Aerial survey specialist Bluesky is developing what is thought to be the UK’s first maps of solar energy potential. Created using a variety of high accuracy height data the 3D maps will identify homes and other buildings with roofs that may be suitable for mounting solar panels to generate renewable energy. Bluesky already has access to off the shelf data for the whole of the UK and measurements such as the shape, pitch, size and aspect of building roofs are being extracted – information that is essential when considering the potential for solar energy installations.

“Using data that is already available online at www.bluesky-world.com we can create citywide maps of solar energy potential. We believe this is the first time this has been done in the UK and we are following in the footsteps of cities like New York, San Francisco and Boston,” commented Rachel Tidmarsh, Managing Director of Bluesky. “Despite the popular perception of UK weather there exists an enormous potential for solar energy and the solar maps we are creating can be used by home owners to make an initial assessment about the suitability of their property or by Local Authorities or Utility companies to understand the wider potential.”

Solar energy can be harnessed by thermal solar panels or hot water heating solar panels to provide useable energy to power UK homes and businesses. It is estimated that the UK receives 60 per cent of the solar energy compared with locations at the equator. This is equivalent to 1000 power stations. On average each square metre of the UK receives between 900 – 1200kwh each year.

Bluesky already has access to comprehensive range of off the shelf data that can be used to extract information from which to create solar maps including nationwide coverage of Digital Terrain and Digital Surface Models (DTM / DSM), the most comprehensive LiDAR coverage of the UK and highly accurate and detailed 3D building models for all major UK cities. This information can be enhanced with high-resolution aerial photography available from the GeoPerspectives product range, mapping or thermal imagery for property heat loss analysis.

Computer generated 3D visualisations are being used to help study river pollution of the River Doe Lea. The research project, carried out by the National Trust with partner institutions the University of Sheffield, Environment Agency, Natural England and other consultancies aims to develop a multi-targeted catchment management strategy. Airborne remote sensing data, supplied by Bluesky, was used as part of a PhD study carried out within the project. The digital aerial photography, colour Infrared imagery (CIR) and photogrammetrically derived digital height models were used to model the flow of agricultural pollutants and assess the diffusive effect on the landscape.

Results from the project ‘Modelling Catchment Landscapes Potential to Mitigate Diffuse Pollution from Agriculture’ were recently presented at an international conference on Catchment Science organised and attended by members of CatSci a multidisciplinary research programme in catchment science funded by the European Commission under the Marie Curie Early Stage Training Fellowship scheme.

Nataliya Tkachenko, author of the research project commented, “The primary aim of the study was to develop an interactive landscape model, which would give the possibility to evaluate mitigation options in scenario context and open opportunities for participatory GIS applied to agriculture. This model is novel in the aspect of geotargeting of mitigation options within the real landscape, where solutions can be downscaled to the finer elements. Evaluation of landscape processes in the context environment is highly complicated process, which requires substantial amount of data input on various temporal and spatial scales. Both 3D visualisation, CIR derived indicators and temporal data are powerful source of input information.”

She continued, “Being able to represent and visualise the countryside in all aspects was essential for the accurate modelling of the mitigating effects of the landscape on the agricultural pollutants studied. The Bluesky data was available off the shelf and in a format and specification suitable for use in our geographical information system (GIS) and image analysis software.”

The Bluesky data supplied to the University of Sheffield for this study is part of the GeoPerspectives product range. GeoPerspectives offers nationwide coverage of high resolution aerial photography and Colour Infrared imagery as well as highly accurate, photogrammetrically derived Digital Terrain Models (the earth’s surface excluding buildings and vegetation) and Digital Surface Models (the earth’s surface including buildings and vegetation). Bluesky is also able to provide ultra detailed LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) data and services covering the majority of England and Wales including all major urban centres, coastal areas and flood plains.

Coalville, Leicestershire, UK, November 2009 – Dorset’s A35 and C6 roads form a crucial link down to the county’s south coast. With a view of improving this link and therefore relieving seasonal congestion on over-capacity neighbouring routes, Dorset County Council has commissioned multidisciplinary engineering consultancy Buro Happold to prepare a feasibility study into bypass options for the village of Bere Regis.

In order to accurately understand the levels and features of the local terrain, the consultancy has used UK specialist Bluesky’s 3D map system which creates digital maps captured by aircraft mounted lasers. Bluesky have also supplied high resolution aerial photography that has been used to create 3D fly-throughs and visualisations of the resulting designs. 

Using 12d Model, a powerful terrain modelling and civil engineering software package, Buro Happold has expanded on an earlier feasibility study and prepared three options for the bypass. The detailed terrain model has allowed the designers to minimise any impact on the environment, particularly the associated costs of cut and fill operations.

“The size of the study area meant a traditional topographic survey was simply not feasible due to cost implications,” commented Neil Harvey, Senior Engineer in Buro Happold’s Highways and Infrastructure division. “However for the same price as a relatively small ground survey we were able to acquire very accurate terrain measurements and high resolution aerial photography of the entire study area. These have proved instrumental in progressing the feasibility study and preparing designs for each of the three options. The aerial photography will also be fundamental in communicating these designs during a future public consultation period as they provide real world detail to our computer generated models.”   

In order to capture the highly accurate LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) data a survey aircraft equipped with a system of lasers was used. Lasers were beamed to the surface and the time taken for the beam to be bounced back to aircraft-mounted receivers was recorded. Using the known position of the aircraft (derived from on-board satellite positioning equipment), the time taken for the return of the laser beam and the known value of the speed of light; the distance between the aircraft and ground is calculated. Additional readings can also be taken to determine the height of buildings, vegetation and other surface structures.

The Bluesky LiDAR data forms part of a detailed 3D terrain map, which is available online, that covers most of England and Wales including all major urban centres, coastal areas and flood plains. Aerial photography for the whole of England, Wales and parts of Scotland is also available to view and purchase online.

Website: www.bluesky-world.com

Editorial enquiries, contact Robert Peel on +44 (0)1666 823306 

All reader enquiries to Bluesky sales on +44 (0)1530 518 518

Editor’s Notes:

Bluesky is a UK-based specialist in aerial imaging and remote sensing data collection and processing.  An internationally recognised leader with projects extending around the globe, Bluesky is proud to work with prestigious organisations such as Google, the BBC and Government Agencies. Bluesky has unrivalled expertise in the creation of seamless, digital aerial photography, 3D landscape/cityscape visualisations and prints and also runs a national mapping centre, providing digital mapping, satellite imagery and aerial photography including ultra-high resolution imagery of cities and towns.

www.bluesky-world.com

Buro Happold is a multi-disciplinary international practice of consulting engineers established in 1976. It offers civil and structural engineering, mechanical and electrical engineering, quantity surveying, building services and environmental engineering, management consultancy, health and safety management, infrastructure and traffic engineering, ground engineering, façade engineering, fire engineering, computational fluid dynamics analysis, inclusive design consultancy, project management, urban design and a range of specialist CAD services

www.BuroHappold.com

Computer generated 3D visualisations are being used to assess the environmental impact of a proposed redevelopment at one of Britain’s industrial landmarks in the north of England. Environmental and engineering consultancy URS Corporation is using digital terrain data from Bluesky to help complete the planning for the major redevelopment project.  The Bluesky Digital Surface Model (DSM) will be used to generate a Zone of Visual Influence for Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment.

Due to the location of the proposed development, it was essential that the source data was as up-to-date as possible and included recently upgraded motorways and intersections.  Bluesky was able to offer URS a range of solutions, including NEXTMap height data, a fantastic cost effective product, a LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) survey or their own off-the-shelf 3D model. “It soon became apparent, during early discussions, that Bluesky’s own GeoPerspectives data was the only commercially available height dataset which included the specific section of the upgraded A1(M) that was critical for this project,” commented Ben Stephenson, Environmental Consultant URS Corporation Ltd.

URS selected the data for use within an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) on behalf of one of their clients. An EIA is a multi-stage process that considers the environmental effects of development proposals during demolition, site preparation, construction and operational phases and proposes ways to eliminate, reduce or mitigate any significant adverse effects on the environment.

Once submitted to the relevant planning authority the EIA documents are critically evaluated, and if necessary, further information is sought from the applicant in order to ensure the authority has sufficiently reliable information to understand the likely environmental effects and proposed mitigation measures before the planning application is determined.

The Bluesky DSM data supplied to URS Corp for this study is part of the GeoPerspectives product range, which offers nationwide coverage of highly accurate, photogrammetrically derived Digital Terrain Models (the earth’s surface excluding buildings and vegetation) and Digital Surface Models (the earth’s surface including buildings and vegetation). Bluesky is also able to provide ultra detailed LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) data and services covering the majority of England and Wales including all major urban centres, coastal areas and flood plains.

Website: www.bluesky-world.com

Editorial enquiries, contact Robert Peel on tel. +44 (0)1666 823306

Colour separation requests – please fax only to +44 (0)1666 824 668

All reader enquiries to Bluesky sales on +44 (0)1530 518 518

Editor’s Notes:

Bluesky is a UK-based specialist in aerial imaging and remote sensing data collection and processing.  An internationally recognised leader with projects extending around the globe, Bluesky is proud to work with prestigious organisations such as Google, the BBC and Government Agencies. Bluesky has unrivalled expertise in the creation of seamless, digital aerial photography, 3D landscape/cityscape visualisations and prints and also runs a national mapping centre, providing digital mapping, satellite imagery and aerial photography including ultra-high resolution imagery of cities and towns.

www.bluesky-world.com

Aerial survey company Bluesky has launched two online height models covering the whole of England and Wales and also large parts of Scotland. With accuracies up to 25 centimetres in urban areas the Digital Terrain Model (DTM) and Digital Elevation Model (DEM) provide detailed representations of the topographical variations in the surface of the earth including, in the case of the DEM, vegetation cover and man-made structures. Visitors to www.bluesky-world.com can search the online models using a place name, postcode or geographical coordinate before viewing their chosen area or downloading digital files.

Available online, in a range of formats suitable for use in Geographical Information System (GIS), Computer Aided Design (CAD) or 3D visualisation software the DTM / DSM data is designed for applications that require a real world representation of the earth’s surface with the vegetation and buildings that cover it. From simple identification of ground surface features to more complex projects including flood risk assessment and mobile network planning, the data is offered free of Crown Copyright with flexible licencing terms.       

Digital Terrain and Elevation Models are photogrammetrically derived using specialist software to measure common points in overlapping aerial images. The online models provide height measurements at 2 and 5 metre resolutions, for the DEM and DTM respectively, with positional accuracies of up to 1 metre. Enhancement using LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) data in urban areas enables accuracies of up to 25 centimetres to be achieved.

“The height models are derived from GeoPerspectives aerial imagery using specialist software by a dedicated production team,” commented Rachel Tidmarsh, Managing Director of Bluesky. “As this imagery offers the most up-to-date view of our world so the DTM and DEM data in turn provide the most current, detailed and accurate representation of terrain and surface of the earth for a wide range of applications.”

GeoPerspectives is a joint venture between Bluesky and Infoterra providing national coverage of orthorectified aerial photography, digital terrain & surface models (DTM/DSM) for 3D modelling, and colour infrared imagery (CIR) for vegetation analysis.

Website: www.bluesky-world.com

Editorial enquiries, contact Robert Peel on tel. +44 (0)1666 823306

Colour separation requests – please fax only to +44 (0)1666 824 668

All reader enquiries to Bluesky sales on +44 (0)1530 518 518

The highly accurate 3D digital maps, captured from aircraft mounted lasers, are being used to assess the flood risk at critical utility sites across the UK. The project, undertaken by Ambiental on behalf of one of the UK’s largest water companies, used LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) data supplied by aerial survey specialist Bluesky to help scrutinize the likelihood, extent and depth of potential flooding as part of a review of flood defence measures at each of the five sites.

The Bluesky data is part of a 3D terrain map, available online at www.bluesky-world.com, that covers most of England and Wales including all major urban centres, coastal areas and flood plains.

Ambiental, a specialist environmental risk mapping and modelling consultancy, used a combination of existing datasets, models and gauged data in combination with their proprietary modelling and mapping techniques to assess and quantify each flood source in turn. Potential sources of flooding considered during the analysis included fluvial (river), tidal, surface water, sewer and groundwater. The high resolution LiDAR data, supplied by Bluesky, was used to map each risk in 3D to ascertain the spatial distribution of different flood depths. The results of these assessments were used for business planning, specifically within cost-benefit analysis for flood defence measures at each site.

“The use of high-resolution, high-accuracy remotely-sensed data, such as the LiDAR data supplied by Bluesky, was critical to timely and cost effective completion of this project,” commented David Martin, Technical Manager at Ambiental Technical Solutions. “By utilising off-the-shelf data we were able to achieve considerable savings in terms of time and money over conventional ground-based surveying techniques for a project where time was very limited.”

In order to capture the highly accurate LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) data a survey aircraft equipped with a system of lasers is used. Lasers are beamed to the surface and the time taken for the beam to bounce back to aircraft-mounted receivers is recorded. Using the known position of the aircraft (derived from on-board satellite positioning equipment), the time taken for the return of the laser beam and the known value of the speed of light, results in the distance between the aircraft and ground being calculated. Additional readings can also be taken to determine the height of buildings, vegetation and other surface structures.

Website: www.bluesky-world.com

Editorial enquiries, contact Robert Peel on tel. +44 (0)1666 823306

Colour separation requests – please fax only to +44 (0)1666 824 668

All reader enquiries to Bluesky sales on +44 (0)1530 518 518

Editor’s Notes:

Bluesky is a UK-based specialist in aerial imaging and remote sensing data collection and processing.  An internationally recognised leader with projects extending around the globe, Bluesky is proud to work with prestigious organisations such as Google, the BBC and Government Agencies. Bluesky has unrivalled expertise in the creation of seamless, digital aerial photography, 3D landscape/cityscape visualisations and prints and also runs a national mapping centre, providing digital mapping, satellite imagery and aerial photography including ultra-high resolution imagery of cities and towns.

www.bluesky-world.com

Ambiental is a specialist environmental risk mapping and modelling consultancy founded in 1997 as a partnership of researchers at Cambridge University. The company has grown rapidly and now includes experts in the fields of flood modelling, risk management, insurance, rainfall simulation, climate change, geomorphology, computer programming, civil engineering, Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and applied mathematics. Ambiental offers a complete flood risk assessment service for property developers, architects, energy providers and loss adjustors and has completed projects in the UK, USA, mainland Europe and Asia.

www.ambiental.co.uk

Bluesky has launched a brand new online map shop that offers a unique range of mapping, aerial photography and other aerial survey data available online at the touch of a button. Visitors to www.bluesky-world.com can search using a postcode, place name or a geographic co-ordinate, view and refine their selection before purchasing CAD and GIS ready digital data.

The new website, which has an enhanced look and an improved user experience, provides access to the most up to date aerial photography, height data, detailed 3D models, LiDAR, thermal imagery and Ordnance Survey mapping.  www.bluesky-world.com is the only UK site offering online access to this wide selection of data for areas across England, Wales and Scotland.

“Bluesky has built up an extensive range of geographic data which it has now made available from a single on-line mapshop,” said Rachel Tidmarsh, Managing Director of Bluesky. “We recognise the need to continually deliver what the market wants and this is why we continually review both our online service and product offering ensuring we are up to date and inline with market expectations. We are confident that this new look website offering access to a huge range of up to date geographic information will prove popular with both existing and new customers.”

After selecting a location by entering a postcode, place or geographic co-ordinate, visitors to www.bluesky-world.com are shown an image of the chosen area, which they can zoom in or out, or pan around to refine their search. The site already offers visitors access to the most up to date aerial photography covering every inch of England and Wales plus significant parts of Scotland.

The Bluesky online aerial photo offering, is supplemented by additional layers of geographic information, including Ordnance Survey mapping, detailed 3D City Models, LiDAR data, Digital Surface and Terrain Models (DSM and DTM), Colour Infrared mapping and Thermal Survey images, which are all available for instant download and coverage is increasing continually.  Future plans include online access to additional historic survey images, oblique photography and additional map based products.

Bluesky is a UK-based specialist in aerial imaging and remote sensing data collection and processing.  An internationally recognised leader with projects extending around the globe Bluesky is proud to work with prestigious organisations such as Google, the BBC and Government Agencies.  Bluesky has unrivalled expertise in the creation of seamless, digital aerial photography, 3D landscape/cityscape visualisations and prints and also runs a national mapping centre, providing digital mapping, satellite imagery and aerial photography including ultra-high resolution imagery of cities and towns. 

Britain from Above, a new series showing aerial photos of Britain and remote sensing technologies, the programme on Sunday 17th demonstrated the power of LiDAR data for identifying archaeological sites. After carrying out a survey using LiDAR technology on a small wooded area archaeologists analysed the data collected by stripping away the surface features such as vegetation in order to create a highly accurate Digital Terrain Model (DTM) of the area and discovered the partial outline of an ancient building that had previously been hidden from site by woodland and undergrowth. 

This application is one of many that Bluesky customers are using. As one of the main suppliers of LiDAR data in the UK Bluesky can fully understand the requirements of its LiDAR customers.  Well done the BBC for highlighting an important use of LiDAR.

Aerial survey specialist Bluesky has completed a detailed 3D survey of Lee Moor quarry near Plymouth, Devon. Commissioned by WBB Minerals, one of the world’s largest suppliers of industrial minerals, the survey captured high-resolution aerial photography together with accurate height measurements using a LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) distance measurement system. WBB Minerals, who recently acquired the working lease for the site, will use the Bluesky data to identify mineral resources, undertake accurate measurements and analysis at the desktop and manage both the day-to-day and long-term extraction activities at the quarry.

“Our extraction programmes are planned to ensure that maximum benefit is derived from nature’s resources,” said Minerals Surveyor Andrew Allaway. “Using the Bluesky height data and images we have been able to create a photo realistic 3D digital terrain model of the site, giving us accurate information at our fingertips and the confidence to make informed decisions.”

Highly accurate height measurements of the site were captured by using a survey aircraft equipped with a system of lasers (LiDAR). Lasers are beamed to the surface and the time taken for the beam to be bounced back to aircraft mounted receivers is recorded. Then, using the known position of the aircraft, from on-board satellite positioning equipment, the time taken for the return of the laser beam and the known value of the speed of light the distance between the aircraft and ground is calculated. From these height measurements a detailed Digital Terrain Model (DTM) was created, onto which the vertical aerial photography, captured at the same time as the height data, was draped.

“When we acquired the Lee Moor site it had not been surveyed for some time,” continued Andrew Allaway. “To manually survey the entire site would have taken several weeks and had a detrimental effect on several ongoing survey projects at other Devon quarries. Bluesky were able to offer a complete package at a good price giving us a benchmark dataset from which we can identify resources, make accurate measurements and target both our day-to-day and long term operations.”

WBB Minerals, part S.C.R. – Sibelco NV, are one of the largest suppliers of advanced industrial minerals to the world’s ceramics, glass, foundry, construction and sports surface industries.

Bluesky is a UK-based specialist in aerial imaging and remote sensing data collection and processing. An internationally recognised leader with projects extending around the globe, Bluesky has unrivalled expertise in the creation of seamless, digital aerial photography, 3D landscape/cityscape visualisations, and 3D prints. Bluesky also runs a national mapping centre, providing digital maps, site plans, satellite imagery, aerial photography and ultra-high resolution imagery of cities and towns.

Despite the poor weather this year, acquisition of aerial photography in the UK has again continued with vigour. Bluesky has already captured many thousands of square kilometres of high resolution aerial imagery, with new digital survey cameras.  Aerial photos in 2008 of Edinburgh, Newcastle, Aberdeen, Hull, Yorkshire, Surrey, Dorset and the London area are already being processed and will be ready in the next few weeks for purchase from the Bluesky Mapshop.  It is a challenge to meet the requirements of the discerning aerial photograph user, but Bluesky have put in place the resources in place in meet these for 2008 as well as the coming years. 

The Geoperspectives data sets of aerial photography, colour infrared, DTM and DSM continue to grow, with a number of counties being added this year, including Shropshire, Cumbria, Lincolnshire, Cambridgeshire and Northumberland.

The high resolution aerial photography of the cities captured this year is being used by Bluesky to create highly accurate and detailed 3D buildings and entire city models for use in CAD, GIS and 3D Studio.  This is a photogrammetric process, and produces better results than other methods of 3D building creation, such as simple building blocks created from LiDAR and Ordnance Survey maps. Using the high resolution aerial views Bluesky can even render the side of the 3D buildings to give a very effective real world effect.

To find out more visit the Bluesky website