Methodology for the lidar survey of a section of River Ankobra

Conducting a drone LiDAR survey of the Ankobra river involves a systematic approach to gather
accurate and detailed data about the terrain and features along the river. Here is a proposed
methodology for the topo-bathymetric LiDAR survey of the river:

1. Project Planning

The Objectives of the project are :

- to bathymetric data used to create a digital terrain model of the river floor morphology

- to generate contours and sun-illuminated images of river

Survey Area Definition: This site comprises a 118 km extent of the River Ankobra

2. Equipment and Software Setup:

Drone Selection: The preliminary choice of drone is DJI Zenmuse because of its LiDAR
capability. It also has a sufficient flight range and endurance for the survey area.

Flight Planning Software: Specialized drone flight planning software is used to create a
detailed flight path that covers the entire survey area. Factors such as terrain, obstacles, and data
overlap for accurate LiDAR point clouds are considered at this stage.

In the planning phase, compliance with GCAA regulations and obtain any necessary permits for
drone operations over the designated project site is ensured.
3. Pre-Flight Checks:

Drone Systems Check: Conduct a thorough check of the drone, including propulsion systems,
GPS, and communication links.

The LiDAR system before each flight to ensure accurate data collection is checked and
calibrated.

4. Field Operations:

Data Collection: Follow the pre-defined flight path, ensuring that the LiDAR system collects
data at the specified intervals. Adjust flight altitude if necessary to optimize data
resolution.Emergency procedures are established in case of unexpected events, such as drone
malfunctions, crashes or inclement weather. There is a plan for safe drone recovery.

5. Post-Processing:

Firstly, LiDAR data from the drone is downloaded to a secure storage device or cloud platform.

Data Quality Check: Processed data is checked again to ensure that it meets the specified
accuracy requirements.

LiDAR Point Cloud Generation: Process of the the raw LiDAR data is done using specialized
software to generate a detailed point cloud representation of the surveyed area.

Data Analysis: Analyze the point cloud data to extract relevant information based on the survey
objectives. This includes DTM generation and extraction of x,y,z data into excel format.

6. Accuracy assessment

To assess the accuracy of the data, RTK GNSS check points are measured on the river banks,
river bed and water surface. The accuracy of the GNSS measurements is expected to be 1 -2 cm
in XY (plan) and 2-3 cm in height. This is the only feasible method to acquire validation data at
the River for quality control.