Unlike traditional surveying methods, which can be time-consuming and risky, helicopter-based LiDAR offers benefits like enhanced speed, accuracy, and safety – all from the air. Whether you’re seeking 3D models for an urban development project, conservation efforts, or disaster response planning, this unique aerial approach can provide the detailed data you need to make more informed decisions.

Keep reading to learn what LiDAR technology is, how it works, the types of projects it benefits, and why helicopter-based LiDAR mapping is the ideal solution for reducing risks and enhancing efficiency.

What LiDAR Mapping Is and How It Works

Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) technology is one of the most accurate and precise solutions for creating detailed maps of the environment.

Here’s how it works: a LiDAR device is mounted on a car, drone, helicopter, or plane. This device emits laser pulses and measures how long it takes for the light to bounce back after hitting an object. The laser pulses capture data about the shape and structure of the surrounding terrain. 

Next, the measurements are processed to create incredibly accurate, high-resolution 3D maps of landscapes, buildings, vegetation, and soil – including those which are invisible to the naked eye.

What Is LiDAR Mapping Used for?

Many different industries use LiDAR mapping to create 3D models of infrastructure, landscapes, and natural environments. Here are some of the most frequent applications of aerial LiDAR:

• Infrastructure Assessments: LiDAR can provide valuable data into industrial assets that are hard to inspect, such as roads, bridges, dams, water supply systems, and other types of civil infrastructure. These insights can be used for planning new infrastructure, managing resources, and reducing maintenance costs.
  
  
• Urban Planning: Urban planners and developers use the topographical data provided by aerial LiDAR to create detailed maps when planning new development and ensuring that proposed projects are implemented sustainably and efficiently.
  
  
• Land Mapping: Government agencies and land surveyors utilize the high-resolution 3D images provided by LiDAR to create detailed maps and digital elevation models for zoning purposes, managing natural resources, and more.
  
  
• Floodplain Mapping: Property owners, developers, insurance agents, and lenders use these models to create floodplain maps and more accurately predict areas that are prone to flooding. This data can also help government agencies develop and implement flood prevention strategies and coordinate emergency response efforts.
  
  
• Power Line Inspections: LiDAR mapping can be used to create 3D models of power line corridors to help power line inspection crews detect and address sagging lines, encroaching vegetation, structural damage, potential liabilities, and other risks.
  
  

• Renewable Energy: LiDAR provides detailed data on landscapes, wind patterns, and solar radiation to assist with solar panel installation, hydroelectric operations, and wind farm site selection.
  
  
• Agriculture: Farmers and agriculture technology companies use LiDAR data to develop optimization strategies for water, fertilizer, herbicides, and pest control that enhance their harvest yields.
  
  
• Archaeology: Aerial LiDAR is a non-invasive method for unveiling hidden archaeological features. In fact, this technology has transformed the way archaeologists investigate and map cultural heritage sites.
  
  
• Forest Management: Federal agencies use LiDAR to assess forest biomass, tree height, and canopy density. This data enables them to monitor forest health and evaluate sustainability measures.
  
  

• Conservation Efforts: LiDAR also provides scientists with three-dimensional information about landscapes that was not previously accessible. Conservationists use these measurements to monitor changes in ecosystems, improve wildlife habitat models, track erosion, develop strategies for habitat restoration, and inform conservation planning.
  
  
• Disaster Risk Reduction: Aerial LiDAR helps researchers assess the impact of natural disasters – such as landslides, earthquakes, wildfires, and tsunamis – so they can develop more effective strategies for mitigating natural disaster risk.
  
  
• Self-Driving Vehicles: Finally, LiDAR is an effective alternative to still images and videos for collecting data on road signs, traffic signals, obstacles, pedestrians, and vehicles that enable autonomous vehicles.

How Helicopter-Based LiDAR Mapping Works

LiDAR is made up of four key components: a laser, scanner, photodetector, and Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver. The LiDAR sensor is mounted to the helicopter to capture intricate details of the Earth’s terrain, including natural features like vegetation and soil and man-made features like roads, buildings, and dams.

Emitting laser pulses from an airborne mechanism, like a helicopter, enables this technology to survey vast regions more efficiently with enhanced accuracy.

The Advantages of Helicopter-Based LiDAR Mapping

Aerial LiDAR mapping has several benefits, especially when compared to other methods of capturing critical data. Here are the key advantages to working with a helicopter charter company experienced in conducting aerial surveys:

• Increased Speed and Efficiency: Helicopters can be outfitted with several cameras and LiDAR sensors and are capable of covering vast areas quickly. This makes rotorcraft ideal for collecting a multitude of data and mapping expansive regions like forests, mountains, and archaeological sites in a fraction of the time. This speed enables faster decision-making and improved cost efficiency.
  
  
• Enhanced Versatility: A helicopter’s ability to hover in place makes it an invaluable tool for capturing accurate, high-resolution data from specific spots.
  
  
• Clearer and More Detailed Data: Because helicopters are capable of safely flying at low altitudes, they can capture extremely detailed, high-resolution data from the ground below, such as variations in surfaces and structures. This is especially helpful in areas with dense vegetation or rough terrain, where other methods experience difficulty capturing a clear picture.
  
  
• Ability to Access Hard-to-Reach Locations: Helicopters can access remote and hard-to-reach areas where planes, cars, people, and drones cannot go. For example, they can easily map islands, mountains, and other rugged landscapes without the need for invasive equipment or labor-intensive fieldwork.
  
  
• Minimized Risk: Helicopters can fly over obstacles on the ground and keep surveyors out of dangerous terrain, like steep mountains and disaster zones. By collecting vital data from the air, they minimize the risk of accidents and exposure to hazardous conditions.
  
  
• Reduced Environmental Disruption: Modern helicopters have cleaner, more sustainable engines and noise reduction technology resulting in minimal disruption to their surroundings. Because surveyors can travel overhead, there are fewer disturbances to landscapes, vegetation, and wildlife. 

Essentially, aerial LiDAR mapping provides enhanced speed, accuracy, and flexibility, making it a powerful tool for a variety of applications.

Mapping the Future with Helicopter-Based LiDAR

In a world where accurate, high-resolution data is critical for everything from urban planning to disaster risk reduction, helicopter-based LiDAR mapping proves to be a versatile solution. As the demand for precise geographical data grows, so does the demand for aerial LiDAR mapping techniques via helicopter. 

Ready to Get to Work?

Reach out to Helicopter Express to learn how we can support your aerial survey project and provide the precise 3D images you need to work smarter and more efficiently. By harnessing the power of aerial mapping, you can reduce field time, enhance the safety of your crew, and make more informed decisions that drive your project forward with accuracy and confidence.