ROCK R3 Pro – Mobile Marine LiDAR Survey of Lake Coastline

Aug 08, 2024

Pushing the boundaries of mobile mapping, this project showcases the ROCK R3 Pro mounted on a watercraft to perform a detailed LiDAR survey of a lake's coastline. Cruising on a pontoon boat across Jenkinson Lake, CA, the R3 Pro captured a continuous, 199-acre point cloud of the shoreline, docks, and surrounding terrain from a unique water-level perspective. This demonstrates an innovative and highly effective method for marine and environmental survey applications.


Mission Overview

  • Platform: Mobile marine survey with ROCK R3 Pro
  • Vehicle: Pontoon Boat
  • Area Scanned: 199 acres of coastline
  • Deliverables: A comprehensive LiDAR point cloud of the lake's edge and adjacent features.

This creative deployment of the R3 Pro highlights its adaptability for capturing data in environments where traditional aerial or ground-based methods are impractical.


Coverage & Context

The survey covers a vast 199-acre stretch of the Jenkinson Lake coastline. By mounting the R3 Pro on a boat, the system was able to capture data from an ideal vantage point, accurately mapping the water-land interface, private docks, boat launches, and the steep, varied topography of the surrounding shoreline. This method provides a level of detail and a perspective that would be difficult to achieve otherwise.


Dataset Metadata

  • Total Acreage: 199 Acres
  • Coordinate System (Horizontal): WGS 84 / UTM zone 10N (EPSG: 32610)
  • Vertical Reference: Ellipsoid

The dataset uses a standard UTM projection, making it ready for integration into environmental studies, bathymetric mapping projects, and civil engineering designs.


Performance Highlights

  • Innovative Mobile Mapping: This project proves the R3 Pro's flexibility, moving beyond aerial and ground applications to a fully mobile marine solution.
  • Unique Shoreline Perspective: Capturing data from the water provides an unobstructed view of the coastline, which is essential for erosion monitoring, water level analysis, and infrastructure management.
  • Large-Scale Continuous Capture: The mobile mapping approach allowed for the efficient and continuous survey of a large and complex shoreline in a single pass.

Applications

This innovative workflow is perfectly suited for:

  • Coastal & Shoreline Erosion Monitoring
  • Bathymetric LiDAR Surveys (when combined with sonar)
  • Dock and Marina As-Built Surveys
  • Reservoir Volume and Water Level Analysis
  • Environmental Habitat Mapping
  • Flood Plain and Inundation Modeling

Key Takeaways

  • The ROCK R3 Pro's versatility is not limited to air and land; it is a capable tool for marine-based mobile mapping.
  • This creative approach to data capture opens up new possibilities for surveying and monitoring coastal and inland waterway environments.
  • Mobile mapping from a watercraft is an efficient and effective way to gather detailed data on the critical land-water interface.

ROCK R3 Pro – Mobile Marine LiDAR Survey of Lake Coastline | ROCK Robotic | ROCK Robotic