Emesent’s new mobile scanning unit, the Hovermap, is designed to map light detection and ranging (LiDAR) data both above and below ground. The HF1 model suitable for mines includes quick-release mounting hardware, so users can either do hand-held scanning or attach the device to a drone to survey unsafe or inaccessible areas. “Hovermap’s versatility allows users to switch easily from drone to handheld use, backpack or vehicle-mounted scanning,” Dini Malhi, marketing consultant at Emesent told CIM Magazine. “[This enables] the collection of critical data both from the air and on the ground.” The Hovermap uses collision avoidance to detect obstacles such as pillars, wires and people and performs localisation, navigation and flight control without GPS.