LiDAR Data Acquisition: The Complete Guide

LiDAR data acquisition captures three-dimensional spatial information using laser scanning technology. This active remote sensing method provides centimeter-level accuracy, penetrates vegetation, and works in low-light conditions.

Process Your LiDAR Data

Types of Acquisition Systems

Airborne LiDAR (ALS)
The standard for large-scale mapping. Point density 5-30 pts/m², vertical accuracy 5-10 cm.

Drone LiDAR
Flexibility and lower cost for medium-scale projects. Point density 50-500 pts/m², 3-5 cm accuracy.

Terrestrial Scanning (TLS)
Extremely dense point clouds from fixed positions. Millimeter accuracy for localized surveys.

Mobile Laser Scanning (MLS)
Vehicle-mounted systems for corridor mapping. Efficient capture along roads and railways.

The Acquisition Workflow

1. Planning

Define coverage, accuracy requirements, and environmental conditions.

2. Flight/Scan

Execute data collection with proper overlap and scanner settings.

3. Georeferencing

Combine GPS/IMU data with laser measurements for accurate positioning.

4. QA/QC

Validate coverage, density, and accuracy against specifications.

Forest Corridor Acquisition

RGB-colorized point clouds combine LiDAR geometry with photographic color data. This fusion provides intuitive visualization while preserving precise 3D measurements for forest corridors, road networks, and infrastructure mapping.

RGB-colorized point cloud showing a forest area with road corridor.

Airborne LiDAR Specifications

Key Specifications

Point density: 5-30 points/m²
Vertical accuracy: 5-10 cm RMSE
Horizontal resolution: ~20 cm
Pulse repetition rate: 2 MHz+

Leading manufacturers: Leica Geosystems, RIEGL, Teledyne Geospatial with Nd:YAG lasers at 1064 nm wavelength.

Best Suited For

National elevation programs
Corridor mapping (highways, railways, pipelines)
Large-area forestry inventory
Coastal zone mapping

Elevation data visualization of mountainous terrain captured via LiDAR.

Elevation Data Products

LiDAR-derived elevation models reveal terrain features invisible to photogrammetry. Digital Terrain Models (DTM) show bare-earth surfaces, while Digital Surface Models (DSM) capture vegetation and structures for comprehensive topographic analysis.

Drone LiDAR Advantages

Lower Mobilization Costs

No aircraft required — deploy from the project site with minimal setup time and logistics.

Access Difficult Terrain

Reach remote locations, steep slopes, and areas with no road access.

Higher Point Density

Low-altitude flights achieve 50-500 points/m² for detailed capture.

Rapid Deployment

Time-sensitive projects benefit from quick setup and same-day data delivery.

Corridor Mapping Applications

Linear infrastructure projects benefit from elevation-coded visualization. Highway planning, power line routing, and pipeline surveys use LiDAR to analyze terrain along proposed corridors, identify obstacles, and optimize alignment.

Elevation visualization of highway corridor with power line infrastructure.

Critical Success Factors

Leaf-off vs Leaf-on — Timing affects ground penetration in vegetated areas
Weather Constraints — Precipitation, wind, and visibility impact data quality
Ground Control — Check points validate and improve absolute accuracy
Flight Planning — Overlap percentage ensures complete coverage

Have LiDAR Data Ready to Process?

LidarVisor automates the post-acquisition workflow — classification, terrain modeling, and feature extraction. Upload your LAS/LAZ files and generate deliverables without specialized software.

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