20-051 TT - Integrated UAV-LiDAR Solution

A team of researchers from the University of Waterloo are seeking an integrated unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)- LiDAR solution with optical imaging sensors. The equipment will be used to derive products related to natural and human systems. Natural system products include, but are not limited to: digital terrain models, digital surface models, and vegetation characteristics (e.g., canopy and subcanopy heights, volume calculations). Human system products include point cloud and image data collection for the 3D reconstruction of buildings and runes. We seek a multi-rotor UAV with vertical take-off and landing, with simultaneous LiDAR and optical image data collection. A LiDAR scan rate of 100,000 pts/second or greater with a resolution of 2-3cm RMSE from approximately 75 m is desired, with up to 5 returns per pulse.  The UAV and LiDAR equipment must be fully integrated with integrated IMU and dual frequency GNSS receiver for global applications. A delivery date of December 1, 2020, with training provided in Jan-March 2021.