Geospatial Sciences

There is a wide range of our services utilizing Geospatial Technology to collect, analyze, and manage geospatial data for various applications in numerous industries, supporting our services in engineering, urban planning, environmental management, transportation, and utilities.

Data Acquisition and Management:

  • Spatial Data Collection: Utilizing tools like GPS, remote sensing technologies (such as satellite imagery and LiDAR), and surveys to gather accurate geographic information.
  • Data Integration: Combining diverse datasets, including environmental, demographic, infrastructure, and socio-economic data, into a centralized GIS platform.
  • Geodatabase Design and Management: Designing and maintaining robust geospatial databases to ensure data integrity, accuracy, and accessibility.
  • Data Conversion and Automation: Migrating data from existing maps, records, or legacy systems into a digital format suitable for GIS analysis and automating data processing workflows.

Spatial Analysis and Modeling:

  • Performing analyses to identify patterns, trends, and relationships within spatial data, including overlay analysis, proximity analysis, and network analysis.
  • Geostatistical Analysis: Applying statistical methods to analyze and interpret spatial data, enabling prediction and modeling of spatial phenomena.
  • 3D Modeling and Visualization: Creating 2D and 3D visual representations of geographic landscapes and infrastructure for enhanced understanding and communication.
  • Mapping and Digital Terrain Modeling Analysis: for Environmental Remediation, Mitigation and Monitoring
  • Scenario Modeling: Simulating the potential outcomes of various scenarios, such as urban growth, environmental changes, or disaster impacts.

Application Development and Solutions:

  • Custom GIS Application Development: Building tailor-made software solutions and applications to address specific needs, including web-based platforms, mobile apps, and interactive dashboards.
  • Web and Mobile GIS Solutions: Developing interactive GIS web applications for visualizing data and information in a user-friendly format, and creating mobile GIS applications for field data collection and access and AI/ML algorithms, for enhanced data analysis, real-time monitoring, and predictive modeling..
  • System Architecture Design: Designing the overall architecture for GIS systems to ensure scalability, performance, and reliability.

Geographical Information Systems:

  • GIS Applications in Civil Engineering: Infrastructure planning and design, asset management, disaster risk assessment, and smart city development.
  • GIS Applications in Environmental Engineering: Environmental impact analysis, environmental monitoring, resource management, and climate adaptation strategies.
  • GIS Applications in Transportation Engineering: Traffic monitoring, route optimization, transportation network planning, and infrastructure management.
  • GIS Applications in support of Transportation Maintenance: Mapping and managing utility networks (water, gas, electricity), optimizing field operations, and improving emergency response.
  • GIS Training and Technical Support: Offering training programs to build capacity in using GIS software and applications, and providing ongoing technical support.

Surveying Services:

  • Traditional Topographic Surveys: GPS Surveys with Total Station for low budget projects, Planimetric Surveys, Route Surveys (Transportation), interpretation of As-Built Plans, and Right of Way information (rail, roadway, water, utilities)
  • Boundary Surveys and Complex Boundary Resolution: Forensic Surveying, Easements Analysis, Maintenance and/or Removal Agreements. Encroachment Maintenance and Removal Agreements. Right of Way Dedication. Monument Perpetuation, Preservation, Replacement and/or Restoration.
  • Dredging and construction: Planning and monitoring dredging operations and construction projects
  • Flood risk assessment: Mapping floodplains and assessing potential inundation areas.

Aerial Surveying Services:

Drone surveying services utilize unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to capture aerial data for mapping and surveying purposes, offering a faster, safer, and more efficient alternative to traditional methods. Different types of drones are used for aerial surveying purposes. 1) Fixed Wing Drones 2) Single Rotor Drones and 3) Multi-Rotor Drones.

Photogrammetric Surveying with Drones

Photogrammetry Surveying uses specialized cameras mounted on drones. It involves the collection of images from different angles, which are then processed to create accurate 3D models of terrain, buildings, and other relevant terrain features. By stitching together these images, surveyors can create highly detailed maps and models with precise measurements .

Multispectral Imaging with Drones

Multispectral surveying utilizes cameras that capture images in different wavelengths of the electromagnetic spectrum. These cameras can detect invisible light, such as infrared and ultra-violet, providing valuable data for various applications. Multispectral surveys can analyze crop health, identify disease or nutrient deficiencies, and help farmers to optimize irrigation techniques. When used for biological characterization studies it can differentiate among different mangle and three species according to the light reflected by the color of their leaves.

Thermal Surveying with Drones

Thermal surveying involves the use of infrared cameras mounted on drones to capture temperature variations in an area of interest. By capturing thermal data, drone surveys can identify energy inefficiencies and provide valuable insights for energy audits. It can also be used to follow different water masses or to document water mixing on coastal bodies of water.

Topographical Surveying with Drones

Topographical surveying involves the measurement and mapping of the physical features of an area, including elevation, contours, and slopes. Drones equipped with high-precision GPS systems and specialized sensors can collect data to create accurate topographical maps. This type of surveying is crucial in fields such as engineering, urban planning, and construction projects, providing two dimensional analysis and volume calculations.

LiDAR Technology in Aerial Surveys

LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) surveying can be done attaching LiDAR sensors to a drone. LiDAR, sensors emit laser beams, which bounce off objects and return to the sensor. By calculating the time it takes for the laser beams to return, drones can create precise 3D models of the surveyed area. LiDAR is particularly useful in mapping dense vegetation, analyzing terrain, and building highly accurate elevation models.

OCEAAN is proud to offer the Wingtra-One GEN II drone, a fixed wind drone that flays high as a small airplane and is equipped with sophisticated LiDAR sensors producing efficient and accurate aerial mapping. Surveying with Wingtra technology is a matter of hours, not days, as it will take with traditional surveying methods with months of processing data.

The Key Services/Capabilities Offered by Wingtra's LiDAR High-Resolution are:

  • 3D Data Capture: The LiDAR sensor actively emits laser pulses and measures their return time to create detailed 3D point maps, enabling the creation of high-resolution digital terrain models (DTMs) and digital surface models (DSMs). This is particularly beneficial for mapping beneath vegetation, where photogrammetry may struggle.
  • Rapid Data Acquisition and Processing: Wingtra LiDAR allows for large area coverage in a single flight (up to 360 ha) and streamlined post-processing using the Wingtra LIDAR app for faster data turnaround.
  • Precise Terrain Information: The system provides precise terrain data right away from each flight, eliminating the need for time-intensive post-processing strip alignment. It can achieve vertical accuracy down to 3 cm.

Recommended Wingtra Applications

  • Using Wingtra LiDAR for Environmental Mapping: Assessing forest health, monitoring growth rates, mapping fuel loads for wildfire management, analyzing shorelines, and identifying ecosystems.
  • Using Wingtra LiDAR for Urban Planning and Land Management: Creating detailed topographical insights, streamlined property and boundary definitions, and accurate maps for GIS.
  • Using Wingtra LiDAR for Construction and Infrastructure Management: Collecting high-res topographic data to prevent rework, optimizing planning for earth-moving activities, and monitoring construction progress.
  • Using Wingtra LiDAR for Sand Management: Inventory management of stockpile and pit volumes, mine or quarry monitoring and operation planning, and slope monitoring.
  • Using Wingtra LiDAR for Other applications: Archeological exploration, mapping utilities, and assessing consolidation settlement.

Bathymetric Surveys:

Bathymetric Surveys: Measuring the depth of water bodies and attaining the shape and composition of the seafloor, beaches or riverbeds. This data is crucial for various applications, including navigation, flood risk assessment, and studying marine environments.

Eco-sound Surveying:

Eco-sound Surveying: A single-beam or multi-beam echo sounder transmits a sound wave (ping) from a transducer. The sound wave travels through the water and reflects off the seafloor. The echo sounder receives the reflected sound wave and measures the time it takes to travel to the seafloor and back. Knowing the speed of sound in water (which can be affected by temperature, salinity, and pressure), the system calculates the depth. This process is repeated at regular intervals along a survey line, creating a series of depth measurements. The Eco-sound Surveying Key Features and Components are:

  • Transducer: Emits and receives the sound waves.
  • Echo Sounder Unit: Processes the time measurements to calculate depths and records the data.
  • GPS: Provides positional information (latitude and longitude) for each depth measurement, allowing for accurate mapping.

Single-beam echo sound Surveys:

Single-beam echo sound surveys use sound waves to measure water depths and create bathymetric maps, which are essentially underwater topographic maps. These surveys are commonly used for basic hydrographic surveys, navigation, charting, and environmental studies, in shallow waters and where high-resolution mapping isn't a primary requirement. This technology is inexpensive and reliable; it uses a single sound wave to measure depth and creates single line transects.

Multi-beam echo sound Surveys:

A multi-beam echo-sounder, typically mounted on a ship, emits multiple narrow beams of sound (often hundreds) in a fan shape. These beams travel to the seafloor, and the time it takes for the sound to return is used to calculate the depth. This method of mapping the seafloor uses a sonar system that emits multiple beams of sound simultaneously, providing a wide swath of depth measurements simultaneously. This allows for efficient and detailed 3D mapping of large areas of the seafloor, unlike older single-beam systems that only provided a single depth reading along a line.

Echo Sound Survey Applications:

  • Hydrographic Surveys: Mapping the seafloor for navigation charts and nautical publications.
  • Environmental Studies: Assessing underwater habitats, monitoring sediment movement, and mapping submerged structures.
  • Construction and Dredging: Providing accurate depth information for planning and monitoring construction projects and dredging operations.
  • Harbor Maintenance: Assessing depths for safe navigation and dredging needs in harbors and waterways.
  • Oil and Gas Exploration: Mapping seafloor conditions for pipeline routing and other offshore activities.
  • Bathymetric Mapping: Creating detailed maps of the underwater terrain
  • Underwater Environmental studies: Studying marine habitats, sediment movement, and other underwater phenomena.