A sensing device for obtaining geometric referenced multi-spectral image data of a region of interest in relative movement with respect to the sensing device, includes a first two dimensional sensor element and a spectral filter. The sensing device obtains subsequent multi-spectral images during the relative motion of the region of interest with respect to the sensing device, thus providing spectrally distinct information for different parts of a region of interest using different parts of the first sensor. A second two dimensional sensor element, using the second sensor element, provides an image of the region of interest for generating geometric referencing information to be coupled to the distinct spectral information.

Imaging systems and methods for imaging of scenes in apparent motion are described. A multi-axis positioning mechanism is operable to move an area imaging device along a tracking axis. A control module directs the multi-axis positioning mechanism to set the tracking axis to be substantially parallel with the apparent motion, and directs the multi-axis positioning mechanism to move the area imaging device in one or more cycles such that the area imaging device moves, in each of the one or more cycles, forward along the tracking axis at a tracking speed that compensates for the apparent motion. The control module directs the area imaging device to take at least one exposure during each of the one or more cycles to generate one or more exposures. An imaging module forms an image of the scene based on the one or more exposures.

Exemplary embodiments disclose a method of acquiring a horizontal distance between a camera and a target, which is a horizontal distance between a central point of an optical system of the camera and a ground landing point of the target. The method includes acquiring a relative target angle using an angle between a ground and a camera-target connection line which connects the central point of the optical system of the camera and the ground landing point of the target, acquiring a height of the camera using a height of the central point of the optical system of the camera on a basis of a vertical position of the ground landing point of the target, and setting a quotient of the height of the camera divided by a tangent value of the relative target angle as the horizontal distance between the camera and the target.

A method of balancing colors of three-dimensional (3D) points measured by a scanner from a first location and a second location. The scanner measures 3D coordinates and colors of first object points from a first location and second object points from a second location. The scene is divided into local neighborhoods, each containing at least a first object point and a second object point. An adapted second color is determined for each second object point based at least in part on the colors of first object points in the local neighborhood.

Described are a system (200) and method arranged to provide improved geocoded reference data to a 3D map representation. The system comprises a storage (201) having stored thereupon a 3D map representation comprising a textured 3D representation provided with geocoded reference data and formed based on imagery, the imagery being associated to information relating to at least one imaging device which has captured the imaging. The system comprises further a processor (208) arranged to receive at least one new image associated to information related to an imaging device which has captured the new image, perform registration of the new image to the 3D map representation, determine corresponding points in the new image and the 3D map representation, and determine displacement data for a plurality of 3D positions in the 3D map representation based on the determined corresponding points in the new image and the 3D map representation.

Techniques are disclosed for mapping in a movable object environment. A method of mapping may include obtaining mapping data from a scanning sensor of a compact payload coupled to an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) the compact payload comprising the scanning sensor, one or more cameras, and an inertial navigation system (INS) configured to be synchronized using a reference clock signal, obtaining feature data from a first camera of the one or more cameras, obtaining positioning data from the INS, associating the mapping data with the positioning data based at least on the reference clock signal to generate geo-referenced data, and storing the geo-referenced data and the feature data to a removable storage medium.

Embodiments relate to methods for efficiently encoding sensor data captured by an autonomous vehicle and building a high definition map using the encoded sensor data. The sensor data can be LiDAR data which is expressed as multiple image representations. Image representations that include important LiDAR data undergo a lossless compression while image representations that include LiDAR data that is more error-tolerant undergo a lossy compression. Therefore, the compressed sensor data can be transmitted to an online system for building a high definition map. When building a high definition map, entities, such as road signs and road lines, are constructed such that when encoded and compressed, the high definition map consumes less storage space. The positions of entities are expressed in relation to a reference centerline in the high definition map. Therefore, each position of an entity can be expressed in fewer numerical digits in comparison to conventional methods.

A system for implementing a trial in one or more fields is provided. In an embodiment, a agricultural intelligence computing system receives field data for a plurality of agricultural fields. Based, at least in part, on the field data for the plurality of agricultural fields, the agricultural intelligence computing system identifies one or more target agricultural fields. The agricultural intelligence computing system sends, to a field manager computing device associated with the one or more target agricultural fields, a trial participation request. The server receives data indicating acceptance of the trial participation request from the field manager computing device. The server determines one or more locations on the one or more target agricultural fields for implementing a trial and sends data identifying the one or more locations to the field manager computing device. When the agricultural intelligence computing system receives application data for the one or more target agricultural fields, the agricultural intelligence computing system determines whether the one or more target agricultural fields are in compliance with the trial. The agricultural intelligence computing system then receives result data for the trial and, based on the result data, computes a benefit value for the trial.

There is provided a surveying instrument including a distance measuring unit configured to measure a distance to an object to be measured, a measuring direction image pickup module which includes the object to be measured and is configured to acquire as observation image, an attitude detector is configured to detect a tilt of the surveying instrument main body and a arithmetic control module, and wherein the arithmetic control module is configured to extract each common corresponding point from a first image acquired at a first installing point and a second image acquired at a second installing point, perform the matching based on the corresponding point, and make a measurement of a positional relationship of the object to be measured with respect to the first installing point and the second installing point based on a matching image.

A system and method of detecting subsurface karst features includes receiving surface mapping data. A potential surface pad location can be identified in view of the surface mapping data. A resistivity survey for the potential surface pad location can be designed. The resistivity survey can include at least one long line extending through a surface hole for each of one or more wellbores in the potential surface pad location, and a short line extending through the surface hole of one of the one or more wellbores, each short line intersecting the long line substantially at the surface hole of one of the one or more wellbores. High resistivity areas exceeding approximately 150 Ohm per meter can be identified as sub surface karst features within the resistivity survey.