Unmanned Aircraft Systems in Land Surveying: A Comparative Study of LiDAR and Photogrammetry

The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) is strategically leveraging unmanned aircraft systems (UASs) to advance various initiatives, including land surveying. TxDOT is focused on assessing and documenting the benefits and limitations of UAS survey technology, with a particular emphasis on data quality, repeatability, and overall task suitability. UASs equipped with digital cameras, light detection and ranging (LiDAR) sensors, or both enable the collection of high spatial resolution three-dimensional (3D) quantitative geospatial data. This data can be used to support a variety of surveying and mapping activities, potentially with lower costs and greater safety than traditional survey methods. When using a camera, the technique is called Structure-from-Motion photogrammetry or UAS-SfM. In practice, there are important differences between UAS-SfM and UAS-LiDAR including measurement fidelity, operational considerations, post-processing workflows, cost-effectiveness, and task suitability. To better understand the advantages and limitations of UAS-SfM photogrammetry and UAS-LiDAR in real-world scenarios, this research investigated the performance capabilities of both technologies and evaluated their effectiveness for acquiring repeatable 3D and topographic geospatial data. The research involved reviewing UAS-SfM and UAS-LiDAR technologies, documenting operational factors and current practices, conducting field tests of both technologies across various geographic locations, terrain types, and site conditions, evaluating survey repeatability and ground control methods, assessing SfM and LiDAR data processing and post-processing workflows, and developing lessons learned and recommendations to guide implementation.

• Record URL:
  • https://library.ctr.utexas.edu/hostedpdfs/tamu/0-7157-r1.pdf
• Summary URL:
  • https://library.ctr.utexas.edu/Presto/catalogid=42819
• Summary URL:
  • https://library.ctr.utexas.edu/Presto/catalogid=42818
• Summary URL:
  • https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/79333
• Record URL:
  • https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/79334
• Corporate Authors:

  Texas A&M University, Corpus Christi

  Conrad Blucher Institute
  Corpus Christi, TX  United States 

  Texas Department of Transportation

  Research and Technology Implementation Office
  Austin, TX  United States 

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Starek, Michael J
  • Berryhill, Jacob
  • Pashaei, Mohammad
  • Congo, Jose
  • Chu, Tianxing
  • Shukla, Harshit
  • Quiroga, Cesar
• Publication Date: 2024-11

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Appendices; Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 483p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Alternatives analysis; Data collection; Data quality; Drones; Geospatial data; Information processing; Laser radar; Photogrammetry; Surveying
• Subject Areas: Data and Information Technology; Transportation (General);

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01943187
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: FHWA/TX-25/0-7157-R1, 0-7157-R1
• Contract Numbers: 0-7157
• Files: NTL, TRIS, USDOT, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Jan 24 2025 11:10AM