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.

Stoney Trail Network and Crossings Review

During Phase 1 of this project, a network planning study was conducted to recommend the location(s) of future east-west flyovers over the Calgary Ring Road (Stoney Trail). With continued growth in and adjacent to northeast Calgary, additional travel corridors across Stoney Trail needed to be identified and planned in order to provide connectivity to new residential and commercial communities east of Stoney Trail.

Benchlands Trail & Bow Valley Trail Intersection

As part of its Transportation Initiatives Projects 2020, the Town of Canmore sought to transform the Benchlands Trail and Bow Valley Trail intersection with multi-modal safety improvements to better protect all road users. This included fully separated facilities for pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists to integrate with Canmore’s existing Complete Streets system and enhance active transportation in the area.

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.