Positioned for recovery

The crucial role of positioning and reality capture in the rebuilding of wildfire-devastated Lahaina, Hawaii

Photograph of a person conducting an aerial survey of Lahaina, Hawaii with a drone.

In August of 2023, the world was shocked by the news of deadly wildfires ravaging Lahaina, Hawaii. In addition to the 102 who perished, it is estimated that over 2,000 structures were destroyed, many family homes.

For residents and the survivors, the grief and struggles to rebuild their community and lives could continue for many years. Any tools and resources that can be leveraged rapidly and efficiently in such situations are a plus. For example, aerial and satellite images are now foundational tools for disaster planning and response.

Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) and Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR), as well as advanced post-processing software, are rapidly being adopted for post-event assessments. In the recovery and rebuilding phase that high-precision reality capture and detailed post-processing can bring significant efficiencies.

Georgia-based Basemap Consulting flew the whole site with imaging and LiDAR using the Inertial Labs, a VIAVI Solutions Company, RESEPI™ Lite (Remote Sensing Payload Instrument) with an OEM7 receiver from Hexagon │ NovAtel. The observation files were used for Basemap's post-processed kinematic (PPK) + inertial measurement unit (IMU) step in PCMasterPro software from Inertial Labs, which is powered by NovAtel’s Waypoint Inertial Explorer. The Lahaina drone capture was completed within only a week, and the data continues to be used for surveying and rebuilding operations.

On a project you might be able to knock 50 to 80% of the work out of the project with a drone. So, generally, we can replace the equivalent of two to three, two-person crews. If we had used conventional methods for Lahaina, we could have been there for months.” – Daniel Windham, President, Basemap Consulting

What you will learn

This article features first-hand interviews with Basemap Consulting and Inertial Labs detailing the aerial survey of Lahaina using the RESEPI Lite payload. Learn how the key technical components of drone reality capture solutions—including GNSS, INS, cameras, and LiDAR—work in concert to create high-resolution imagery through advanced post-processing software.

Original (lefttop) and coloured (rightbottom) point cloud showing the Banyan tree and the marina in central Lahaina, Hawaii.

Image showing original point cloud of the Banyan tree and the marina in central Lahaina, Hawaii.
Image showing coloured point cloud of the Banyan tree and the marina in central Lahaina, Hawaii.

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