Method and system for generating a geoid via three computation spaces and airborne-acquired gravity data

US9778360B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Fugro N.V. · NL

Inventors

• Robert Kingdon · Fredericton, CA
• Carl Sonnier · Lafayette, US
• Detang Zhong · Ottawa, CA

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 16, 2014
• Grant date: Oct 3, 2017
• Expiry date: Mar 3, 2036

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01V11/00
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

Airborne gravity measurements may be added to the collection of airborne LiDAR so that it may be used to produce a digital elevation model (DEM), which may be used along with gravity data to produce an improved geoid, which may be used to produce an improved DEM based on the improved orthometric heights. A computing device may be configured to receive airborne navigation, gravity and LiDAR data, generate position information based on the navigation data, generate gravity field information based on the gravity data and the position information, generate orthometric height information based on the LiDAR data and the position information, and generate a geoid based on the gravity field and orthometric height information. The computing device may also generate a geoid model based on the gravity field and an existing DEM, and generate the orthometric height information based on the LiDAR data, position information, and geoid model.