OxTS georeferencing and boresight alignment software

OxTS Georeferencer

OxTS Georeferencer is a software tool developed by OxTS to combine INS trajectory data with raw LiDAR data to create a georeferenced 3D Pointcloud.

OxTS Georeferencer takes a file collected with a LiDAR scanner (synchronised in real-time with an OxTS inertial navigation system), a processed navigation trajectory file from the OxTS INS, and some required configuration files, to create a LAS pointcloud file that can be viewed in many 3rd party LiDAR software packages.

Thanks to our experience in calibration techniques, we have been able to develop a solution that helps system integrators and end users to start their work with confidence that their INS and LiDAR hardware has been installed precisely and accurately.

OxTS Georeferencer will be released in 2020.

Pre-Boresight

Boresight calibration is an essential part of INS & LiDAR integration.

If the coordinate systems of the two devices do not match perfectly then the georeferencing of LiDAR data will diverge over longer ranges and result in a less accurate pointcloud.

OxTS Georeferencer includes the ability to boresight supported LiDAR devices in order to ensure the user can produce clean and reliable data every time.

Newly installed, uncalibrated, INS/LiDAR UAV dataset

Post-Boresight

The results of running a boresight calibration are sometimes very clear, and sometimes marginal, but the objective is the same – align all sensors on the vehicle to the same coordinate system to ensure a high level of accuracy, regardless of a predefined test scenario.

A boresighted system allows for complete flexibility over the way you perform a survey

Be sure to check if your LiDAR device is supported for Boresighting and Georeferencing in our “Supported devices” tab

Contact OxTS at info@oxts.com for more information, or check out our sample data!

Georeferencing

OxTS Georeferencer’s main function is to synchronise and fuse the OxTS INS and LiDAR data sets.

A LiDAR sensor can sense range to a target, but it has no internal knowledge of when or where it is, or where it has moved to since the last scan occurred. This is where the INS adds essential information:

Nanosecond accurate time (Survey grade GNSS receivers)
RTK/PPK accurate position (Survey grade GNSS receivers and tightly-coupled navigation engine)
Accurate heading, pitch, and roll (Survey grade IMU sensors)

Thanks to live accuracies being reported as well, the data can be intelligently filtered based on estimated position/orientation accuracy of the INS, allowing you to perform less clean-up of the data in post-processing

Manufacturer	LiDAR model	Software version required
Velodyne	VLP-16 Puck	1.0
Velodyne	VLP-16 Puck LITE	1.0

NOTE: 3rd party INS devices are not supported due to the data manipulation for synchronisation and quality assurance (specific accuracy and status messages from NCOM are required for processing)

If you are interested in other LiDAR sensors being supported by OxTS Georferencer, contact us at info@oxts.com. We may already be planning to integrate the sensor you want!

xNAV v3

The high performance, lightweight, INS for drone and UAV...

Survey+ v3

Our flagship INS for land-based mobile mapping and manned aircraft...

xOEM v3 board set

Our lightweight, next generation INS board set for system integrators...

"Open Road"

This data was collected using an OxTS xNAV550 and a Velodyne VLP-16.

The LiDAR was mounted to the rear window of the vehicle in order to create the highest density view of the road surface in the resulting pointcloud.

Data can be downloaded here

"Tree Canopy"

This data was collected using an OxTS xNAV550 and a Velodyne VLP-16

The LiDAR was mounted to the rear window of the vehicle in order to create the highest density view of the road surface in the resulting pointcloud.

Data can be downloaded here

"Airfield"

This data was collected using an OxTS xNAV550 and a Velodyne VLP-16

The LiDAR was mounted on the front of the roof at an incline of 10 degrees in order to ensure the best field of view of the road ahead and building features in the surrounding area.

Data can be downloaded here

"Boresight calibration (before)"

This data was collected using an OxTS xNAV550 and a Velodyne VLP-16

The INS/LiDAR payload was mounted on a DJI Matrice 600 pro UAV that was custom made by the user..

Data can be downloaded here

Retroreflective targets before boresight calibration

"Boresight calibration (after)"

This data was collected using an OxTS xNAV550 and a Velodyne VLP-16

The INS/LiDAR payload was mounted on a DJI Matrice 600 pro UAV that was custom made by the user.

Data can be downloaded here

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OxTS Georeferencer and Boresight Tool

xNAV v3

Survey+ v3

xOEM v3 board set