LiDAR BATHYMETRY

Blom provides bathymetric & topographic LiDAR services using an aircraft bathymetry laser system. The technology is capable of collecting both seabed and land data simultaneously, reducing costs, improving consistency and accuracy along the shoreline. Included is also a geo-referenced digital camera sighted co-axially with the laser optics. It is thus an excellent tool for survey, mapping, charting and environmental assessment of shallow waters and the coastal zone. The system can be installed in a wide variety of light aircraft which enables us to mobilize worldwide at short notice and to take advantage of the lower costs associated with smaller aircraft. The system can survey shallow waters, coast lines and islands in a single pass to produce high definition charts and seabed bathymetry to 2.5 times the sight depth.
The airborne survey capability includes all the ground station equipment and positioning solutions to meet the highest specifications and is certified to meet IHO Order 1 survey specifications including the challenging object detection criteria.

The Measuring Principle
The system transmits a narrow beam of red and green laser light in a predefined pattern. Part of the laser energy is reflected from the water surface and part penetrates to the seabed. The reflected light is detected in a special light sensor as a signal pulse response. Specially developed algorithms determine the corrected time lapses between the reflected echoes which, when multiplied by the speed of light through air and through water, give the depth.

By using high-order differential GPS techniques, the height of the aircraft can be determined with great precision that enables the system to operate without recourse to time consuming tidal observations.