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February 12th, 2024
Balko & RIEGL Announce OEM Partnership for UAS LiDAR in Canada

BALKO Technologies (BALKO), located in Quebec, Canada, recently became a RIEGL unmanned laser scanner (ULS) systems integrator.  As a manufacturer of modular LiDAR systems and the only Canadian UAV-focused LiDAR systems provider in the region, it is with great enthusiasm that RIEGL includes BALKO Technologies as part of their Canadian OEM Partnership Program within the unmanned laser scanning division.

“We are so pleased to welcome Balko Technologies as a new RIEGL Canada Sensor Integration Partner.” said Susan Licari, Co-Managing Director for RIEGL Canada. “I look forward to seeing their success within Quebec and throughout Canada as we continue to support them with our Unmanned LiDAR solutions. As their presence within the region expands, RIEGL will be a key collaborator with their successes.”

BALKO is integrating RIEGL’s  miniVUX and VUX-series laser scanners into their unique modular LiDAR payloads designed for UAV-based platforms. BALKO designed a system tailored for harsh winter conditions, and the RIEGL integration was the most accurate LiDAR sensor that could meet the challenges of this climate without reducing accuracy or efficiency. This solution provides a high-end product that is not only flexible and adaptable to meet a variety of project requirements, but also capable of meeting survey-grade accuracy requirements down to 2cm.

“For Balko Technologies, the decision to integrate the RIEGL miniVUX portfolio was unmistakeable, as we aim to align ourselves with the leading LiDAR sensor manufacturer in the industry.” said Maude Pelletier, Owner & President of Balko Technologies. “This marks the first step for our company, and we are actively working to incorporate additional RIEGL sensors into our product portfolio in the short term to cover more market segments.

Success with Vital Roy – A BALKO Technologies Customer

Vital Roy arpenteurs-géomètre inc (Vital Roy) is a land surveying firm located in Québec, Canada and one of the few surveying companies in the region specialized in the construction sector. As a Customer of BALKO that invested in the RIEGL LiDAR configuration they offer, Vital Roy made the strategic decision to enhance its capabilities and fulfill diverse new requirements by acquiring and mastering cutting-edge technologies, particularly in the field of LiDAR data acquisition and processing. They decided to jump in the market of UAV-based acquisition to save time in the field and generate high-quality surveys quickly. As registered land surveyors, they are committed to very high standards of accuracy and RIEGL offered what they were looking for.

Vital Roy with their Balko Tech Riegl Lidar
Vital Roy with their RIEGL payload and UAV-based platform acquired through Balko Technologies

“The Balko solution with a RIEGL sensor was a winning combination for surveying larger areas in a very short time with high accuracy. The flexibility of the sensor with its numerous configurations will allow Vital Roy the ability to increase the number of projects and expand operations in different sectors over a period of the next several years, ultimately giving them a higher and more substantial return on investment.” Jean-Sébastien Chaume – Vital Roy

About RIEGL:

RIEGL is an international leading provider of cutting-edge technology in airborne, mobile, terrestrial, industrial and unmanned laser scanning solutions for applications in surveying.

RIEGL has been producing LiDAR systems commercially for over 40 years and focuses on pulsed time-of-flight laser radar technology in multiple wavelengths.

RIEGL’s core Smart-Waveform technologies provide pure digital LiDAR signal processing, unique methodologies for resolving range ambiguities, multiple targets per laser shots, optimum distribution of measurements, calibrated amplitudes and reflectance estimates, as well as the seamless integration and calibration of systems.

RIEGL’s Ultimate LiDARTM 3D scanners offer a wide array of performance characteristics and serve as a platform for continuing Innovation in 3D for the LiDAR industry.

From the first inquiry, to purchase and integration of the system, as well as training and support, RIEGL maintains an outstanding history of reliability and support to their customers.

Worldwide sales, training, support and services are delivered from RIEGL’s headquarters in Austria and in the USA; main offices in, Japan, China, Australia, Canada and the UK; and a worldwide network of representatives.

About Balko:

Founded in 2021, Balko Technologies is a manufacturer of unique modular LiDAR systems, the only manufacturer of lidar equipment for drones, entirely made in Canada.

Balko, like its product, includes a team with a unique expertise. The management includes employees with 10 to 20 areas of expertise in the field of lidar data capture, geomatics processing, lidar sensor manufacturing and the marketing of high-tech products.

The development of the product and software comes from an expertise of more than 7 years of weekly lidar data capture in the field and subsequent processing, which sets us apart from all other manufacturers.

About Vital Roy arpenteurs-géomètre inc:

Vital Roy arpenteurs-géomètre inc is a land surveying firm located in Québec Canada created in 1988. Over the years, our team has developed close ties with customers, local contractors and various other professionals by providing rapid, quality surveying service. They have broadened their skills and can satisfy several new demands, thanks to the acquisition and mastery of new technologies, such as 3D scanners. These new technologies allow them to improve the service offering, in addition to offering the services traditionally offered by land surveyors.