LIDAR Scanning Brings Accuracy in Engineering
LIDAR scanning brings accuracy in engineering. It is increasingly important for engineers and scientists to choose the right technique for capturing “reality data”, the physical information about a structure, object, area, or living being.
But what does “3D LIDAR scanning” mean?
3D scanning is the act of mapping an object, structure, or area, and describing it in the form of x, y, and z coordinates, a format known as “point cloud”.
Sometimes used as an acronym “LIDAR” was originally a combination of the words light and radar, and was first used to accurately model clouds following the invention of the laser in the 1960’s. For telecom engineering work these three specific ones can be used: digital photogrammetry, white-light structured scanning, and LIDAR. The last mentioned term which, depending on who you ask, is either a combination of “LIght and RaDAR” or an acronym for “Laser Imaging Detection And Ranging”.
Just as radar uses radio waves to measure the distance between the radio tower and an object, LIDAR uses lasers to create points between the laser and an object, structure or landscape. LIDAR proved itself particularly useful in surveying land and creating accurate topological maps, replacing photogrammetry due to LIDAR’s accuracy in sifting through objects that would obscure elevation and other details.
Don’t let the word “object” restrain your thinking when it comes to what can be scanned. Even a living thing can be digitised and rendered inanimate when it comes to LIDAR or 3D scanning. Writing about this, is only because usually there is a conflate to the definition of “object” with “inanimate”, but of course, 3D scanning knows no such distinction. An abundance of cameras and the decreasing costs of laser technology are allowing LIDAR and 3D scanning in general to find new uses in diverse sets of hands.
So that’s “3D LIDAR scanning” in a nutshell. Hopefully, whether you’re a curious novice or an inquisitive expert, you now have the information you need to take your next step. But if you still have a few lingering questions, perhaps you can ask our experts at SEVOCOMM and follow us on LinkedIn and stay up-to-date on our news, posts and services.