Campus Terrain Surveying and Mapping using Low Range 2D Laser Scanners

This paper presents a vehicle based custom-made urban mobile scanning and mapping system for surveying outdoor environments. The system is equipped with multiple low-range 2D Hokuyo laser scanners mounted in different orientations in order to perceive the environment. Additionally, a global positioning system, inertial measurement unit and camera have been integrated with the system to record pose and visual information. The system has been tested inside the campus and outside the region adjacent to the campus. Comprehensive and accurate mapping results have been found and presented in the paper. Further analysis on the developed map for assessment of the road furniture like electric poles, vegetation and signboard is possible comfortably. Therefore the system can be very helpful for concerned public and private entities to do renovation, construction and extension in existing urban structures. Moreover the system is economical and faster than the available local urban surveying systems with greater efficiency.