ROCK Ultra – Intersection Flyover
Aug 18, 2025
We deployed the ROCK Ultra over one of Tampa Bay's busiest and most complex interchanges—and the results highlight its incredible efficiency and precision. From 115 m above ground and flying at 7.5 m/s, the Ultra captured a vast 133-acre area, mapping the entire I-275 and I-4 merge with centimeter-level accuracy.
This dataset was collected by Aerial Intelligence Expert Dylan Gorman of PilotByte.com as part of the ROCK Ultra Demo Tour.
Mission Overview
- Platform: Aerial survey with ROCK Ultra
- Flight Altitude: ~115 m Above Ground Level (AGL)
- Flight Speed: ~7.5 m/s
- Area Scanned: 133 acres
- Deliverables: Comprehensive colorized LiDAR point cloud of the Tampa Bay I-275 & I-4 merge.
This dataset demonstrates how high-altitude performance transforms the safety and efficiency of surveying critical, high-traffic infrastructure.
Coverage & Context
The mission covered a multi-level, high-volume urban highway interchange known for being a major traffic chokepoint. This complex environment includes:
- Multiple overpasses, on-ramps, and off-ramps
- Active, high-speed traffic flows
- Surrounding urban infrastructure and vegetation
The ROCK Ultra's ability to operate safely at high altitudes eliminates the need for lane closures and ground crew exposure, making it ideal for hazardous corridor mapping projects.
Dataset Metadata
- Total Acreage: 133 Acres
- Coordinate System (Horizontal): WGS 84 / UTM zone 17N (EPSG: 32617)
- Vertical Reference: Ellipsoid-based heights — ensuring compatibility with standard engineering and GIS workflows.
This metadata guarantees the dataset is ready for immediate use in professional transportation, engineering, and urban planning applications.
Performance Highlights
- Safety & Efficiency: Mapping a large, hazardous area in a single, short flight without disrupting traffic or endangering personnel.
- High-Altitude Precision: The dataset maintains survey-grade accuracy with crisp detail on curbs, barriers, and road markings, even from 115 m AGL.
- Complex Infrastructure Capture: Reliably maps intricate, multi-level structures, providing a complete and accurate as-built record.
Applications
This dataset is optimized for:
- Transportation Planning & Traffic Flow Analysis
- Infrastructure & Asset Management for DOTs
- Corridor Mapping for Roadway Design & Expansion
- Civil Engineering & As-Built Verification
- Accident Reconstruction & Safety Audits
Key Takeaways
- The ROCK Ultra captured 133 acres of a complex highway interchange from 115 m AGL at 7.5 m/s.
- High-altitude LiDAR offers a transformative solution for safely and efficiently mapping dangerous corridors.
- The dataset is immediately usable for professional engineering and GIS applications with its standard UTM zone 17N coordinate system.