3 Advances in Geologic Mapping, Databases, and Dissemination: Establishing fundamental resources for the earth science community

This session will highlight new geologic maps, innovations in mapping techniques, and related advances in data management, web accessibility, and applications. We welcome submissions with relevance to hazard assessments, natural resource evaluations, and water-land management.

Monday, 9 March 2026
9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
RCC, 105

Battle of the Clouds: LiDAR, PIX4D-Mapper, Cyclone3DR, and Reality Scan in Outcrop Modeling.

Paper number: 3-1
Program: Technical Sessions
Time: 9:05 AM – 9:25 AM

Authors

Abstract

The use of UAVs (Uncrewed Aerial Vehicles) or drones, coupled with LiDAR, to obtain high-resolution imagery for photogrammetry is increasingly being employed by geologists for rapid field mapping. However, there is a lack of a standardized protocol for conducting such work from the initial stages of imaging field exposures to the final creation of 3-D scans and models. In this research, we employed a range of imaging techniques to capture photogrammetry data for a Middle Devonian (~385 mya) Millboro Black Shale exposed near Radford, VA, and a Middle-Late Cambrian (~513 mya) limestone/dolostone sequence also exposed near Radford, VA. Specifically, the imaging devices we used included a handheld DSLR camera, a handheld LiDAR unit, a UAV equipped with a high-resolution camera, and a cellphone. 650 field photographs were processed using the PIX4D-MapperTM software to create 3-D models that could then be easily manipulated digitally, allowing for a detailed examination of lithologies, including shales, limestones, and dolostones in a virtual 3-D environment. A total of 15 LiDAR scans were also collected for detailed analysis of 3-D terrains utilizing the Cyclone3DR TM software. Finally, all data collected was processed with the Reality ScanTM software for a comparison of overall clarity, accuracy of measurements, and true (ground-based) scale of exposures. Results revealed a variety of factors, all of which impacted the degree of realism and overall quality of the 3-D models created via PIX4D-MapperTM, Cyclone3DRTM, and Reality ScanTM. For instance, type of light (overcast versus direct sunlight), the total number of photographs/scans obtained for an outcrop, glare reflected from surrounding fine-grained detritus, degree of overlap between consecutive photographs, the amount of vegetative cover, and the use of manual tie points (MTPs) all had a direct impact on the overall quality (and hence usability) of the final 3-D models. We will discuss best practices and the pros and cons of using PIX4D-MapperTM, Cyclone3DR TM, and Reality ScanTM for creating 3-D models of sedimentary outcrops.

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 58, No. 1

doi: 10.1130/abs/2026SE-411635

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