[The Malta Independent]
The creation of a highly accurate three-dimensional map of the Maltese Islands has moved a step closer to becoming a reality, after the Malta Environment and Planning Authority (Mepa), over the past weeks carried out 3D aerial surveys using the innovative Lidar technology. Following these surveys, Mepa will now be able to generate digital terrain 3D models, which can be used for various applications such as urban and transport planning, environmental impact assessments, modelling of run-off water, and monitoring of land use.
These aerial surveys were carried out as part of a €4.6 million project which involves monitoring of air, water, soil, radiation and noise and 3D terrestrial and bathymetric surveys. The project is co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund, which provides 85% of the project’s funding, and the government of Malta, which finances the rest under Operational Programme 1 – Cohesion Policy 2007-2013 – Investing in Competitiveness for a Better Quality of Life.
The contract for these aerial surveys and their subsequent data processing was won by the German company Terraimaging through an open tender procedure. The aerial survey utilised Lidar technology whereby heights of the terrain, including building heights, are scanned using laser technology. This technology is a first for Malta allowing a bird’s eye view of heights to be obtained at very high accuracies. Such laser mapping is highly automated from flight planning, to data acquisition, to the generation of digital terrain models. …
In the coming months, Terraimaging will be processing the data acquired from the aerial surveys. Furthermore, the summer months will see another 3D scan being taken – this time measuring sea depths within one nautical mile from the coastline. This resultant 3D bathymetric scan and the 3D terrain scan will then be merged to form an integrated 3D perspective for the Maltese Islands.
All data from this project will be viewable from a web portal, currently being designed, known as a Shared Environmental Information System (SEIS), which will be launched towards the end of the project in June, 2013.
See the full story here: http://www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=141296