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LiDAR Technologyat Your FingertipsIntroducing the World’s Largest LiDAR ResourceExchange MarketplaceAlejandra EspinosaDirector of MarketingIn collaboration with:Todd StennettPresident and CEOHeather AshenfelterKey Accounts ManagerAirborne 1 CorporationEl Segundo, Calif.www.airborne1.com3“The answer to that question is eBay…”That is what my boss said three years ago during the company’sannual strategic planning meetings. My boss: Todd Stennett, Presidentand CEO of Airborne 1 Corporation, a Los Angeles-basedprovider of LiDAR (a laser mapping technology known as LightDetection and Ranging). The question: “How can we radically improvevalue for customers shopping for LiDAR services?”“But an eBay-like Web site for just one seller? Wouldn’t that be alittle overkill?” I thought to myself. eBay (San Jose, Calif.) has becomea very successful company by building a network of 100 million buyersand sellers throughout the world. It seemed obvious to me thatin order to satisfy the huge demand for LiDAR services, Airborne 1would need the help of additional sensor owners across the industry.With a “LiDAR community” mindset, and seeking to enhancethe value proposition for LiDAR data and products to consumers ofthese services through an online marketplace, LiDARXCHANGEwas created. After three years of extensive research, market analysis,product development, and rigorous testing, LiDARXCHANGE.comwas launched this past February by a world-wide network of LiDARsensor owners, including Airborne 1.LiDARXCHANGE.com allows LiDAR and geospatial professionalsto post, view, rent, or buy available LiDAR system capacity andrelated resources online. The site also offers a low-cost solution that letsusers track the location of LiDAR sensors and aircraft across the globein real time, using a GPS-based tracking device developed exclusivelyfor LiDARXCHANGE called X-TRACKER, which sends locationand other information to the site via satellite. (See Figure 1.)Like eBay, LiDARXCHANGE seeks to benefit the buyer just asmuch as the seller. Buyers enjoy the convenience of a one-stop shop tobuy or rent LiDAR and related services or assets. Since all assets postedon the exchange board are arranged by region, buyers can select to workwith local providers, which will in turn result in better logistics as wellas cost savings in ferrying and other fees. Alternatively, they can shopfor the closest planned selected sensor at a selected date in the future.LiDARXCHANGE buyers can also post their needs for a specific asset,in case none of the items currently listed on the site meets their projects’16 s u m m e r 2 0 0 6 w w w . i m a g i n g n o t e s . c o m
Only a few months1after its launch inFebruary 2006,LiDARXCHANGE hasalready gatheredthe participation ofover 40% of the LiDARsensors in thecommercial sector.requirements. In addition, LiDARXCHANGE providesa user-friendly format for buyers with complex project arrangements,particularly for projects requiring multiplesensors, aircraft, and/or personnel. (See Figures 2 and 3.)Sellers find that LiDARXCHANGE provides aneffective forum for them to make their assets’ capacitiesavailable to a broader audience. With LiDARsensor prices ranging between $500,000 and $1.4million, keeping a high utilization rate for the Li-DAR system is vital. The site provides LiDAR systemowners with new revenue opportunities that help increasetheir sensors’ utilization rates, which wouldotherwise average a mere 10 to 20 percent annually.Resources such as digital cameras and GPS groundstations, as well as field operations and data processingpersonnel, can also be posted on LiDARX-CHANGE. The site can be viewed as a marketingplatform for companies to post their assets and Li-DAR services, allowing them to stay in full control oftheir pricing, the information that is displayed, andtheir online visibility, which can be turned on or offat the seller’s will.At times, a seller may become a buyer. LiDAR sensorowners often find themselves in situations where,due to logistical challenges such as bad weather, projectdelays, and equipment malfunctions, immediate accessto LiDAR sensor capacity is needed in order to replacetheir own. Finding a fast solution is critical in these situationsto avoid additional delays or the threat of overlapwith other projects. LiDARXCHANGE’s aroundthe-clockonline access provides the latest informationabout available sensor capacity, allowing users to findthe most expeditious solution to their problem.LiDAR companies that were previously spendingvaluable time flying sensors and equipment across theglobe for new projects can now use LiDARXCHANGEto buy capacity from the closest available sensor to theproject’s site. By increasing their revenues, reducingw w w . i m a g i n g n o t e s . c o mtheir costs, improving their productivity, and enhancingtheir competitiveness, LiDARXCHANGE enablessellers to get the most out of their assets.There are currently more than 120 LiDAR assetsworldwide — enough to gain logistical, industry-widecoordination, and to fulfill demand. Only a few monthsafter its launch in February 2006, LiDARXCHANGEhas already gathered the participation of over 40% ofthe LiDAR sensors in the commercial sector, making itthe largest fleet of LiDAR sensors in the world. Behindthe concept’s success are the participants who, alongwith Airborne 1, have had an essential role in creatingand refining the online exchange. LiDARXCHANGEparticipants hold a common belief that by sharing costsavings with the market, LiDAR players will collectivelydrive far higher and more stable collection andprocessing volumes throughout the industry.Interested parties can learn more about LiDARX-CHANGE by visiting www.lidarXchange.com and creatinga free user account. The site is under constant revisionfor the addition of new tools and mechanisms to enhancethe user’s LiDARXCHANGE experience. Feedback andquestions are welcomed at feedback@lidarXchange.com.This year’s strategic planning meetings are currentlytaking place. What will the boss think of next?Stay tuned!Figure 1 LiDAR-XCHANGE Asset TrackingPageFigure 2 LiDARSystem — OptechALTM3100 (Courtesy ofOptech Inc.)Figure 3 LiDARDigital Elevation ModelColor-Coded by Elevationof Hoover Dam,Colo., U.S.A.s u m m e r 2 0 0 6217
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