Compact Multipurpose Mobile Laser Scanning System — Initial Tests and Results

Remote Sensing

Craig Glennie³  Benjamin Brooks¹  Todd Ericksen²  Darren Hauser³  Kenneth Hudnut¹  James Foster² 

[1] United States Geological Survey, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA; E-Mails:;School of Ocean and Earth Sciences and Technology, University Hawaii, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA; E-Mails:;Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The University of Houston, Houston, TX 77004, USA; E-Mail:

关键词: LiDAR;    calibration;    unmanned aerial vehicle;   

DOI  :  10.3390/rs5020521

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

We describe a prototype compact mobile laser scanning system that may be operated from a backpack or unmanned aerial vehicle. The system is small, self-contained, relatively inexpensive, and easy to deploy. A description of system components is presented, along with the initial calibration of the multi-sensor platform. The first field tests of the system, both in backpack mode and mounted on a helium balloon for real-world applications are presented. For both field tests, the acquired kinematic LiDAR data are compared with highly accurate static terrestrial laser scanning point clouds. These initial results show that the vertical accuracy of the point cloud for the prototype system is approximately 4 cm (1σ) in balloon mode, and 3 cm (1σ) in backpack mode while horizontal accuracy was approximately 17 cm (1σ) for the balloon tests. Results from selected study areas on the Sacramento River Delta and San Andreas Fault in California demonstrate system performance, deployment agility and flexibility, and potential for operational production of high density and highly accurate point cloud data. Cost and production rate trade-offs place this system in the niche between existing airborne and tripod mounted LiDAR systems.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2013 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.