toprovide precise orbitaldata.

Leica GPS measures crustalmovements in the Antarctic

Institute for Geophysics(UTIG), the Pacific GPS Faci-lity (PGF) at the University ofHawaii School of OceanScience and Technology,and the Center for Earthqua-ke Research and Information(CERI) at the University ofMemphis.

Leica Geosystems is providingeight GPS receivers to assist inthe measurement of crustalmovements under the ice sheet.

On 14 May 2002, theMichigan Spatial ReferenceNetwork celebrated itsGrand Opening in Lansing,Michigan, with over 190guests attending the “Black-tie” event. Guests of honorfor the festivities were HansHess, CEO of LeicaGeosystems and MathewSmith, North America Presi-dent of Leica Geosystems.The Michigan SpatialReference Network(M.S.R.N.) is considered themost advanced GPS referen-ce network in the WesternHemisphere. It consists of 17permanently-fixed high pre-cision GPS antennas (LeicaAT504) mounted on “Earlco-nic” proprietary concrete pil-lars and powered by Leica’sworld famous RS500 highprecision GPS receivers. “As a result of the infrastruc-

The Leica Geosystems team inattendance stands around an“Earlconic“ Michigan SpatialReference Network Antenna.

Blacktie celebration for Grand Openingture put in place by theMichigan Department ofTransportation, local countyand city governments cannow integrate ReferenceStations into their own com-munities, thereby increasingsurvey production at a locallevel and providing common

coordinate data for theirmany uses,” said Richard R.Sauve II, Leica Geosystems’Technical Sales Representa-tive for the state ofMichigan.

29

Dr. Ulrich Münzer (left) and UweBacher work on the cornerreflector V4 (Vatnajökull North).

ENVISAT research project uses Leica GPSfor disaster monitoring in Iceland

Applied Geology at the Lud-wig-Maximilians Universityin Munich is conductingongoing ESA projects in Ice-land together with scientistsfrom Germany, Iceland andAustria. Following volcaniceruptions in 1996 and 1998in the Vatnajökull glacier ofIceland, an ESA project wasinitiated to investigate thepossibilities of radar remotesensing to observe glaciersand volcanic areas.

Seismic activity in glaciers

Volcanic and seismic activityis common in Iceland, which is located on the Mid-Atlantic ridge where theplates of North America andEurasia spread apart. In thesouth of the island some ofthe volcanoes and geother-mal areas are covered byglaciers, making it a parti-cularly interesting place forthe study of glacier-heat andglacier-volcanic interactions. In several of the sub-glacialgeothermal areas, destruc-tive “jökulhlaups” – suddenbursts of water from the gla-cier – can occur causingextensive damage to thelandscape and large vegeta-ted areas, forming canyons,

and transporting huge amounts of sediments.During the volcanic eruptionin 1996, the water travelledup to 53,000 cubic metersper second. Jökulhlaups are caused when ice meltscontinuously within the geo-thermal areas forming areservoir of the melt-waterunderneath the glacier.When the water level hasreached a position highenough to over win theoverburden ice pressure, the water rushes out and ajökulhlaup starts.

Radar remote sensing

The ERS-1/2 Tandem Satelli-te Missions in 1995-1996 andthe Check Outs up to 2000,offered a unique opportunityto investigate the possibili-

ties of radar remote sensingto observe the ongoingdynamical processes.Research aimed at detectingchanges on glaciers due tosub-glacial geothermal areasand volcanic activity, andobserving the geomorpholo-gic effects of the jökulhlaups.

Improved features on

ENVISAT

ENVISAT contains a numberof new instruments that aredesigned to provide additio-nal information about theEarth’s land and sea sur-faces. A number of instru-ments from Leica Geo-systems have been used onIceland for this disastermonitoring. Aerial photo-graphs were taken over theVatnajökull glacier with a

Leica RC30 aerial camera,precise photogrammetricelevation model was develo-ped with the workstationDPW770, and documenta-tion photos made with Leica R7 and R8. A GPSmeasuring campaign wasalso made with the LeicaGPS 200 system.

Purpose-built corner

reflectors

In the active zone of southIceland, a total of 30 CornerReflectors were purpose-designed and built. Due totheir positioning in areaswith only minor surfaceroughness they show excel-lent signal reflection capabi-lities, and therefore are usedas tie points for the ERS-1/2Tandem mission processingand for geocoding the SARdata. With help from theLeica GPS 200 equipment,all reflectors were aligned tothe Azimuth of the satelliteswith the highest precision;the determination of theposition and the height(WGS 84) was carried outwith differential GPS, andwas reached in a measure-ment time of two hours withcentimeter precision. Sincethe ENVISAT has the samesatellite orbit as the ERS-1and ERS-2, the corner reflec-tors can now be used for thenew ENVISAT Project“Hazard Assessment andPrediction — Long-termObservation of Icelandic Volcanoes and GlaciersUsing ENVISAT-ASAR andOther Radar Data” making avaluable contribution to theproject in general.

Dr Th. Bahr with a Leica GPS200System at the corner reflectorV5 (Vatnajökull North) with sign-post volcano Trölladyngja (Photographs: Dr U. Münzer)

30

RUGBY 100 LR: combiningheritage and expertise

Rod-Eye™ Sensors

The Rod-Eye™ Family of

Sensors offers solutions for

any general construction

and interior application,

and are ideally matched to

work with the RUGBY™

Family of lasers. They are

construction-tough,

designed to work in harsh,

loud environments, and

provide precise and

repeatable accuracy. The

sensors emit three selec-

table beeper sounds (rapid,

slow and continue, when

high, low and on-grade

respectively).

The RUGBY 100LR is the first

branded laser built from the

combined heritage and

expertise of Laser Alignment

and Leica Geosystems. Rug-

ged, reliable and the best-

value-for-money general

construction laser, the

RUGBY 100LR is an automa-

tic self-leveling general con-

struction laser. According to

Dan Dykhuis, Program Direc-

tor of Lasers, “The RUGBY

100LR is a result of listening

to our customers. It is built

to be rugged, yet easy to

use, and can make quick

work of concrete forming,

pad placement and

framework, setting founda-

tion and footings, as well

as elevation indication for

heavy equipment.”

The RUGBY 100LR has aworking range of up to 2500’(770 m), automatic elevationalert function, manual gradeup to ±10% with cross-axisself levelling. It levels auto-matically and very quicklytoo, has a simple five-switchkeypad that controls all thefunctions, plus a low-batteryand an out of level indicator.“Building along the sameprinciples that guided thedevelopment of the earlier

Leica Geosystems’ newsolutions for the constructionsite measurement

product, the RUGBY 100,customers can look forwardto the same level of reliabi-lity and robustness. TheRugby 100 has received anoverwhelmingly enthusiasticresponse from both Dealersand Customers worldwide”added Dan.

The co-molded housing ofhigh-impact plastic and rubber is as rugged as itlooks. RUGBY 100LR is thefirst Leica branded productcombining the heritage andexpertise of Laser Alignmentand Leica Geosystems.

Constructionon a new level

31

Another one of Leica Geo-

systems’ latest innovations

is the new Series TPS400

Total Stations launched

world-wide in July 2002.

The TPS400 instruments aredesigned for general con-struction, simple alignmentsor complex stake outs,earthmoving or pipe layout,simply for any kind of civilengineering applications atall.

Based on Leica’s long expe-rience in optics, mechanicaland electronic design thetechnical concept of theTPS300/700 series, theTPS400 features a completenew approach in user friend-liness. All models come withan intuitive keyboard and a large, high resolution LCD-display and have beendesigned to require zerolearning time, and theinstrument can be used toits full capacity with onlyfour function keys. Settingup the instrument with alaser plummet andelectronic level is easy and

The Leica 3D Control Systemfor Graders has been furtherdeveloped, so that now, inaddition to the TPS1100 andthe TPS1000 series, theLeica GPS System 500 canbe used. The higher measu-ring frequency of the GPSsensor and the wider rangewill greatly improve workingconditions. The version 3.0software has also been further optimized to make iteasier for the driver tooperate the colourful touchscreen on the new machinecomputer.

Higher efficiency and lower

work stress

Fusing GPS technology withmachine control broadensthe scope of application asGPS can be used 24 hours a

The Leica 3D control system forGraders greatly improves workconditions

TPS400 - A new approach in user friendliness

day, in just about anyweather. It is also no longera requirement to maintainvisual contact betweenmachine and total station,meaning that the driver canconcentrate on grading.Compared to total stations,

the endless fine drives andthe accurate Leica telescopewith 30-times magnificationprecisely targets eachmeasuring point. The inte-grated electronic distance

meter, featuring convenientinfrared and reflectorlesstechnology, measures to target plates, prisms or anygiven surface.

Taking account of the mostfrequently required con-struction applications, theTPS400 Series is suppliedwith the following applica-tions programs: Surveyingwith Coding, Stakeout, Free-Station Survey, Tie Distance,Reference line, RemoteHeight, Area Computation,Target Point Offset andHeight Transfer. In additionto the onboard programs,Leica offers the new “LeicaSurvey Office”, a PC basedprogram package for datatransfer that comes witheach instrument. Theprogram package helps youcreate co-ordinate files,code-lists or user-defineddata output formats.

GPS only has to be set uponce and covers the entireconstruction site.Construction sites of 10 x 10 km can be covered with asingle reference station. 3Dcontrol systems with GPSare very well suited for jobs

involving preliminarygrading and for projectsthat require a lot of earth-moving with accuracy downto the centimeter.Beside 3D Control Systemsfor the Grader, Leica Geosy-stems offers solutions forother automated construc-tion machines like the SlipForm Paver, the Trimmer,Paver and Bulldozer.

Fusing GPS technology with Machine Guidance

Geosystems

LEICA DNA Digital Level

Leica Geosystems AG, CH-9435 Heerbrugg (Switzerland), Phone +41 71 727 31 31, Fax +41 71 727 46 73, www.leica-geosystems.com

Advance at a glance. Keep everything in sight thanks to the large Liquid Crystal Display of the new digital

levels by Leica. But there is more. From the alpha numeric keyboard to the PCMCIA–storage card that

provides safe and fast data transfers. Why hesitate now that you can get all the features you always

wanted? Ask your Leica Geosystems representative for more information.