Trends Winter 2019 | Page 19

Clark County, Wisconsin, contours derived from lidar Lidar point cloud depicting tree canopy and buildings A LITTLE MORE ON LIDAR Lidar, an acronym for “light detection and ranging,” is a means of measuring distance using laser pulses. It’s similar to radar or sonar but uses an optical source – a laser – instead of microwaves or sound waves. With lidar, a pulse Lidar DSM from Trempealeau County, Wisconsin is fired from a sensor and a very accurate distance can be calculated from the object it hits. (When you have a billion measurements in a county, you can get a rather complex surface model of the earth). Lidar technology provides a combination of data density, integrity, and accuracy that, in the past, was impractical to achieve using traditional survey methods. Ayres provides a complete lidar service – first deploying the most appropriate technology, then calibrating clients’ datasets, extracting the information needed to improve their operations, and ultimately processing and providing a product tailored to the client’s specific needs. www.AyresAssociates.com 19