Recently, I had the opportunity to experience one of the most memorable moments of my professional career – traveling to Austria to attend the RIEGL VIP Customer Summit. For those unfamiliar, RIEGL is a leading company in LiDAR technology, known for its innovative solutions in laser scanning.
This was not only my first trip to Europe, but also a rare chance to get an inside look at RIEGL’s laser manufacturing and testing facilities. The summit’s purpose was also to educate us on the latest developments and technologies they are working on.
The summit really opened my eyes to the versatility of the equipment and gave me new ideas for how we could expand our current services to assist clients using the scanners we already have.
I was honored to be selected by RIEGL to attend, representing DRMP as the Geospatial Services Division Manager. I oversee the collection, processing, and data extraction for our Mobile and Unmanned Aerial LiDAR Systems, so this experience was especially relevant to the work we do every day. RIEGL generously covered all expenses, including hotel and even business class airfare, which made the experience all the more amazing.
Our group consisted of about 40 professionals from around the world. We spent our first day exploring Vienna before heading to Horn, Austria, where RIEGL’s headquarters is located.
Tour of Facilities and Quality Assurance
One of the most eye-opening aspects of the tour was learning about the level of quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) RIEGL applies to every single part of their systems. I was genuinely impressed by the care and precision that goes into even the smallest components, including the drill bits used to cut basic holes. Their commitment to quality showed at every step of the process.
My favorite part of the tour was our last day at RIEGL’s new airfield. I had the opportunity to pilot a small aircraft used for their manned aerial LiDAR missions. We also got to explore their entire fleet and spend the afternoon watching planes take off and land from their private hangar.
Technology and Innovations
I also learned a lot about the latest software updates for their Mobile LiDAR system. The most impactful for me was the introduction of new AI-based classification tools (deep learning). This technology isn’t about AI teaching itself, instead, the models are being trained by experienced professionals to improve classification accuracy and efficiency.
Some of the other developments we saw are still in progress and covered under a non-disclosure agreement (NDA), so I’m not able to share those details, but it’s safe to say there’s a lot of exciting innovation on the horizon.
Networking and Industry Insights
We also took an entire tour of the facilities where they manufacture all their own parts and perform their own assembly and testing of the equipment. I was able to take part in some test scans for the static VZ600i models.
Most of the discussions centered on RIEGL’s own technology and the innovations they’ve introduced over the past few years. A key goal of the trip was to educate clients on how to expand their scanning capabilities.
I especially enjoyed meeting the heads of their Mobile LiDAR and UAS LiDAR departments. They offered one-on-one sessions, and I had the chance to speak with both of them, asking all our burning questions and even sharing some of my own ideas for future software features. They were genuinely excited to hear how we use their scanners and the types of projects we’re working on.
One of the highlights for me was hearing from Dr. Riegl himself. His words on innovation and the future of our industry were inspiring, and I even got to take a picture with him.
Global Perspective and Takeaways
This event was exceptionally well-organized and insightful. Being surrounded by peers from other companies made the experience even more rewarding.
Connecting with peers from other companies added even more value to the experience. I had the opportunity to meet many professionals involved in similar work to what we do at DRMP, or who hold roles comparable to mine. It was especially valuable to exchange ideas and gain new perspectives on how others manage their responsibilities.
One of the biggest takeaways for me was seeing the bigger picture of how our industry works on a global scale. I met professionals from South America, the United Kingdom, Australia – you name it. Every single one of them uses RIEGL’s technology in a different way, adapted to their specific needs and environments.
I returned from this trip feeling rejuvenated and inspired to elevate our Geospatial Services to the next level. I gained more confidence knowing that our group here is doing remarkable work and that we are competitive even on an international scale. I plan to share what I learned through training with my team and continue building relationships with RIEGL and their partners on future projects.
I’m already looking forward to the next opportunity to attend a RIEGL event.
