Guide: Measuring Volumes in Complex Environments Including Stockpile Halls, Silos, and Domes

With the Elios 3’s powerful LiDAR payload, the drone can collect detailed scans used for volume measurements. Due to the nature of the Elios 3’s typical missions, these datasets are not always collected in open environments where it is easy to calculate the volume of the material surveyed. This guide dives into the details of how to overcome this challenge. 

In the free-to-download guide linked below, our team outlines how to measure volumes with Elios 3 datasets in CloudCompare software. There are in-depth steps for measuring volumes in stockpile halls, silos, and dome structures. Our product experts have detailed how to optimize flight plans, transfer and open the resulting las file, and the ways to set references and measure the material volumes. 

These volume calculations are important for determining the level of material currently present and making decisions based on replenishing stockpiles, cleaning excess sediment, or similar processes. As the calculations may be difficult to complete correctly, this guide includes screenshots and example calculations to show how our team uses CloudCompare to get the desired information. 

This guide hosts various helpful links to CloudCompare and additional resources, including a YouTube video by Flyability for volumetry calculations of a stockpile with the Elios 3 and CloudCompare. 

Interested in learning more about the Elios 3 and its LiDAR payload? Discover our Surveying payload now.