Detailed 3D data captured using aircraft mounted laser is helping RPS plan, design and engineer a major overhaul of water supplies in County Wicklow, Ireland. The Bluesky LiDAR data was used to assess various route options as water supply in the region south of Dublin is rationalised. The Bluesky data was also used to enhance topographical surveys in order to assess options for proposed water supply infrastructure.
Saeed Khan, Technical Director, RPS Europe, commented, “Bluesky use the latest aerial survey technology in order to capture LiDAR data to exactly meet the requirements of a specific project. The density and accuracy of LiDAR makes it ideal for this type of project giving unrivalled measurement of the earth’s surface and natural and man-made structures.”
RPS, Ireland’s leading planning, design, engineering, environmental and communications services consultancy, commissioned the LiDAR survey from Bluesky in order to fully understand the topography of the region. The data was used to assess route and pressure control options and locations for various infrastructure.
The Bluesky LiDAR data was also used to enhance and supplement topographical surveys and culvert information collected by RPS engineers. In line with Planning System and Flood Risk Management Guidelines, published by the Office of Public Works and the Department of Environment Heritage and Local Government RPS undertook a Flood Risk Assessment for the project. The Bluesky and RPS survey data were used to create a hydraulic model developed in Infoworks ICM (Integrated Catchment Modelling), used to calculate flood levels for different levels of risk, which was in turn used to develop a flood extents map.