INSPIRED DOCUMENTATION
  • IFT Knowledge Base Center
  • PRODUCTS
    • Aircraft
      • IF800 TOMCAT
        • IF800 Tomcat Pilot Operating Handbook
        • IF800 Tomcat Overview
          • Technical Specifications
          • Flight Stack Specifications
          • Aircraft Assembly
          • Payload Mounting
            • Weight and Balance
            • Stock IF800 Damping Plate
            • IF800 Pro Damping Kits
              • IF800 Lightweight Pro Damping Kit
              • IF800 Midweight Pro Damping Kit
              • IF800 Fixed Payload Mounting Kit
          • UPI Panel Connections
          • Aircraft Disassembly and Storage
          • Competitor Analysis
        • Operating The Aircraft
          • Registering the IF800 Tomcat
          • Safe Operating Practices
          • IF800 Pre-flight Checklist
          • Powering On & Off
          • Arm & Disarm
          • Taking Off & Landing (Smart RTL)
        • Aircraft Maintenance
          • Inspection Points
          • Preventative Maintenance Schedule
          • Wear Items
        • Emergency Procedures
          • Loss or Crash of Aircraft
          • Total Loss of Aircraft Control
          • Temporary Loss of Aircraft Control in Manual Mode
          • Temporary Loss of Aircraft Control in Auto Mode
          • Emergency Low Battery
          • Critically Low Battery
        • Useful Documents
      • IF1200
        • About the IF1200
          • Interfaces and Specs
            • Technical Drawings and CAD
            • Spec Sheet
          • Maintenance
            • Navigation Light Replacement
            • Post Flight Maintenance
          • System Updates
            • Software Update Notes
            • Hardware Update Notes
            • Updating Firmware
          • Overview
        • Operating the Aircraft
          • FAA Registration
            • Remote ID
          • Quick Start Guide
          • IF1200A Flight Modes
          • Arming With Remote ID
          • Arm and Disarm
          • Installing Batteries
          • Aircraft Assembly
            • Prop Holders
            • Propeller Installation
            • Safety Collar Landing Gear Installation
            • Retention Pin Landing Gear
          • Aircraft Power
          • Wireless Connection to Ground Station
            • Connect HereLink to Mission Planner via WiFi
            • Connect HereLink and QGround Control via WiFi
          • Takeoff and Landing
          • Preflight Checklist
          • Mission Planning
            • Uploading KMLs in QGC
            • Setup Comm Link in QGC on PC
          • Critical Situations & Emergency Procedure
          • Aircraft Disassembly
          • Sony RX0 FPV Camera
        • IF1200 Manual
        • Useful Documents
      • IF750
        • About the IF750
          • Operating the Aircraft
            • Overview
            • FAA Registration
            • Critical Situations
            • Aircraft Assembly/Disassembly
              • Propeller Floating Screw Replacement
            • Installing the Batteries
            • Aircraft Power
              • Batteries
            • Hand Controllers
              • HereLink Hand Controller (Blue and Black)
              • Long Range Telemetry (LRT)
              • 750 Flight Modes
              • Arm and Disarm
              • QGround Control Basics
            • Preflight Checklist
            • Takeoff and Landing
            • Mission Planning
            • Firmware
        • BlueUAS 2.0
    • Inspired Suite
      • Elevate
        • Getting Started
          • Accessing Your Account
          • Registering Your First Aircraft
          • Registering additional Aircraft to your Fleet
          • Adding Your Team
          • Granting Aircraft Access To Your Pilots
        • How-to
          • Adding Notes
          • Authorizing Pilots to Fly an Aircraft
          • Editing Aircraft
          • Editing Fleets
          • Managing Roles
            • Roles and Permissions Definitions
          • Updating your Phone Number or Password
          • Upload & View 107 License
          • Using Preflight Checklists
          • Viewing Aircraft
          • Viewing Your Team
        • FAQ
      • Inspired Ground Control (IGC)
        • Inspired Ground Control Overview
        • Autonomous Mission Planning
          • Planning a Mission in IGC
          • Safe Piloting in Auto Modes
        • Flight Modes
        • IGC on the IF800
        • Pilot Authentication
        • How to Install IGC from 1.1 or earlier
        • Updating IGC from version 1.2 and beyond
        • Version History
      • PilotGo App
        • Preflight Checklists
        • Adding Notes
        • Updating an Aircraft Status
        • Contact a team Member
        • Updating your Phone Number or Password
    • Services
      • INSPIRED CARE
      • INSPIRED TRAINING
      • Limited Warranty
    • Retrieving Parameters
    • Frequently Asked Questions
      • General
      • HereLink
      • QGround Control
      • Batteries and Power
      • IF750
    • Batteries
      • IF800 Batteries
        • IB388 Battery Overview
          • IB388 Batteries and Accessories
          • IB388 Features
          • IB388 Technical Specifications
          • Battery Indicators & Error Lights
        • Best Practices
          • IB388 Battery Charging
          • Storage & Transportation
          • IB388 Flight
          • Hot Swapping Batteries
          • Obtaining Battery Statistics via NFC
          • Battery Disposal
        • FAQ and Troubleshooting
      • IF1200 Batteries
        • IF1200 Battery Safety Guidelines
        • Tattu Battery Charger Links
        • Battery Charging
          • Battery Storage
    • Payloads
      • Payload Troubleshooting and FAQ
        • General Integration Troubleshooting
        • General Air Commander Troubleshooting
        • Sony A7R IV
        • Sony RX1R
        • Wiris Enterprise Troubleshooting
      • Payload Swapping on Herelink
      • Air Commander Overview
        • User Guide
      • Gremsy Vio F1
        • Attaching and Detaching from the Dovetail
        • Starting the Vio
        • Herelink Controls
        • Camera Settings on IGC
        • Mission Applications & Zoom Capabilities
        • Data Storage
        • Specs
      • Phase One iXM-100
        • iXM-100 Camera and Gimbal
        • Phase One Mission Planning
        • MavCam for Phase One
      • MicaSense Altum-PT
      • Sentera 65R
      • Sony A7R IV
      • Sony ILX-LR1
        • Mounting & Detaching LR1 to Dovetail
        • IGC LR1 Controls / Interface
        • Mapping Settings for LR1
        • Geotagging Images with .Exif Data on IGC v1.2 or later
        • FAQ & Troubleshooting Tips
      • Sony RX1R
      • Wiris Enterprise
    • Accessories
      • Inspired Flight NAV RTK Base Station
        • Technical Specifications
        • Base Station Gear Setup
        • Setup and Operation in Mission Planner (On Laptop)
        • Setup and Operation in QGC (On Laptop)
        • FAQ
    • Hand Controllers
      • Dual Operator Instructions
      • HereLink Hand Controller (Blue and Black)
        • HereLink GCS Overview
          • Pairing HereLink Radio
          • Updating HereLink Software
        • Using the HereLink Hand Controller
        • Herelink Wired Screen Sharing
        • HereLink Binding / Pairing
        • HereLink Updating
        • HereLink Calibrations
        • Installing a Custom App
        • Dual Operator Setup
          • Dual Operator Instructions
      • Long Range Telemetry (LRT)
        • Setting up the Long Range Telemetry Radio
        • PWM Triggering
    • Additional Software
      • QGC
        • Uploading KMLs into QGC
        • QGC Mission Planning Expedited
        • Set Up Comm Link in QGC on PC
        • QGround Control Basics
        • Flight Modes
      • UgCS
        • UgCS Quick Setup
        • UgCS Custom Digital Elevation Model
      • Mission Planner
        • Mission Planner Quick Mission Setup
      • Retrieving Flight Logs
        • Retrieving Logs in QGround Control
        • Retrieving Logs in Mission Planner
  • More Resources
    • Applications & Datasets
      • Mapping
      • Inspection
      • LiDAR
        • LiDAR Integration Education
    • Helpful Links
Powered by GitBook
On this page
  • LiDAR Overview
  • Comprehensive Use Case Examples
  • Data Accuracy & Detail
  • Technical Integration
  • Performance & Efficiency
  • Customer Success Stories
  1. More Resources
  2. Applications & Datasets
  3. LiDAR

LiDAR Integration Education

This document outlines the basics of LiDAR systems on the IF1200A including basic integration, datasets, typical use case and flight plans.

PreviousLiDARNextHelpful Links

Last updated 1 year ago

LiDAR Overview

LiDAR stands for Light Detection and Ranging. Using Uncrewed Aerial Systems for LiDAR offers numerous benefits, making it an increasingly popular and efficient method for collecting geospatial data. Some of the key advantages include:

  • Cost-Effective Data Collection

  • Flexibility and Accessibility

  • Rapid and High Resolution Data Acquisition

  • Safety and Reduced Human Risk

  • Reduced Environmental Impact

  • Repeatable Surveys and Monitoring

Overall, using UAS for LiDAR offers a powerful tool for a wide range of applications, including agriculture, forestry, infrastructure assessment, disaster management and natural resource management. UAS-based LiDAR is likely to become even more valuable and accessible in various industries as technology increases.

Comprehensive Use Case Examples

loaned the VX-20, Mapper, and Mapper+ LiDAR systems to IFT for sample data collection. These devices demonstrated exceptional performance during simulated environmental scans. Operating at a velocity of 5 meters per second and an altitude of 60 meters, approximately 80,000 square meters were efficiently surveyed within a brief 16-minute flight duration.

Data Accuracy & Detail

Leveraging precise GNSS information, LiDAR systems achieve sub-centimeter-level data accuracy. Through the input of "lever arm measurements," which entail the distance between the sensor and the GNSS antenna, further enhancements in accuracy are attainable. Additionally, certain LiDAR systems integrate photo data capture to generate a colorized point cloud model. The amalgamation of these data components enables the creation of highly accurate 3D renderings encompassing ground, vegetation, objects, and structures.

Technical Integration

The IF1200A's payload rails facilitate seamless integration with a wide range of LiDAR systems. Essentially, if the system can accommodate it, the IF1200A can carry and collect data. Most LiDAR systems are supported by their custom damping plate or compatible solutions like the Gremsy Damping Plate. The IF1200A's minimal vibration significantly surpasses that of helicopters or manned aircraft, contributing to clearer data interpretation by the LiDAR sensor.

Integrating a LiDAR system typically involves a mounting system, with common additions such as utilizing the drone's power supply instead of an onboard battery, a PWM trigger for data collection initiation and cessation, and a camera for colorizing the collected data.

Performance & Efficiency

Employing a LiDAR system on an UAS significantly diminishes deployment time and labor hours, resulting in cost savings for extensive area scans. The autonomous flight planning capabilities empower a smaller crew to achieve surveying tasks that surpass the capabilities of traditional methods. Furthermore, most UAS LiDAR systems offer user-friendly post-processing, simplifying the generation of a usable point cloud model for efficient data interpretation.

Customer Success Stories

To optimize mission planning, they employ UGCS for 3D flight planning, terrain following, and the ability to manage multiple flight plans concurrently on-screen. The team takes charge of processing their collected data, generating Point Clouds and Ortho maps in-house. Their diverse clientele spans utilities, roads, fields, solar installations, power lines, topographical scans, and various government agencies.

With a generous 120-degree field of view, the recommended 50% overlap translates to approximately 40 meters spacing for flights at 50 meters altitude and around 80 meters spacing for flights at 100 meters altitude. Optimal data results are achieved by incorporating a 90-degree offset path in conjunction with the survey area scan, a practice well-suited for most scanners.

For effective mission planning, it is crucial to consider line spacing, ensuring it is neither too small to oversaturate the dataset nor too large to compromise coverage. Strive to achieve as close to a 50% overlap as possible.

Chris Hipwood, Chief UAS Pilot, has extensive experience serving as the chief pilot for , overseeing LiDAR missions nationwide. His work primarily involves conducting Survey Missions and expansive corridor scans, often requiring multiple passes. For large-scale data collection, up to 15 flights may be deployed. The IF1200A equipped with a RIEGL VUX-1 LR scanner is their preferred tool.

In QGroundControl, employ manual camera specifications to set spacing distance manually, utilizing the options available to select a 90-degree offset for enhanced data collection efficiency.
In UGCS, streamline your mission planning by utilizing the area scan preset mode. Set your side distance as the desired spacing and opt for the double grid configuration. This approach enhances efficiency and ensures comprehensive coverage during data collection.
Yellowscan
NV5