LiDar and its Applications Part 1 – The Rabbit Hole of Applications

October 29, 2019 by Ese Osaghae 3D Design 3D Printing 3D Scanning 3D Software Education Science & Technology

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Truly I get too excited talking about technology, and I hope it shows. Although technology is awesome, there always lies a need for it to have a function or application. In a previous article, I briefly discussed cultural heritage and laser scanning. In this follow-up, I will be giving a quick overview of a particular laser scanning technology and some of the various fields it can be used for in.

LiDar technology is a surveying method that measures the distance from a target through illumination. Illuminating the target with a laser allows for measurement by reflected light interacting with a sensor. Variations in the time for reflection showcase the distance from the target. Wavelength variations also help determine the size of an object. This data can be used to make a digital 3D representation of an object. LiDar is an acronym for light imaging detection and ranging.

LiDar Data

This technology is readily applicable to various fields and here is a large list of its applications:

Digital Elevation Modelling
Micro-Topography
Agriculture
Forest Planning and Management
Forest Fire Management
Precision Forestry
Tourism and Parks Management
Environmental Assessment
Biodiversity for Birds
Flood Model
Watershed and Stream Delineation
Ecology & Land Classification.
River Survey
Modelling of the Pollution
Mapping
Management of Coastlines
Transport Planning
Oil and Gas Exploration
Mining
Archeology
Exploring Quarries and Mineral Areas
Viewshed Analysis
Solar Energy Planning
Right to Light
Glacier Volume Changes
Gaming
Cultural Heritage
Architecture
Cellular Network Planning
Vehicle Automation
Sewer and Manhole Survey
Meteorology
Geology
Astronomy
Atmospheric Physics
Oceanography
Military
Police Department Investigation
Forensic Analysis
Imaging
Wind Farming
Dune Monitoring
Urban Municipality Tracking
Railway Infrastructure
Airport Infrastructure
Tunnel Surveying
Tsunami Inundation Modeling
Integrated Storm Management Planning

LiDar and Metrology

Thanks to LiDar, we are using lasers, optics, and metrology to see our world. I personally love optics as I am a physicist through education, and I reconsider going back to school to learn more optics with the way I have written about metrology and lasers so much on 3DPrint.com. I really do believe that showcasing all of the vast ways we are able to interact with the physical world through sight is fascinating. Even with my own glasses, I have a slightly better perception visually. Using LiDar, allows us to leverage a larger and more robust framework through a visual means of interaction with the environment. I will do my best to go into detail with the most in-depth series I have written to date with 3DPrint.com. I’ll go into each of these particular industries, and show the ways that LiDar technology and 3D digitization are helping to solve problems within these industries. I will also briefly showcase some of complications within LiDar and the industries we have listed above. So sit back and enjoy a new perspective.