We know LiDAR technology and UAVs. We get involved in research projects on LiDAR for drone, conduct our own tests, have regular discussions with people that are affected by LiDAR in some way.
We now want to share this knowledge with anyone interested in knowing more about how LiDAR works. We have therefore gathered our extensive knowledge about LiDAR mapping in one place to make it easier for you to learn more.
You can learn about upcoming technologies, read in-depth articles on different LIDAR-related topics, take part in research results or perhaps plunge into our comprehensive LiDAR mapping knowledge bank – the choice is yours!
Eltel, a Nordic field service provider for power and communication networks, conducted in 2019 a pilot study with Loiste a Finland-based energy company.
https://youtu.be/XBhK3ogBQDA The true story of the pirates [French video] “Popular figures in literature and cinema, pirates scoured the seas in the 17th and 18th centuries. In the wake of two excavation campaigns directed by the archaeologist Jean Soulat, Stéphane Bégoin leads us on their trail in Mauritius and Madagascar. He also attempts to discover, on […]
What was the challenge? L’Avion Jaune and Ginger CEBTP, a geotechnical study office, were mandated by the Departmental Council to conduct a risk assessment study of rockfall hazards on their road networks. The end goal was to implement the most suitable prevention measures to protect road users. The natural degradation of limestone cliffs generates landslides […]
What was the challenge? The first project CDGI worked on, and for which they equipped themselves with a YellowScan LiDAR, was the Charles de Gaulle Express. The SNCF, plus the companies contracted for the works, wanted to compare LiDAR surveys with those done with traditional methods, in a real work situation. The problem CDGI had […]
What was the challenge? The goal of this project was to generate a model of the Huasco Pellet Plant, in Chile, property of the state-owned company CAP Mining. This site pelletizes iron ore from Los Colorados mines by reducing impurities of the mineral. The Huasco Pellet Plant, having begun operations in 1978, has come across […]
How did data captured by drones help create a digital twin of the Széchenyi Chain Bridge? This project, led by our customer Ventus-Tech in Hungary, aimed to establish a baseline and record the status of the bridge before its restoration started. The scan of the present state of the bridge will help to compare its […]
This penguin mapping project is part of an interdisciplinary expedition to Antarctica. This multimonth research expedition on a sailboat covered several themes: climatology, sociology of science, chemistry of microplastics, microbiology, biogeochemistry and ecology of penguins. This last theme aims to map the breeding sites of the penguins. Lana Lenourry, a student researcher from Juste 2C, […]
YellowScan’s partner FlyThru, one of the UK’s leading providers of unmanned LiDAR surveys, was mandated by their client, the digital construction team at Eurovia Infrastructure to survey an area for a project. As one of the global leaders in transport infrastructure and urban development, Eurovia builds and maintains roads, motorways, railways, airports and tramways, and […]
As entertainment in general, particularly video games be it traditional console games or virtual reality, strive to be as accurate as possible in their depiction of real-world locations. The industry is turning to LiDAR technology to help it build 3D models in order to give players the best experience possible. YellowScan Vx15 on a DJI […]
Drone Expertise Centre’s client, the Parc Asterix*, in France, had an objective to produce very precise and complete topographic data on the whole of the amusement park and its surroundings. This mission was done as part of an impact study for a future project where it was essential to have highly resolution and accurate data […]
The Norwegian Public Roads administration Statens vegvesen and the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) organized a proof-of-concept event in October of 2021 to bring together various government agencies to evaluate use of the latest LiDAR and drone technology to help with avalanche risk monitoring. They’d chosen the areas surrounding the iconic road called […]
How can LIDAR contribute to archeological prospecting and exceptional heritage management? How can LIDAR contribute to archeological prospecting and exceptional heritage management? In 2021, L’Avion Jaune, a french aerial survey company was mandated by Association Mission Patrimoine Mondial to map 7 fortified castles. This organization was created to set up and drive the application strategy […]
The Association Mission Patrimoine Mondial (AMPM) is an organization created to manage the process for the city of Carcassonne (South of France) and its Sentinel mountain castles better known as “Les Châteaux Cathares”, to successfully obtain UNESCO World Heritage certification. Built in the 13th century, the combined site is an exceptional example of military architecture […]
What is the Challenge? Hepta Airborne, YellowScan’s Estonian based customer, won a contract with the Portuguese DSO (Distribution Service Operator) E-REDES, to launch a project with the objective of proving that drones can collect aerial inspection data just as well as manned helicopters missions. The plan was to compare data collected by drone to a […]
Did you know – Lasers classification For safety reasons, Lasers are classified depending on their potential risk of injuries to humans’ eye and skin. By law, all lasers products must have a label mentioning the class level. This number can be written either in Arabic numeral or in Roman numeral. In the case of European […]
How to monitor long corridor powerlines efficiently using YellowScan Explorer LiDAR solution In this webinar we are going to learn about the YellowScan Explorer LiDAR system compatible with UAVs and light aircrafts. Register now to discover live how YellowScan Explorer is operated to map long corridor for powerlines monitoring. This webinar session will last approximately […]
What is the challenge? The gypsy moth is an invasive species that can devastate forest canopies. In Vermont the gypsy moth is normally kept in check by a fungus, but abnormally dry conditions prevented the fungus from thriving resulting in an explosion of gypsy moth caterpillars. By June, the region was suffering the largest infestation […]
Did you know? There are different scan patterns of LiDAR systems depending on the scanning method used. You may know how a LiDAR system works – measuring the travel time between the emission of a laser pulse and the reception of the signal that is reflected by a target. But have you ever wondered what […]
Did you know? It is not recommended to use LiDAR in rainy or foggy weather. In contact with water, light deviates and so does the laser of a LiDAR system, thus impacting data quality. The main optical process occurring with fog is diffusion as for rain it is dispersion. In the first case, the light […]
Did you know? There are three different ways to determine distances using LiDAR. LiDAR sensors are based on the use of one or multiple laser beams to perform distance measurements. They are active sensors, emitting radiation at a set wavelength and receiving the return signal. There are three main techniques for determining a distance measurement […]
eVTOL and UAV LiDAR solutions used for a large-scale survey in Sumatra One of the biggest challenges of LiDAR surveys is productivity. In what follows, you will realize how efficient can be LiDAR mapping when you use and combine the right tools: UAV and LiDAR system. Indonesia has a big development program ending in 2024. […]
Straight to the Point Episode 4 In this episode of Straight to the Point, you will have the opportunity to see new YellowScan Mapper UAV LiDAR in action. Key take-aways: YellowScan’s livox-based UAV LiDAR product presentation Knowledge of the complete YellowScan workflow
Which DJI drone for LiDAR mapping? DA Jiang Innovation, more known under DJI name is the number 1 drones manufacturer in the world. DJI drones are drones you must consider for professional applications, using photogrammetry or LiDAR. DJI M600 The DJI Matrice 600 is definitely the most widespread UAV on the professional market. This 9kg […]
Interview: Hi Bjarke, thank you for accepting this interview! We know you have used YellowScan Surveyor for your biodiversity research work. Can you tell us a bit more about you and your research work? I am Bjarke Madsen from Aarhus University in Denmark. I have been a PHD Student for 3,5 years at Ecoinformatics and […]
The differentiator for Diodrone is the high quality of the data they can collect thanks to YellowScan solutions. What is the challenge? Diodrone’s client is responsible for managing geotechnical risks along a 170km long rural road which travels through remote and rugged terrain in Australia that is prone to landslides. Diodrone conducts routine inspection and […]
Straight to the PointEpisode 3 In this episode of Straight to the Point, you will discover the use of Applanix POSPac UAV/MMS and the flexibility in post-processing within the YellowScan workflow. Key takeaways: Knowledge of the complete YellowScan workflow Ways of processing thanks to Applanix POSPac A comparison between each processing method
YellowScan has more than one way to reach centimeter-level accuracy. YellowScan LiDAR solutions use Applanix GNSS-aided INS boards allowing for multiple post-processing methods to reach centimeter-level accuracy. Using a dual-frequency GNSS receiver, like the one used in YellowScan LiDAR systems, can locate itself at a meter-level accuracy. However, most of today’s survey jobs require centimeter-level […]
Another specificity of LiDAR wavelength: atmospheric absorption. A sun beam emits up to 150K lux. It is like receiving light from 15,000 candles at the same time. One that is direct or reflected, can be misinterpreted by the LiDAR and be considered as a laser return. The water molecules in the atmosphere absorb a good […]
LiDAR wavelength is in the infrared range due to detector efficiency. Among all the existing wavelengths, why would one use infrared instead of other ones (UV, visible)? Most LiDARs wavelengths are in the infrared range as is the case for YellowScan systems: 903 or 905 nm. One of the objectives of the LiDAR system is […]
What should you consider for a successful UAV LiDAR integration? UAV LiDAR integration is key to start a mapping business for safety reasons but not only (productivity, quality of deliverables…). Here are 6 main things to consider: 1. UAV system endurance: 20+ minutes with a minimum 2kg payload is required. If not possible then you […]
How UAS laser scanning helps archaeology On D-Day, Normandy was the theater of a massive firefight. 75 years later, we still have not found all buried structures from that period. In a field, not far away from Omaha beach, Josh Gates, presenter of the US TV show “Expedition Unknown”, is seeking new World War 2 […]
Straight to the PointEpisode 2 Discover live how Fly&Drive is operated to map infrastructure from an above, oblique and side perspective. Multiplying viewpoints of the lidar survey offers higher chance to have complete coverage of the object of interest. For infrastructure mapping, it allows exhaustive coverage of building outer shell. In this webinar, you’ll learn […]
The GPS position of LiDAR drones uses the General relativity, a theory of gravitation that was developed by Albert Einstein between 1907 and 1915. In order to understand this sentence, it is important to remember how a Global Positioning System (GPS) works. Satellites orbiting the Earth transmit information about their position and current time at […]
Before LiDAR, mapping was done by combining the triangulation and levelling techniques. What is triangulation? Remember your math lessons! The sum of the angles of a triangle equals π radians (180 degrees), the law of sines and the law of cosines, Pythagoras’ theorem, trigonometry… does that mean anything to you? It’s due to these elements […]
LiDAR for Drone mapping make Powerline network management easy Eltel, a Nordic field service provider for power and communication networks, conducted in 2019 a pilot study with Loiste a Finland-based energy company. The aim of the project was to investigate how drone LiDAR can be used for power grid design, maintenance and issue solving. Loiste, […]
The difference between LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) and RADAR (Radio Detection And Ranging) is their wavelength. Although the basic purpose of LiDAR and RADAR is the same – detecting the presence and volume of distant objects – it is essential to understand the difference between these two technologies. Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) is […]
3D point clouds triumph over theodolite method at thermal power station Until acquiring its YellowScan Vx-15 for 3D mapping, Ukraine’s EverScan used classic methodology (GNSS, Total Station, etc.) that took much longer to survey and hindered its engineers from achieving high accuracy. Moreover, the data they were acquiring was extremely redundant in terms of providing […]
Flying LiDAR gives French company a competitive edge for Bali civil engineering and mining surveys Arnaud Denisot is a young IT engineer who decided to change his life. Four years ago, he left his job at La Défense, the Paris-region version of Silicon Valley, and re-established himself with a drone services company headquartered in the […]
Mapping forested archaeological sites using UAV LiDAR: the example of the site “L’Escalère” in the South of France. Since 2016, the UMR 5608 TRACES Lab Research team uses YellowScan LiDAR (Mapper and then Mapper 2) to scan archaeological sites under forest cover. This time, the Toulouse-based research team flew their Mapper 2 on a DJI […]
LiDAR mapping represents a key exploration tool for a future green mining industry Over the past two years, INFACT, an EU research initiative in the field of raw materials, has been busy working on the contribution of mineral exploration to transform Europe into a low-carbon and circular economy—that is, self-sustainable without incurring lasting damage to […]
Straight to the PointEpisode 1 YellowScan presents new professional webinar series, “Straight to the point” for 2020. « Straight to the Point » is YellowScan’s brand spanking new webinar series for professional LiDAR operators and all those who appreciate the survey benefits of laser point clouds. Our first season will provide six episodes, each with […]
3D mapping with millions of point clouds makes mining project more viable Engineer Jim Smith, CAD technician Jerrad Burns and surveyor Charlie Patton at Sorrell-Smith Engineering Consultants LLC (2SEC) focus primarily on mining challenges where data acquisition, in particular mining surveys, require fast and accurate results. 2SEC is a full-service engineering design, planning and construction […]
When it comes to capturing point clouds, it’s not a matter of LiDAR versus photogrammetry, because both have their benefits and drawbacks. It’s really about which method is most suitable for your particular application. YellowScan LiDAR point clouds help archaeologists map dense forest cover. The YellowScan Surveyor LiDAR with integrated RGB camera. LiDAR and photogrammetry […]
You know what they say: you’ve checked out the rest, now go for the best. After all, why compromise on quality when you want a safe investment and professional results? We’re fortunate that we live in a time when cumbersome airborne LiDAR operations are no longer the only way to get a survey done. Instead […]
Nestled within the territory of the indigenous Kansa people, the area around Salina, Kansas happens to be one of the largest wheat-producing regions in the United States. Originally claimed by France as part of Louisiana, it was later acquired by the United States with the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. It’s not Salina’s history, however, […]
Drone-mounted and airborne LiDAR are changing the way architects, city planners and construction surveyors map the world’s major cities. Atteyeh Natanzi, PhD at and Iman Zolanvari PhD were post-doctoral researchers at University College Dublin’s School of Civil Engineering when they worked on a major urban LiDAR survey project. In a recently-published GIM International article, they […]
One of the first decisions you’ll need to make when choosing a drone [or Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), also known as small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS)] for LiDAR mapping is the size and rotor/wing configuration. All the other choices to be made will be influenced by this and have a direct impact on the results […]
Why with LiDAR do we talk about precision and accuracy, what is the difference? Accuracy is the geographical precision, so it determines how far the point is offset. An accurate point cloud will be close in average to the actual position of the environment it describes. Precision is the repeatability of the measure. In LiDAR […]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XCHF36qNAaU This presentation explains the PP-RTX technology from Applanix, advantages and limitations in UAV LiDAR applications. To find out more, watch the video above. Discover our UAV LiDAR Solutions Find out more
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfQR8Im4P6Q YellowScan systems enables an increased knowledge of archeological sites by discovering new artifacts under vegetation. This presentation, in the form of a review of several prospecting archaeological sites, evokes topics such as the contribution of 3D modeling, complementarity with photogrammetry, interpretation of results and specific post-processing tracks. To find out more, watch the video […]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jI5fHi-bHp0 Ventus-Tech surveyed a 47 km-long highway segment in 2018 and produced survey results for the reconstruction of the highway with minimum interruption of the traffic. The project was conducted by Ventus-Tech using YellowScan Surveyor to collect data along a 47-kilometer segment of the M1 highway (E60, E65, E75) in northwestern Hungary. The data, gathered by 88 UAV flights […]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqoDyT6atg8 Discover a powerful solution for corridor mapping and large surveys. Advantages of combining a vertical take-off and landing with high density LiDAR scanner. To find out more, watch the video above. Discover our UAV LiDAR Solutions Find out more
How to collect a large amount of data with VTOL drones and LiDAR combination The combination of the YellowScan Surveyor and Surveyor Ultra with the Quantum-Systems Tron allows for extraordinary efficiency and accuracy to support asset management needs for numerous industries. The key features in this webinar are : Fast and accurate data collection / […]
About this webinar: The combination of the YellowScan Surveyor and Surveyor Ultra with the Quantum-Systems Tron allows for extraordinary efficiency and accuracy to support asset management needs for numerous industries. The key features are: Fast and accurate data collection / night and day Corridor mapping with true 160° field of View Digital Terrain models below […]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URjHbrYeGy0 Discover how UAV LiDAR can help to monitor biodiversity in wetlands. This project is about surveying a bog in harsh environments in an insular forest along the Loire river. A combination of LiDAR and multispectral imagery was applied over an area of 13 hectares, using a multirotor Fox-C8 OnyxStar drone coupled with YellowScan’s Surveyor […]
A renewable energy company needed a LiDAR data acquisition to create access roads and pad sites for a wind farm development in Kansas. Brian Soliday from Juniper Unmanned, presents how YellowScan solutions are helping companies to save their client’s money and time. To find out more, watch the video above. Discover our UAV LiDAR Solutions […]
The Future of Vegetation Analyses in Feeder Corridors The Trimble eCognition Team has been expanding the LiDAR analysis capabilities of our Developer software and opening up exciting new application fields. In this webinar we are going to learn about the YellowScan LiDAR systems for UAV from Cliff Holle and demonstrate the data fusion power of […]
What is this laser technology making mapping possible through vegetation, in low-contrast or shadowy situations? Light Detection and Ranging Light Detection And Ranging (LiDAR) is a laser-based remote sensing technology. The idea behind LiDAR is quite simple: point a small laser at a surface and measure the time it takes the laser to return to […]
