Combining Lidar with Digital Technologies
Nowadays a variety of LiDAR applications are growing at a tremendous rate worldwide, this is due to the fact that combining digital technologies allows greater flexibility to do things that were not possible before. About US$1.1 billion has been spent on LiDAR in 2020 and this number is expected to reach US$2.8 billion by 2025. Predictions say the North American region will dominate the LiDAR market because of environment, corridor mapping, meteorology, and urban planning applications. This trend will continue to grow and open more opportunities for innovation.
LiDAR and big data
When it comes to remote sensing, LiDAR can’t be beaten, as it quickly transforms everything it scans into digital data thus making a digital copy of the physical world. This has become a revolution known as the digital twin, which basically connects virtual reality with physical reality. But there is a disadvantage to LiDAR, which has to do with the massive size of its data. The files are so large they are called big data and need to be processed using a different approach. Companies have developed AI tools that can process the data by identifying physical objects and threats to those assets in the point cloud. This is helping make LiDAR applications more user-friendly than ever before.
Advancing technology
LiDAR got huge recognition when the North American Reliability Corporation (NERC) issued its NERC Alert of 2010. A rather interesting footnote on the Alert said, “Fortunately, new technologies such as LiDAR and PLS-CAD allow entities to more easily assess their lines.” This has been a great example of LiDAR merging along with other applications in such a user-friendly way that helps with this kind of incident.
LiDAR technology has many benefits and merging with other digital technologies is helping various industries create innovative solutions. ACI has advanced measuring equipment for LiDAR Surveying and Photogrammetry that includes airborne LiDAR, airborne LiDAR unmanned (drones), Mobile LiDAR, aerial photogrammetry, and echo sounder technology. Contact us to learn more.