Lidar and Ortho images

You may notice a helicopter flying over the escarpment this morning between Robert Service Way and Mountain View Drive. This is part of an annual process to monitor escarpment conditions and movement through the collection of Lidar and ortho images. This info complements the data captured by the slope scanner, drone monitoring, and regular in-person observations to provide a more comprehensive assessment of the escarpment, including how its condition compares to previous years. This, in turn, informs planning for future monitoring and risk management efforts.

What are Lidar and Ortho images?

Lidar (Laser Imaging, Detection and Ranging) is a remote sensing technology that allows us to obtain elevations and create contour maps. Ortho images are ariel photographs that are adjusted for topographic relief, lens distortion and camera tilt. These “orthorectified” images are scaled and geospatially referenced so they can be read like maps.