Autonomous LiDAR Drone for Tunnel Inspection: Mapping the Unknown

Inside a mountain in the Kitimat Ranges on BC’s northwest coast is a 475-metre long, 8-metre wide “tailrace” tunnel that transports the outflow water from the hydroelectric generation station in the mountain. The client, Rio Tinto, required a detailed interior survey of the tunnel for ongoing maintenance purposes and the tailrace could not be shut down for inspection. McElhanney provided bathymetric survey expertise to launch an autonomous drone mission that captured 3D scans of the tunnel interior to provide the client with the high-definition data they required for the structure.

Fairview-Ridley Connector Corridor

One of Western Canada’s largest container trade corridors, the Fairview Container Terminal in Prince Rupert, BC has experienced a boom in local export transload operations. As the terminal continues to grow, so too has the volume of traffic in Prince Rupert—it is estimated that the number of trucks travelling on Highway 16 has grown from 50 to 200 trucks per day.