Hexagon’s New Early-warning Radar System Detects Rockfalls

Hexagon AB recently announced IDS GeoRadar RockSpot, a radar system that fills a gap in the monitoring of natural and engineered slopes. The system detects, tracks, and analyzes the slightest movements from rockfalls, avalanches, and other fast-moving landslide debris flow.

RockSpot creates real-time alerts that can be connected to on-site alarms (e.g., sirens, automatic road closures or other alert devices). Georeferenced, recorded event data provides advanced statistics and analytics for risk assessment and vulnerability zone mapping.

Thanks to RockSpot, customers are able to leverage data to protect workers and the general public in high-risk areas of potentially catastrophic events, said Hexagon President and CEO Ola Rollén. “This intelligent safety solution, designed to withstand all weather conditions, continuously monitors day and night,” Rollén said.

RockSpot can identify rockfalls up to 2 kilometers (km) from the slope, as well as avalanches and other fast-moving events, like mudflow and debris flow, up to 4 km from the slope. With a coverage field of 40 degrees vertical and 80 degrees horizontal, the system can consistently monitor an entire mine wall or natural slope at high resolution with a single radar unit.

RockSpot’s alerts can be customized sector by sector using advanced algorithms that distinguish rock movements from other moving objects, such as haul trucks, animals and people.
https://idsgeoradar.com/products/interferometric-radar/rockspot