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Airport expansion is inherently contentious, with high sensitivity to pollution and noise from neighboring communities. Further, given the sensitive nature of takeoffs and landings, developers must be aware of all possible impediments to arriving and departing aircraft.
This has led regulators and airport authorities to explore RS as a means of obtaining comprehensive data on regions surrounding airports. LiDAR imagery in particular is sought after for its accuracy in modeling elevation, and multispectral imagery for its ability to observe vegetation.
From adding lanes to rural roads to urban "megaprojects" like the Big Dig or the Crossrail tunnel, planning and constructing transportation infrastructure is a complex initiative, involving numerous stakeholders and requiring careful analysis of the surrounding environment. Here, we explore ways in which remote sensing can aid this process.
Remote Sensing of the Surrounding Environment: Airports as a Case Study
Surveying Environmental Impact
Grafton Technologies, a Massachusetts-based geospatial imaging firm, conducted a study using RS imaging of airports in Anchorage, Alaska, and Portland, Maine to observe surrounding construction patterns. While the firm found limitations in RS-modeled capabilities, noting that aerial photography provides the most accurate displays of these areas, the improved ability of the Ikonos and QuickBird sensors were noted.
Additionally, the remotely-sensed imagery is easily added to a GIS database, providing organized access.
Read the full study to learn more.
Above: LiDAR imagery captured of airports.
An environmental impact assessment (EIA) is an integral component of all transportation projects. In this process, officials will extensively document the projected change that a project will have on the environment, comparing the proposed action to various alternatives with varying levels of impact. This is a complex procedure, examining the species, natural resources, and land in an evaluation area, which often is sought to be completed within a relatively short time frame.
In general, geospatial technologies are integral to observing environmental conditions. Remote sensing is particularly useful for imaging areas with sensitivity to construction, such as wetlands, near transportation corridors, through use in creating "land cover classification maps" when combined with geographic information systems (GIS) software.
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