ALDOT Employs SimActive Software and Drone Imagery for Swift Tornado Recovery
Within the wake of a devastating tornado that swept through the southwest portion of Selma, Alabama, earlier this yr, the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) turned to SimActive Inc., a renowned developer of photogrammetry software, to help within the efficient assessment of the damage. Utilizing SimActive’s Correlator3D software, ALDOT processed over 18,000 drone images inside a remarkable 24-hour timeframe, delivering crucial digital surface models and orthomosaics for comprehensive damage assessment.
“Time is critical when responding to disasters like this one,” emphasized JD D’Arville, UAS Program Administrator at ALDOT. “SimActive’s Correlator3D allows us to process huge datasets rapidly and distribute them to the various groups that need the info.”
SimActive’s Correlator3D is a patented end-to-end photogrammetry solution renowned for its speed and efficiency in generating high-quality geospatial data. The software performs aerial triangulation (AT) and produces dense digital surface models (DSM), digital terrain models (DTM), point clouds, orthomosaics, 3D models, and vectorized 3D features. Fueled by cutting-edge GPU technology and multi-core CPUs, Correlator3D ensures unparalleled processing speed, enabling the swift production of enormous datasets—a vital think about the aftermath of natural disasters.
ALDOT, the Alabama Department of Transportation, plays a pivotal role in statewide transportation across various modes. Formed in 2016, ALDOT’s UAS department, equipped with seven centrally situated drone pilots, operates primarily fixed-wing drones and is on target to finish over 4,300 missions this yr, showcasing the agency’s commitment to leveraging cutting-edge technology for effective disaster response.
The collaboration between ALDOT and SimActive not only underscores the critical role of technology in disaster recovery but in addition highlights the growing significance of drone data in rapidly assessing and responding to the aftermath of natural disasters. As climate-related events turn out to be more frequent and severe, using advanced photogrammetry software emerges as a useful tool for informed decision-making and efficient recovery efforts.
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