Underground Lidar

by | Aug 1, 2022 | GeoLidar

Underground Lidar

Underground lidar is a technology that allows for survey-grade sensing and mapping. It uses lasers to focus on objects and reflect back, measuring the distance by timing the return of the light. This allows the technique to be used as a remote sensing method. Lidar is used to creates high-resolution data maps and 3D images of a surface. 

Lidar sensing is used in surveys, geography, meteorology, mapping, geology and other specialist applications. Increasingly, it is used to map underground environments, such as in the mining industry. This allows miners to measure their pit dimensions accurately, providing safety assurance. 

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What is lidar and how does it work? 

Deformation monitoring uses
Light imaging detection and ranging (lidar) is a sensing method to examine a ground surface, either on the earth, underground or even under the ocean. It is made up of a laser, a scanner, photodetectors. Lidar works using laser light beams in conjunction with GPS and other navigation systems. It measures the reflection of a laser beam focused on a specific area. 

A sensor records and measures this reflected light. Combining the data from the GPS and inertial measurement unit to create a “point cloud” map in three dimensions (latitude, longitude and height). These point cloud geo-maps can then be used to create other models and maps of the area. These can offer high-resolution, with accuracy of less than a centimetre. 

Can lidar ‘see’ underground?

Lidar techniques can visualise spaces underground. It can determine the position or shape of objects to a high level of accuracy. 

Lidar is capable of sensing and mapping areas at night or underground, in low- light or constrained environments. Likewise, lidar can “see” through some obstructions, such as leaves or snow, and can operate effectively throughout the day or night. 

However, lidar cannot penetrate the ground or solid objects.

What is lidar technology used for?

Lidar is a tool that be used for a range of applications. Lidar instruments are used in space exploration, atmospheric monitoring, and underwater mapping. 
The technique has been used since the 1970s, but accelerated in the 1980s and 1990s. Now, it is utilised in many innovations, such as autonomous cars and even the iPhone cameras. 

What is lidar technology used for?

Lidar underground mapping enables high-resolution surveying of mines. The technique can overcome the challenges inherent in an underground mine, such as its depth and the fact it is a constrained environment. 

Lidar underground mapping and data sets can reveal the real-time geology of the mine, quickly and accurately. Repeated scanning can determine changes in the mine’s structure. This can inform decision making for surveyors and geologists. 

Lidar underground mapping

Lidar underground mapping enables high-resolution surveying of mines. The technique can overcome the challenges inherent in an underground mine, such as its depth and the fact it is a constrained environment. 

Lidar underground mapping and data sets can reveal the real-time geology of the mine, quickly and accurately. Repeated scanning can determine changes in the mine’s structure. This can inform decision making for surveyors and geologists. 

 

Lidar use in mining

Lidar techniques are used in mining. The data capture and mapping offers miners the ability to visualise their infrastructure. This provides better information to make decisions about safety and productivity. 

Lidar use in mining can collect data from challenged or GPS-constrained environments, such as underground or potentially unsafe sites. 

The maps provide remote inspection capabilities, allowing for structural analyses, convergence monitoring or the defect inspections. 

Lidar use in mining provides data to improve productivity, efficiency and safety. 

Autonomous lidar solutions

Lidar solutions can be mounted on drones or vehicles to create autonomous mapping and navigation solutions. These are generally used to allow machines and robots to be guided or navigated to new locations and to discover new pieces of information in an underground mine. 

Geobotica has created solutions for underground lidar for use across industries. 

Geobotica is a customer-led research and development house based in Brisbane, Australia. We work with industry partners to develop world-leading sensors, software and AI solutions.  

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