RFI for Advanced Colorized LiDAR Acquisition and Processing Systems

Background
The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) Photogrammetry Unit is seeking information through this Request for Information (RFI) to explore and understand a complete system for acquiring and processing colorized LiDAR primarily from a UAV platform.

The goal is to gather insights from OEMs and vendors that can influence the direction of NCDOT's geospatial data acquisition strategy, particularly in areas with dense leaf cover. This RFI serves as a preliminary step towards potential future collaborations.

Work Details
The RFI seeks submissions capable of supporting various missions, including:

1) Aircraft and Sensor Requirements: UAVs with high-resolution LiDAR sensors, mobile platforms, handheld devices for detailed data capture, and cameras for orthophoto creation.

2) Types of Missions: Pre-construction surveys, monitoring construction progress during construction, and creating orthophotos and 3D reconstructions post-construction.

3) Post-Processing Needs: Manual and automated vectorization of 3D features, temporal data analysis, image stitching, georeferencing, generating 3D models and Digital Twins, automatic extraction of roadway assets and break lines.

4) Advanced capabilities to collect information from ground vehicles or handheld devices in locations inaccessible by UAVs.

Period of Performance
Responses to this RFI must be received by July 9, 2025.

Place of Performance
The geographic location for the performance of this contract pertains to operations within North Carolina.

Bidder Requirements
Respondents are expected to provide a brief history of their company, previous experience in LiDAR and drone manufacturing, specifications for UAV types and sensors, software capabilities for flight planning and data processing, customer support details, pricing information related to initial platforms and sensors, legal precautions regarding user access to the platform, and references from current operators or customers.