GUIDE

Wingtra
Photogrammetry
vs. LIDAR

wingtra.com
 W I N GT R A P H OTO G R A M M E T RY VS . L I DA R G U I D E

Photogrammetry Manned Airborne Lightweight UAV

LIDAR LIDAR

How does it
work?

Many high-resolution A light detection and A light detection and

aerial photos are taken to ranging (LIDAR) sensor ranging (LIDAR) sends out
completely capture an area. sends out pulses of laser pulses of laser light and
These images overlap so light and measures the measures the exact time
any point on the ground is exact time it takes for them it takes for these pulses to
visible in multiple photos to return as they bounce return as they bounce from
and from different angles. from the ground. the ground.

Photogrammetry software Manned airborne LIDAR has Recent developments in

draws on the many vantage been around for decades. LIDAR technology have
points of the image data to Sensors are typically heavy reduced the weight, size
create detailed 3D maps. (> 50 kg), so they require a and power consumption of
With post-processing lot of power to keep them these sensors. This led to
in place, precise GNSS aloft. With manned airborne a range of LIDAR solutions
positions are recorded for LIDAR, you can expect to popping up on small
every pixel of every image map from more than unmanned aerial vehicles
availing down to cm-level 1000 m above ground level (UAV), which are available
absolute accuracy in the (AGL) and cover very large on the market today.
final map. areas with a rather sparse
point density.

Payload WingtraOne RX1RII Leica ALS80 Yellowscan Mapper

examples WingtraOne QX1 RIEGL VQ-780 II Zenmuse-L1
Trinity Qube 240

Resolution /
GSD
expectations Up to 20’000 px/m2 Up to 50 pts/m2 Up to 200 pts/m2
(2000 px/ft2) (5 pts/ft2) (20 pts/ft2)

Accuracy
expectations
~ 2 cm (0.8 in) absolute ~ 20 cm absolute horizontal ~ 10 cm absolute horizontal
horizontal accuracy accuracy accuracy
~ 3 cm (1.2 in) absolute ~ 10 cm absolute vertical ~ 5 cm absolute vertical
vertical accuracy accuracy accuracy

Typical 0-10 km2 per flight 10-1’000 km2 per flight 0-10 km2 per flight
coverage

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 W I N GT R A P H OTO G R A M M E T RY VS . L I DA R G U I D E

Photo-
realisticity
Photorealistic maps Sparse point cloud gives Sparse point cloud gives
(Orthomosaic, point cloud, a general sense of shapes a general sense of shapes
textured mesh) are directly and contours but lacks and contours but lacks
available. contextual detail. Detail contextual detail. Detail
still lacks even if the point still lacks even if the point
cloud is colorized with RGB cloud is colorized with RGB
data, which becomes more data, which becomes more
complicated. involved.

Leaf
penetration
No leaf penetration. No leaves penetration. No leaves penetration.
Ground below vegetation Ground below vegetation Ground below vegetation
can only be reconstructed can be reconstructed as can be reconstructed as
if captured from multiple long as single light beams long as single light beams
viewpoints, i.e. only through can pass between the leafs, can pass between the leafs,
at rather open canopy. i.e. on half-closed canopy. i.e. on half-closed canopy.

Workflow &
support
Companies like Pix4D, Point clouds from manned Companies like Phoenix
Agisoft, Bentley CC, aerial LIDAR require trained Lidar Systems, GeoCue and
Propeller or DroneDeploy professionals to oversee Yellowscan are pioneering
have optimized post processing. While it is towards a streamlined data
photogrammetry workflows well-established, it requires processing workflow. Still
over years of experience expertise. today, the process typically
with much data. Cloud/ involves multiple manual
server solutions allow steps, different tools and
for large-scale data expert knowhow to develop
processing with minimal an accurate point cloud.
hardware investment.
Dedicated support teams
are available to help you.

Processing
time ?
Processing with full Typically large-scale Point clouds are typically
resolution takes several datasets are developed available after a few
hours (or days) depending over months with multiple post processing steps
on the project size. correction steps. The like strip adjustment and
If only a sparse set of processing time can not noise filtering. For smaller
accurate tie points (like be compared to the other projects, you can get
from a LIDAR source) is methods. results in less than 1 hour
required, fast processing after the flight.
options on downsampled
data is offered by all
photogrammetry tools.

Payload price
USD 4’000 - 13’000 From USD 100’000 USD 65’000 - 100’000

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 W I N GT R A P H OTO G R A M M E T RY VS . L I DA R G U I D E

Application Suggested Why? Use case/research/

Technology resources

Topographic survey Photogrammetry With photogrammetry, California wildfire damage

without or with light/ you produce denser, richer, assessment amidst
sparse vegetation E.g., WingtraOne RX1 + more accurate point redwood forest stands
Pix4DMapper clouds than with LIDAR. (use case)
This leads to a more
accurate digital terrain High-accuracy port survey
model (DTM) and hence for Ports of Indiana
more accurate contours. (use case)
The contextual data and
the high resolution also Cadastral vineyard survey
allows you to create better (use case)
vector data than from a
sparse LIDAR point cloud.

Plus, photogrammetry is
typically cheaper than
airborne LIDAR.

Topographic survey Photogrammetry + point If part of your map is How to combine

with vegetation ground survey covered with vegetation photogrammetry and
that features a closed LIDAR
E.g., WingtraOne RX1 canopy, we recommend (use cases)
+ Trimble SX10 + complementing aerial
Pix4DMapper photogrammetry with Autodesk course on
a ground survey to combining point clouds
capture the forest floor. and LIDAR
This way, you benefit (course)
from the advantages of
photogrammetry with
minimal additional effort.

These solutions combined

are also typically cheaper
than airborne LIDAR.

Mapping through Manned Airborne LIDAR For large forests with Louisiana Statewide LIDAR
forests on a large dense but penetrable Project (Leica ALS40)
scale / infrastructure E.g., Leica ALS80 canopy, aerial LIDAR (use case)
construction is your most efficient
feasibility studies method to capture the Remote sensing guidelines
(pre-cleaning
forest floor. In many from World Wildlife
areas of the world, state Federation
agencies provide such (use case/guidelines)
terrain models on a large
scale. And for these Using LIDAR to map forest
applications, manned biomass
aerial LIDAR is the right (research)
technology.

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 W I N GT R A P H OTO G R A M M E T RY VS . L I DA R G U I D E

Mining / bare Photogrammetry With photogrammetry, Westemoreland Mining’s

earth: volume you produce denser, richer use of photogrammetry to
calculations, site E.g., WingtraOne RX1 + and more accurate point enhance workflows
management, cut Pix4DMapper clouds than with LIDAR. (use case)
and fill assessment, This leads to a more
stockpile reporting,
accurate digital terrain Accurate volumetrics
pits and ponds
model (DTM) and hence and site surveys with
more accurate volume photogrammetry at
calculations and contours. Jellinbah mine sites
The contextual data and (use case)
the high resolution allows
you to create better Massive, cost-effective
reports and streamlines geothermal energy
your site management. site surveys with
photogrammetry
Plus, photogrammetry is (use case)
typically cheaper than
airborne LIDAR.

Power lines, for Photogrammetry For several years, Photogrammetry vs. LIDAR
vegetation control companies like Alteia, in power line inspections
E.g., WingtraOne RX1 + Pix4D and DJI have proven (proof-of-concept guide)
Alteia that powerlines can be
reconstructed robustly Improved power line
from photogrammetry as extraction methodology
long as a high-end camera (research)
with high resolution is
used. The benefit that User experience
you get from the rich with both LIDAR and
photorealistic information photogrammetry for this
and the lower price make application
this the preferred solution. (use case)

Largest European power

grid operator’s use of
LIDAR
(use case)

Power lines, for pole / Live-video from From a live inspection with How power line inspection
tower inspection multicopter (RGB and/or a multicopter with RGB is most effective with
Thermal) and thermal video feed, drones
you get all information (use cases)
E.g., DJI with within a very short amount
FLIR Duo Pro R of time. Zoom cameras
allow you to inspect
details that are not offered
by photogrammetry or
LIDAR today.

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 W I N GT R A P H OTO G R A M M E T RY VS . L I DA R G U I D E

Rail track inspection Terrestrial/mobile Rail track inspection from Comprehensive guide to
measurements (ultrasonic, both photogrammetry and rail inspection with drones
visual, LIDAR, etc.) aerial LIDAR is an active (case studies)
research field with pros
E.g., RTI 8800SX and cons on both sides. Rail track detection and
The gold standard today, projection based on 3D
providing information modeling
beyond what is visible (research)
(rail track damages like
cracks), is offered by Ultrasonic sensor
mobile surveys conducted application
from a train equipped (use case)
with ultrasonic, visual and
LIDAR sensors.

Vertical structures Photogrammetry With photogrammetry and Reality modeling in

/ city mapping / 3D (emphasizing nadir and/or oblique imagery gathered Medina, Saudi Arabia
mapping oblique capture) by a tilted aerial camera (use case)
or a wide-angle lens, you
E.g., WingtraOne QX1 get better resolution and Cancún city mapping
15mm + Pix4DMapper higher accuracy at a lower project
price than from a LIDAR (use case)
survey. Photorealistic
information is typically High-accuracy port survey
also required for 3D for Ports of Indiana
mapping applications. (use case)

Read the full comparison here.

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For a quote, a live demonstration or more information
on the Wingtra products please contact us via
wingtra.com or hello@wingtra.com

Wingtra AG Giesshübelstrasse 40 hello@wingtra.com

8045 Zürich, Switzerland wingtra.com