Rice Associates Expands Design-Build Capabilities and Strengthens Geospatial Services With Purchase of Leica Pegasus: One Mobile Mapping Solution

NORCROSS, GA, March 17, 2014 – Keeping construction projects on track just got easier for public agencies and private developers working in the Commonwealth of Virginia. A new mobile mapping solution gives surveyors and mappers the ability to gather detailed planimetric and terrain data 20 times faster than traditional surveying and photogrammetry equipment. This means the data can be quickly processed into final survey data in days, not weeks, giving managers on projects ranging from highway construction to subdivision stake out an improved ability to deliver projects on schedule.

The cutting-edge technology, Leica Pegasus:One, manufactured by Leica Geosystems and recently acquired by leading Virginia-based survey firm, Rice Associates, Inc., is a compact, highly flexible mobile mapping solution that combines the best of imagery with a traditional terrestrial laser scanner to provide high-quality data acquisition at or near posted roadway speeds.

This technology solution allows Rice Associates’ surveyors and mappers to quickly analyze existing data or provide data for preliminary design. “Once captured, the data can be processed and incorporated into final survey data,” said David “Charlie” Rice, LS, president of Rice Associates, Inc. “This capability is crucial for keeping fast-paced design/build project schedules on track.”

The geospatial services provider, with offices in Manassas, Richmond, and Virginia Beach, Virginia, serves a diverse base of public and private clients. The company has operated a photogrammetric unit for 14 years and partnered with mobile mapping service providers to support its work with the Virginia Department of Transportation. Having its own highly flexible, highly accurate mobile mapping system will allow the firm to offer new design-build capabilities from conception to completion.

“We considered a mobile mapping system in the past, but were concerned about maintenance requirements, the capital cost, and the vehicle dependency of most systems,” said Rice. “The Pegasus:One addresses all issues “’ with a single scan head, calibration is easy, the cost is not prohibitive, and the unit is completely modular. With the Pegasus:One, we can now provide our clients with all geospatial services in house.”

The compact Leica Pegasus:One provides a plug-and-play hardware solution, including cameras and LIDAR sensors, enabled by a complete software solution, including data acquisition, calibration, post-processing, viewing, editing and storage modules. It provides an easy process for object capture and referencing into a common Esri GIS-based platform.

“Rice Associates has an outstanding reputation for providing high-quality geospatial data to state, municipal and architectural/engineering clients,” said Bradley Adams, PE, Manager – Mobile Mapping for Leica Geosystems. “We are pleased to be able to support them in expanding their business with the addition of this innovative mobile mapping technology.”