Case Study: Murray River LiDAR Survey Project – Ongoing Flood Response
Client: Government Agency / Local Councils (Confidential)
Location: Murray River, South Australia
Project Duration: Ongoing (2023–Present)
Services Provided: LiDAR Surveying, Photogrammetry, Flood Monitoring
Technology Deployed
- DJI M300 RTK & M350 RTK – long-endurance UAV platforms for precision survey work
- DJI L2 LiDAR Sensor System – high-density laser scanning for complex terrain mapping
- GNSS Ground Control & Checkpoint Systems – centimetre-grade positional accuracy
- RTK Processing – survey-grade data precision for reliable modelling
Project Overview
Drone Hire Australia was engaged to provide critical aerial survey data during the Murray River flood response.
The goal: deliver high-resolution terrain and surface models to support levee modelling, infrastructure risk assessment, and emergency planning during and after peak flood events.
The project covered multiple kilometres of flood-affected riverbank, including environmentally sensitive and low-access areas where traditional survey methods were not feasible.
Project Objectives
- Capture high-density LiDAR data along riverbanks, levees, roads, and floodplains
- Produce accurate Digital Terrain Models (DTMs) and Digital Surface Models (DSMs)
- Identify erosion risks, sediment build-up, and exposed assets
- Deliver actionable mapping data to government agencies and emergency services
Methodology
- Drone-Based Data Acquisition
- Flight missions at 60m altitude to maximise ground return density in vegetated and low-access areas
- Simultaneous RGB capture for visual context to LiDAR datasets
- Survey Control
- GNSS survey control points established to validate and correct LiDAR outputs to centimetre accuracy
- Processing Workflow
- LiDAR point clouds processed in DJI Terra
- Data refined and aligned to the GDA2020 datum for compatibility with existing GIS datasets
- Photogrammetry Integration
- Orthophotos produced for visual overlays on LiDAR datasets, improving interpretability
Key Outcomes
- High-Resolution Terrain Models – extensive flood-affected hectares mapped
- Rapid Response – deployment within 48 hours; priority deliverables returned in 72 hours
- Cross-Agency Collaboration – data supplied in formats compatible with SA Government & councils
- Risk Mitigation – enabled real-time decision-making for levee repairs, evacuation plans, and future mitigation strategies
Conclusion
This ongoing operation demonstrates Drone Hire Australia’s ability to rapidly deploy advanced aerial surveying technology in emergency response situations.
Equipped with DJI L2 LiDAR sensors and backed by experienced operators, we continue to support flood recovery and resilience planning along the Murray River — one of South Australia’s most critical waterways.
