This article explains how to operate the Hovermap protective cage to capture a shaft scan, from setting up the winch cable through retrieving the scan data.
Follow all work-at-heights procedures when operating near large vertical drops.
Smooth shafts with limited features can cause slips and other errors in the SLAM output.
What you will need
An assembled Hovermap protective cage.
Hovermap unit.
A V-Mount battery (sold separately).
A winch or cable drum.
3 mm galvanised or stainless steel wire rope of suitable length.
A cable thimble and two swage fittings (or an equivalent wire rope fastener).
A smartphone or tablet for Web UI access (optional, for scan start/stop).
A USB flash drive for data retrieval.
Procedure
Step 1: Set up the winch cable
Install a suitable length of 3 mm galvanised or stainless steel wire rope onto a winch or cable drum. Ensure the end of the cable is firmly affixed to the drum.
Do not overfill the cable drum, as loose cable can jam the mechanism.
Securely fasten a cable thimble onto the end of the wire rope using two swage fittings or an equivalent wire rope fastener.
Attach the wire rope to the Hovermap protective cage using the supplied 10 mm carabiner and swivel.
Step 2: Prepare and power up Hovermap
Remove the upper plastic rear cover by removing the two quick-release pins.
Install a suitable V-Mount battery onto the battery mount.
Carefully install Hovermap onto the dovetail mount. Take care not to knock or scratch the LiDAR sensor.
Connect the power cord to Hovermap.
Power up Hovermap. Wait for the status LED to show a slow pulsing blue.
Step 3: Start the scan and lower the cage
Start the scan through the Web UI on a smartphone or tablet, or by pressing the rear button.
Reinstall the upper plastic cover and secure it with the two quick-release pins.
Lower and retrieve Hovermap using the winch as required.
Lowering and retrieval tips:
While lowering, the protective cage slides along most steep surfaces.
For some slopes and surfaces, wheels can be installed (not included) in the available holes around the cage.
If Hovermap becomes stuck on a small ledge, the lowering cable can be moved around to cause the cage to roll out and continue dropping.
Where a very high level of LiDAR coverage is required, perform two drops in the same location with the cage attached to the opposite end on the second drop. This can be done in a single scan, or as two scans merged later in Aura.
Step 4: Stop the scan and retrieve the data
Remove the upper plastic rear cover and stop the scan using the rear button.
Retrieve the data by inserting a USB flash drive.
Step 5: Power down and dismount
Power down the unit by removing power.
Take care when removing Hovermap from the dovetail to avoid scratching or knocking the LiDAR sensor.
Outcome
The shaft scan is complete and the scan data is transferred to the USB drive. The data is ready for processing in Aura.
Additional information
For assistance, contact the regional Emesent partner or the Emesent Client Support team.