Comparison of Airborne Laser Scanning of Low and High Above Ground Level for Selected Infrastructure Objects

Along with the development of the technology of drone construction (UAV - Unmanned Aerial Vehicles), the number of applications of these solutions in the industry also grew. The aim of the research is to check the accuracy of data obtained using the new technology of UAV scanning and to compare them with one that is widely spread - high-altitude airborne Lidar, in terms of quality and spectrum of applications in industry and infrastructure. The research involved two infrastructure objects: a reinforced concrete one-span bridge and Lattice transmission tower with powerlines. The density of measurement, internal and external cohesion of point clouds obtained from both methods were compared. Plane fitting and deviation analysis were used. The data of UAV origin in both cases provided a sufficient density, allowing the recognition of structural elements, and internal coherence and precision of measurements important in modeling. The study shows that UAV mounted scanning may be used in the same applications as Airborne Lidar, as well as in other tasks requiring greater precision.