Leica Geosystems, part of Hexagon, has introduced the Leica CoastalMapper, an airborne bathymetric lidar system designed for coastline and river surveying. The system offers a wider field of view and the ability to operate at higher altitudes. As a result, the CoastalMapper can survey coastlines and rivers 250% faster than previous sensor models.

The CoastalMapper is suitable for a wide range of mapping applications, from assessing infrastructure resilience to monitoring river floods and conducting environmental investigations in both shallow and deep waters.

It features a combination of a high-performance bathymetric lidar module, a Leica TerrainMapper-3 topographic lidar and an imaging sensor, all integrated into a compact and lightweight sensor head. This allows the CoastalMapper to capture up to 1 million bathymetric data points and 2 million topographic data points per second while providing high-resolution imagery with a 5 cm ground sampling distance at typical flying heights.

One of the key advantages of the CoastalMapper is its ability to collect bathymetric and topographic lidar data and imagery in a single flight. This simultaneous multi-data capture seeks to significantly reduce survey time, operational costs and the environmental impact of each mission. Additionally, it can be mounted on helicopters, allowing for surveys in challenging environments such as rivers in steep mountainous terrain.

The CoastalMapper seamlessly integrates with Leica Geosystems’ airborne mapping workflows. It also offers cluster processing capabilities, allowing users to analyze large datasets and reduce the time from data collection to final deliverables. These outputs can include classified point clouds, digital terrain and surface models, and various imaging products, making the CoastalMapper a comprehensive solution for a wide range of mapping needs.