3D Mapping of Glacier Moulins: Challenges and lessons learned

In this paper, we present a field report of the mapping of the Athabasca Glacier, using a custom-made lidar-inertial mapping platform. With the increasing autonomy of robotics, a wider spectrum of applications emerges. Among these, the surveying of environmental areas presents arduous and hazardous challenges for human operators. Leveraging automated platforms for data collection holds the promise of unlocking new applications and a deeper comprehension of the environment. Over the course of a week-long deployment, we collected glacier data using a tailor-made measurement platform and reflected on the inherent challenges associated with such experiments. We focus on the insights gained and the forthcoming challenges that robotics must surmount to effectively map these terrains.