Fundamentals of Lidar (Light Detection and Ranging)

Introduction

Presented by Cory Kell from Phoenix Lidar Systems.
Video focuses on the fundamentals of Lidar.
Topics include: purpose, usage, operation, and applications of Lidar technology.

Definition: Lidar is a remote sensing tool used to measure 3D features accurately and densely.
Remote Sensing: Sensors, rather than hands, are used to measure data such as topography and vegetation over large areas.
Measurement Speed: Lidar sensors can take hundreds of thousands of measurements per second.
Output: Data is represented as a point cloud, useful for various analytical processes like distance measurements, volume computations, and 3D modeling.

Vegetation Mapping: Measures vegetation height, density, and other attributes across regions.
Surveying: Rapid mapping of topography in vegetated areas, safer and faster than traditional methods.
Utility Management: Monitors vegetation near power lines, detects changes in pipelines, railroads, and waterways.
Construction Projects: Used in roadway planning, as-built mapping, and maintenance assessments.
Mining: Provides accurate volume measurements for mining operations.
Hydrographic Mapping: Penetrates water to map submerged surfaces (bimetric Lidar mapping).
- Monitors shorelines along rivers, reservoirs, and oceans.

Active Remote Sensing: Lidar actively generates laser pulses for measurement.
Laser Pulses: Light pulses travel to the ground, reflect off objects, and return to the sensor to record distances.
Distance Measurement:
- Uses the time taken for a pulse to return to calculate distance (Distance = Speed × Time).
- Requires positioning (GPS or GNSS) and orientation sensors (IMU) to determine location and orientation.
- Positions are typically collected once per second; orientations 125-400 times per second.

System Composition: Emits lasers, receives signals, and calculates position and orientation to create a geospatially accurate 3D point cloud.
Multiple Returns:
- Laser pulses can pass through vegetation and reflect multiple times (up to 15 returns).
- Creates a true 3D representation of both vegetation and ground data.

Lidar provides rapid, accurate 3D measurements.
Point clouds store millions of measurements, used for analyses like tree height estimation, power line sag measurement, and topographical change detection.
Upcoming content will cover more detailed Lidar system technology and optimization for drone-based Lidar data.

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