ALL
CPKC Railway Asset Management GIS Modernization Using LiDAR
LiDAR-Based Spatial Validation of Infrastructure Assets Across the CPKC Network Integrating infrastructure databases and spatial datasets to create a unified railway asset management system. Project Summary OGL Engineering partnered with CPKC Railway to support the validation and enhancement of their asset management GIS databases as part of a major database modernization initiative. The work includes integrating and reconciling asset information from the former Canadian Pa
2 min read
City of Calgary LiDAR Bathymetric Mapping Program
Capturing 34 km² of Riverbed and River Adjacent Areas along The Bow and Elbow rivers within Calgary High-resolution LiDAR supporting flood modelling, erosion monitoring and infrastructure planning. Project Summary OGL Engineering collaborated on two LiDAR acquisitions in 2020 and 2025 to deliver classified bathymetric LiDAR datasets covering approximately 34 km² along the Bow and Elbow Rivers within Calgary. This work supports the ongoing modernization of the City’s geosp
2 min read
City of Calgary LiDAR Mapping Program
Capturing 1,175 km² of Urban and Rural Infrastructure High-resolution LiDAR and aerial imagery supporting urban development monitoring, flood modelling, and municipal GIS modernization. Project Summary Since 2022, this program has delivered LiDAR acquisition across more than 1,175 km² of urban and rural areas in and around the City of Calgary. The work supports ongoing modernization of the City’s geospatial infrastructure by providing accurate, current datasets aligned wit
2 min read
LiDAR-Based 3D Scanning for Precision Saddle Fitting
Applying Geomatics and Mobile LiDAR Technology to the Equestrian Industry OGL Engineering developed mobile platform transforming traditional saddle fitting through accessible 3D scanning. Project Summary Tack-Tek is a mobile application designed to improve saddle fitting by capturing accurate three-dimensional scans of a horse’s back using LiDAR sensors integrated into modern iPhone devices. The application enables riders, saddle fitters, and equestrian professionals to gen
2 min read
Buffalo InDigital: Precise 3D Data for Better Outcomes
Enabling Access to LiDAR and Aerial Imagery for Indigenous Communities Across Alberta OGL Engineering supports airborne data acquisition and processing as part of a collaborative initiative focused on improving access, consistency, and shared approaches to geospatial data ownership. Project Summary Buffalo InDigital is a joint initiative founded by OGL and ATCO, to support the creation of a geospatial data platform across Albertan Indigenous communities. Buffalo InDigital i
2 min read
Web GIS and Mobile Mapping Platform Development
In-House Systems for Visualizing LiDAR, Aerial Imagery, and Geospatial Data Custom web and mobile applications enabling large-scale geospatial data visualization, analysis, and field access. Project Summary OGL Engineering develops in-house geospatial workflows encompassing LiDAR and imagery processing, location data management, and broader geospatial data integration. A key component of these workflows is the Web Map Viewer, a web-based platform capable of visualizing larg
2 min read
Municipal GIS Feature Mapping for the Town of Peace River
Orthophoto, Hydro-Flattened Water Features, Building Footprints, and Infrastructure Mapping Integrated LiDAR and aerial imagery processing delivering GIS-ready datasets for municipal planning, engineering analysis, and asset management. Project Summary This project involves aerial survey acquisition using LiDAR and high-resolution imagery over the Town of Peace River and surrounding municipal lands. The program supports the Town’s Infrastructure and Development department b
2 min read
OGL COMMITS TO ACHIEVING NET-ZERO EMISSIONS BY 2050
We are excited to announce that OGL Engineering, a leader in innovative geomatics engineering solutions, is taking a bold step towards sustainability. As part of our ongoing commitment to environmental responsibility, we pledge to achieve net-zero scope 1 and 2 emissions across our operations by 2050. Our journey towards net zero includes reaching an interim target of 300T of CO 2 e from Scope 1 emissions and 45 T CO 2 e from Scope 2 emissions by 2030. We are affirming our
1 min read
WHY OGL ENGINEERING DOES NOT OUTSOURCE MAPPING AND LiDAR PROCESSING ABROAD
In today's interconnected world, outsourcing has become a common practice for many businesses, offering various advantages such as cost savings and access to specialized expertise. However, our company firmly believes in keeping jobs within our local economy and fostering innovation through continuous improvement. This commitment led us to make the decision not to outsource our geomatics services abroad. In addition to supporting our local community, this approach has empower
3 min read
WHY DOES OGL ENGINEERING HAVE A SAFETY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (SMS)?
OGL Engineering is committed to the safety of its employees, clients, and the public. One of the measures we have taken to uphold this value was to implement a Safety Management System (SMS) which is used to promote a positive safety culture, identify safety concerns, reduce risks, and improve overall safety of our organization. In Canada and the US, Transport Canada and the FAA does not require an SMS for aerial survey organizations, but they require an SMS for airline opera
2 min read
OGL ENGINEERING FIRST CANADIAN COMPANY TO PURCHASE TELEDYNE OPTECH’S NEW GALAXY T2000 LIDAR
OGL Engineering first Canadian company to purchase Teledyne Optech’s new Galaxy T2000 lidar system. Teledyne Optech, a Teledyne Technologies company and global leader in lidar sensing, is pleased to announce that OGL Engineering of Calgary, Alberta is the first Canadian company to purchase the Optech Galaxy T2000 lidar sensor. With the purchase of the Galaxy T2000 and a GSM4000 sensor mount, OGL will increase the efficiency of their aerial data collection, which includes pr
2 min read
SPIDERTRACKS CUSTOMER SPOTLIGHT: OGL ENGINEERING, CANADA
Since its founding in 1980, Calgary-based OGL Engineering has undergone a number of name changes to reflect their expansions and evolutions. From the original ‘Orthoshop’ moniker to Orthoshop Geomatics to the current OGL Engineering, the Canadian geospatial intelligence firm has worked to provide more and more value for clients by continually building their repertoire of expertise and services — one of which is housing their own fleet of aircraft and offering in-house mainten
3 min read
U OF C ENGINEERING CAPSTONE PROJECT
This year, OGL sponsored a capstone design project for a geomatics engineering team from the University of Calgary Schulich School of Engineering. Their goal was to create a digital map and 3D-model of the Calgary Zoo using aerial photogrammetry and LiDAR data. THE DESIGN PROJECT The Capstone design project is a team-based venture in which engineering students apply the knowledge and skills acquired from their undergraduate program while growing as an engineering designer. Th
2 min read
BENEFITS OF GOLF COURSES USING LIDAR AND AERIAL IMAGERY
Geomatics technology is quickly becoming a crucial investment for golf courses and country clubs. LiDAR, aerial imagery and GIS provide many benefits to the golf course industry including course design, facility management and marketing by giving an all-encompassing view and more control over your course. DESIGN 3D aerial mapping is a cost-effective way to capture accurate terrain and vegetation data that can be used for design and improvement of new or existing facilities. T
2 min read
AN INTERVIEW WITH GOLF COURSE DESIGNER, GARY BROWNING
As a long-time client of OGL Engineering, we sat down with Gary to learn more about his career, the changing technologies in the industry, and his work on the iconic Kananaskis Golf Course restoration. Gary Browning is the founding principal of Browning Design Inc. , a landscape architectural and golf course design consulting firm based in Alberta. Gary’s background in landscape architecture coupled with his graduate degree in environmental planning has made him a particularl
3 min read
LIDAR POINT CLOUD
By creating a 3D visual of project sites; architects, project managers, engineers, exploration and production teams can make critical operational decisions, manage safety and security, perform financial analysis, and ensure cohesive accurate data is being used, without ever leaving the office. Point clouds are a 3D visualization of reality in which groups of points represent physical features including topography, vegetation, buildings and other man-made features. OGL Enginee
1 min read
WEB GIS
WEB GIS In this newsletter we answer the who, what, when, where, why, and how of Web GIS. WHAT IS WEB GIS? Web GIS is simply a geographic information system (GIS) that is accessed through any web browser, such as Chrome or Internet Explorer. Modern Web GIS is becoming more accessible, easier to create and manage, cheaper to implement, and completely customizable. Most Web GIS created today can be accessed through browsers on desktops and mobile devices anywhere in the world,
2 min read
REBRANDING ANNOUNCEMENT
WE HAVE REBRANDED! As some of you may already know, ORTHOSHOP Geomatics Ltd has recently re-branded our company to OGL Engineering. This new brand better reflects who we are as an engineering company and the wide array of services that we provide to our clients. WHY THE CHANGE? Originally founded in 1980 as The ORTHOSHOP, OGL Engineering was one of the first companies in Alberta to specialize in photogrammetry, creation of planimetric and topographic data from stereo imagery,
2 min read
PHOTOGRAMMETRY VS. LIDAR PT.2
FUSION OF PHOTOGRAMMETRY AND LIDAR In the first part of this 2-part series, we outlined the benefits and drawbacks of using either photogrammetry or LiDAR to generate a digital elevation model (DEM), with a focus on how the two methods perform in different environments. In this second article, we will discuss how photogrammetry and LiDAR can be used in tandem to improve the solution as a whole. BENEFITS AND DRAWBACKS Photogrammetry and LiDAR are powerful tools that produce ex
2 min read
PHOTOGRAMMETRY VS. LIDAR PT.1
PHOTOGRAMMETRY VS. LIDAR FOR SURFACE MODELS Many companies are contemplating a switch from LiDAR to solely photogrammetry for their terrain modeling needs, but is the lower price tag too good to be true? The answer depends on your company's specific needs. PHOTOGRAMMETRY Using photogrammetry to create surface models can be a useful method when used appropriately. It is the process of using overlapping stereo images to determine the elevation of a point that is found in both i
3 min read