Crane Camera maps the way forward

Pix4D, a Swiss developer of drone mapping software, and Liebherr, one of the world’s largest manufacturers of tower cranes, have collaborated to develop a crane-based 2D and 3D mapping solution which Pix4D says provides fully-automated site monitoring. The system was initially launched last year as part of what Pix4D describes as “an exclusive early adopter program”. Having proved its efficiency, with Pix4D claiming the involvement of major players within the construction industry, the system is now available for worldwide distribution.

Pix4D says the Crane Camera solution uses on-site equipment to guarantee as little site intrusion as possible. The end-to-end system combines data capture using a crane-mounted camera system, data processing in the Pix4D Cloud, and result analysis on the Pix4Dbim Cloud platform to produce deliverables required by construction professionals to plan, control and verify their projects within Building Information Modelling (BIM) software applications, says Pix4D.

“Liebherr is more and more engaged in digital construction. We wanted to spot what was really important in the BIM age,” explains Thorsten Hesselbein, head of tower crane solutions at Liebherr. “We organised workshops with our clients to identify the needs of the future. Being able to visualize and monitor the progress of construction sites was one of the key challenges highlighted.”

The solution is available on a monthly subscription basis (minimum six months), providing users with the flexibility to adapt to the duration of a project. Pix4D says each subscription includes a hardware warranty, unlimited automated data processing, and full online access to results. To mark this launch, Pix4D is has a limited special offer in which it will include full Pix4Dbim desktop software with the Crane Camera subscription. For more information logon to: https://cloud.pix4d.com/store