LiDAR is the process of using a laser beam coupled with a rangefinder to capture the shape and position of all visible surfaces and objects. Terrestrial, or ground-based, LiDAR is suited for relatively small areas where higher accuracy is a necessity or where field crew safety is a concern.
LiDAR is sometimes referred to as High-Definition Surveying (HDS) or laser scanning because its use of a laser offers greater data density and increased survey accuracy. The average laser scan yields more than one hundred million data points. These data points can be grouped into a point cloud database and manipulated using a variety of software applications to produce as-built drawings, contour maps, colorized slope maps, and other deliverables.
Wherever possible, WithersRavenel relies on terrestrial LiDAR in place of conventional surveying methods to capture more data in less time with fewer safety concerns, and with the added flexibility to provide multiple deliverables from a single dataset. With our laser scanning services, our clients are able to make more complete, informed, and confident decisions based on real data at every stage of a project.