AXIS awarded $16 Million IDIQ Photogrammetric and LiDAR Surveying and Mapping Contract to support US Army Corp of Engineers St. Louis

 Easton, Maryland – AXIS GeoSpatial LLC announced that the USACE St Louis District has awarded an IDIQ contract for Photogrammetric and LiDAR Surveying and Mapping services to the firm.

Under the five year, indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract, AXIS will be responsible for aerial photogrammetric and LiDAR surveys, ground control, analytical aero-triangulation, geo-rectification, ortho-rectification, pan-sharpening, tiling, mosaicing, digital elevation model/digital terrain model (DEM/DTM) data, collection and manipulation of photogrammetric mapping, aerial photography, GIS mapping, remote sensing, large and small-scale topographic maps, planimetrics compilation and contouring, geo-database development, maintenance and support and landuse/landcover analysis and mapping, satellite imagery, and other geospatial processes and services within the Continental United States and outside the Continental United States (CONUS and OCONUS).

Task orders are expected to benefit from AXIS’ LiDAR and photogrammetric survey & mapping expertise provided to various federal government agencies as both a prime and subcontractor since 2002.

ABOUT AXIS GeoSpatial LLC
Founded in 2001, AXIS GeoSpatial LLC, a national geocapture firm, employs innovative remote-sensing and measurement technologies to capture geospatial data for integration into civil engineering, land surveying and GIS applications. AXIS is headquartered in Easton, Maryland with a branch location in Ormond Beach, Florida. During the past 20 years, AXIS has applied extensive, proven experience in producing high quality aerial imagery, LiDAR, CADD, GIS and other related geospatial datasets for civil engineering and government clients throughout the US and abroad.

For more information, please Contact Us.

Allen Wainger, PE Joins AXIS GeoSpatial LLC as Director of Program Management

Easton, Maryland - AXIS GeoSpatial LLC is pleased to announce the addition of Allen Wainger, PE to their Project Management team.  Wainger brings over 40 years of experience in the geospatial industry.  He comes from Michael Baker International where he was directly responsible for growing a GIT Services and Information Systems Department in the federal and state sectors. 

Mr. Wainger holds a Master of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Maryland College Park and a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Lehigh University.  He is an active member of the Maryland State Geospatial Information Committee, having served as treasurer and leader of the UAS working group.

“The addition of Al to our executive management team is one that I welcome with great enthusiasm.  His professionalism, knowledge, and extensive geospatial experience will play an integral role in AXIS’ continued evolution of positioning strategy; predominantly in the areas of cost, quality, and flexibility.  Having Al participate as a key member of the AXIS management team, I foresee noticeable enhancements in AXIS’ performance, services, and deliverables.”, said Justin Lahman, President of AXIS GeoSpatial. 

  

Mr. Wainger is a Professional Engineer registered in the Commonwealths of Virginia and Massachusetts with technical specialty in Water Resources and Environmental Engineering.  He combines the traditional engineering skills with an extensive background in field surveying, photogrammetry, and mapping.

 “I was absolutely thrilled to join AXIS because I have, for a number of years, been impressed with its management team and the way it treats its clients”, says Mr. Wainger.

 
With an excellent track record specifying, developing, managing, and leading integrated geospatial solutions, he will lead and direct cross functional teams to deliver projects within the constraints of client schedule, budget, and scope.
 

About AXIS GeoSpatial

Founded in 2001, AXIS GeoSpatial LLC, a national geocapture firm, employs innovative remote-sensing and measurement technologies to capture geospatial data for integration into civil engineering, land surveying and GIS applications. AXIS is headquartered in Easton, Maryland with additional locations in Delaware and Florida. During the past 18 years, AXIS has applied extensive, proven experience in producing high quality aerial imagery, LiDAR, CADD, GIS and other related geospatial datasets for civil engineering and government clients throughout the US and abroad.  For more information visit www.axisgeospatial.com,  join us on LinkedIn or follow us on Twitter @axisgeospatial

LiDAR and the Land Surveyor

The advancement of technical approaches to gathering field data has turned to LiDAR. 
This will be a brief discussion on how LiDAR has become a tool that the land surveyor 
is using more and more each day.

The main advantages behind today’s surveyors growing reliance upon LiDAR technology lie in the variety of methods one can acquire the data in the field. One method is to perform a Terrestrial Scanning, by setting up a 3D Terrestrial scanner. To acquire data from a terrestrial scanner, an instrument is normally mounted on a stationary tripod where data is collected from that position. Another popular LiDAR acquisition method is Mobile Scanning. Mobile scanning is done by two popular methods, mounting it on some type of vehicle, or via backpack carried by a field technician. Mobile LiDAR units are mounted on vehicles and driven along roadways to acquire mapping data or asset locations. These units can also be attached to a rail system and moved along a railroad to gather data. Mobile units can be attached to other vehicles such as ATV’s and driven along off-road type conditions. The Backpack Scanner is a newer version of the mobile system made light enough to be carried on the back of a field person. The backpack version is being used to acquire data in major cities or along walking trails. To cover large acquisition areas at one time, aerial methods using fixed wing aircraft and helicopters are used. The Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) is also now a popular aerial acquisition method for small to medium sites that are suitable for flying under current FAA regulations. Ground control is still needed with airborne LiDAR, but not as many points are required, and the majority of the time Photo Identifiable (PID) points are chosen to be located after the flight has occurred. The PID’s are identified in the LiDAR point cloud and are chosen in locations that are in a safer location for the field surveyor to collect.

Surveyor collecting points using a GPS receiver

While the versatility in LiDAR data acquisition methods exists, the processing of the acquired data is where the challenge lies. Point clouds gathered using LiDAR are sizeable, and the computing power required to process datasets in a timely manner can be costly. The collection method and the piece of equipment used will most likely dictate the program(s) needed to process the raw data. Depending on the client and their requested deliverable, it may require multiple programs to produce useable data. The factor that tends to be overlooked in processing data is having knowledgeable staff that understands and knows how to process all of this data into something that is advantageous for the client.

LiDAR Technician processing a point cloud

Given the complicated nature of point cloud processing, why is anyone using LiDAR based information? The reasons to use LiDAR far outweigh the stumbling blocks. AXIS can process this data quickly and easily, having experience with applying high-density LiDAR to design-scale base mapping projects since 2012. By using LiDAR, more comprehensive detail of the site is surveyed in a fraction of the time when compared to traditional, single-point survey methods. The result is accelerated schedules and reduced project costs. During the full-foliage season, airborne LiDAR is capable of mapping terrain in certain vegetated areas where traditional photogrammetric methods cannot; and in many areas where land surveying efforts would be greatly impeded or costly to collect to the same level of detail. So long as the composition and density of the vegetation canopy permit the penetration of light from above, a LiDAR pulse can reach the ground below. Farmland that contains row crops can be easily traversed, have points acquired and the ground can be mapped. Voids in the LiDAR caused by vegetation obstruction can be supplemented with conventional surveying methods, merged into the LiDAR point cloud data, to develop a comprehensive digital terrain model (DTM).

LiDAR Sensor mounted in a fixed wing aircraft

The possibilities of the uses for the point clouds gathered through LiDAR are growing as the technology becomes more widely used. Firms are creating 2D base maps generated from the point clouds. 3D modeling can be created from the point cloud that allows the client to spin and maneuver the product. This gives users the opportunity to see a project without leaving the office and thus being able to design a final product more efficiently and accurately. One of the more exciting applications is the ability to create a “fly” through image and product. These are especially helpful when working in and around pump stations and buildings that have a lot of existing pipes and infrastructure which may require modifications in a very tight area.

The client base that is currently using this type of data is growing each day. Civil engineers are using the information to design better site plans for commercial and private uses. Environmental engineers are using LiDAR to map forests, wildlife habitats and environmentally sensitive areas. Water and wastewater engineers have found multiple uses for LiDAR for base mapping and pump station redesign. Architects are using LiDAR to redesign the interior areas of commercial buildings and create virtual “walk-throughs” for the client to see before construction begins. In short, LiDAR is an invaluable tool that provides decision makers with more data in a shorter and more useable timeframe.

Author Info: Barry Gleissner, Director of Surveying and Mapping at AXIS GeoSpatial, LLC, has 40 years of experience in land surveying. An accomplished surveyor holding PLS licensure in Delaware and New Jersey, Gleissner currently serves on the board of the Delaware Association of Surveyors and has served two terms as president of the New Jersey Society of Professional Land Surveyors (NJSPLS), having recently received the NJSPLS 2018 Surveyor of the Year Award. Gleissner directs AXIS GeoSpatial’s day-to-day survey and map production operations.

When to use Ground, Aircraft and/or UAS Mapping Techniques

On Friday October 6, 2017 during the annual Maryland Society of Surveyors Conference in Hunt Valley Maryland, AXIS very own President/CEO Justin Lahman will be presenting a session at 4pm on when to use ground, aircraft and/or UAS mapping techniques.

This session will cover today’s decision process of three (3) automated surveying technologies when approaching a mapping project.  The session will present considerations for using land surveying, aircraft, UAS and/or a combination of the 3 techniques for a particular mapping project.  

Scope, accuracy, precision, site location, site conditions, site access, FAA airspace limitations, deliverables, budget and schedule all will govern which decision you must make in order to be competitive …and also within state and federal law.

Register today for this conference here and plan to attend AXIS "Hot Topic" session # 4 to gain insight for planning your next mapping project.  

The session will be 45 minutes with 15 minutes for Q&A.  

Stop by booth 3 in the exhibit hall and learn more about AXIS and how we are using these techniques to assist surveyors with their surveying and mapping projects.

About Justin Lahman – Mr. Lahman is a licensed surveyor photogrammetrist, licensed aircraft and UAS pilot, and President / CEO of AXIS GeoSpatial LLC of Easton MD.  Starting his career as a photogrammetric technician, he brings more than 29 years of geospatial industry experience to AXIS.  Mr. Lahman has functioned as lead consultant on several large, multi-year projects consisting of land surveying, photogrammetry, remote sensing, GIS, cadastral and several other related mapping sciences.  Using advanced surveying and remote sensing methodologies, AXIS GeoSpatial LLC provides in-house land and airborne surveying/mapping solutions for civil engineering applications to private A/E/S firms and various local, state and federal governmental agencies such as MDSHA, MDTA, MTA, MPA, MAA, VDOT, USACE, USGS, etc.  

The Talbot County Chamber Names AXIS GeoSpatial Large Business of the Year

Easton, Maryland – AXIS GeoSpatial received the large business of the year award during the 2017 Talbot Chamber Business Awards Program at the Inn at Perry Cabin on August 24, 2017.

The Large Business of the Year award is awarded annually by the Talbot County Chamber of Commerce, to firms with 25 or more employees and whose contributions to the county’s economy and quality of life are particularly noteworthy.  AXIS has ‘staying power’ in Easton Maryland for the past 16 years and continues growth, providing jobs to the local community and actively supporting community activities.

As a local company here on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, AXIS and their team of Maryland companies were selected by the State of Maryland to provide digital, high-resolution aerial imagery for Maryland to use in Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) systems located in Emergency 911 centers and in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in 2007, 2010, 2011, 2013 and currently has the statewide contract from 2014-2019.

AXIS fleet of aircraft combined with the latest camera and LIDAR sensor technology provides clients with hi-definition survey and mapping data to support a variety of applications such as, emergency management, public works, planning and zoning, transportation assessment, homeland security, forestry, environmental needs and more.

In 2015, AXIS experienced continued revenue and profitability growth within land surveying and airborne acquisition divisions. This growth in sales between 2014 -2015 led to a 38% growth in hiring local employees. In 2016 AXIS purchased the Riegl LMS-Q1560 dual LiDAR channel airborne laser scanning system, and became the first U.S. based commercial firm to own this sensor, adding to their LiDAR and camera system fleet. Armed with the latest technology, AXIS growth plans include doubling current revenue by 2019 and an additional 50% growth by 2021. With these plans for continued growth and expansion, AXIS recently acquired 11,000 square feet of new office space in the Talbot Commerce Park.

Justin Lahman, President and CEO of AXIS said, “Born and raised in Talbot County, I’m honored to receive this award. This would not have possible without my business partner Dave Rorrer, the support of our families, the hard work and dedication from our staff and Shore United Bank.  Without their financial support since the beginning, it would've been very difficult (if not impossible) to grow to our current state.”

About AXIS Geospatial:

Founded in 2001, AXIS GeoSpatial LLC, a national geocapture firm, employs innovative remote-sensing and measurement technologies to capture geospatial data for integration into civil engineering, land surveying and GIS applications. AXIS is headquartered in Easton, Maryland with additional locations in Colorado, Delaware & New Jersey. During the past 15 years, AXIS has applied extensive, proven experience in producing high quality aerial imagery, LiDAR, CADD, GIS and other related geospatial datasets for civil engineering and government clients throughout the US and abroad.  For more information visit axisgeospatial.com, join us on LinkedIn or follow us on Twitter @axisgeospatial.

For more information please call Erica Insley at 410-822-1441 or visit www.axisgeospatial.com.