Enhancing project delivery with LiDAR-equipped drones and advanced data acquisition

As part of BBA’s commitment to delivering safe and innovative solutions, our LiDAR-equipped Drone initiative has become a valuable tool in project execution. This technology has helped both our team and clients complete work more safely, efficiently and cost-effectively.

What began as a single innovation initiative has grown into a firm-wide capability, supporting a broad range of teams and services. Through ongoing investment in emerging technologies and a culture that encourages experimentation, we’ve developed tools that enhance the quality, precision and impact of our engineering work.

Project applications

To date, our teams have used LiDAR Drone technology across a wide variety of project types and disciplines. It provides better site data and speeds up decision-making. Some examples across regions and markets include:
- Solar energy – Capturing civil data for solar farm design
- Wind energy – Profiling existing remote access and haul roads
- Mining – Mapping current and future layouts for civil works and expansions
- Civil engineering – Supporting flood mapping, detailed designs and dam inspections
- Geotechnical engineering – Investigating rock walls and conducting safety reviews
These applications have helped unlock new efficiencies and improve risk management, especially in remote or complex environments.

Looking ahead
As we expand our data acquisition capabilities, we’re actively exploring new ways to better serve our clients. Current areas of development include:
- Drone-based thermal imaging
- Continuous site monitoring solutions
- Custom deliverables (e.g., immersive drone-based visuals)
- Underwater remote operated vehicle (ROV) for inspections
- Data acquisition in confined spaces
In addition, the recent integration of Groupe Synergis and CPP Environmental into our operations has significantly expanded our service offering. We can now deliver bathymetric surveys across Canada, further strengthening our ability to provide high-quality geospatial data for a wide variety of project needs.

This evolution reflects our commitment to providing agile, integrated solutions that address real-world challenges. By combining advanced data collection and engineering insight, BBA continues to be a trusted partner in helping clients plan, design and execute their projects with confidence.