Resource Type
Industry
Product Group
Ensure your LiDAR system is ready for field operations with our comprehensive RANGER Flex LED Quick Start Guide. Download now to streamline setup and maximize performance.
In this whitepaper, we explore the innovative application of a hovering drone-mounted LiDAR system paired with a survey-grade satellite and inertial positioning system to measure wave transformation and runup in the surf zone. Unlike traditional methods, the multi-rotor small uncrewed aircraft system (sUAS) offers unobstructed measurements by hovering above the surf zone at a 20-meter elevation, scanning a 150-meter-wide cross-shore transect.
This approach allows rapid and precise data collection in remote locations where terrestrial scanning is challenging. Our study demonstrates that hovering drone-mounted LiDAR provides measurement accuracy almost equivalent to a stationary truck-mounted terrestrial LiDAR. By conducting observations in various surf conditions and validating with traditional land-based surveys and pressure sensors, we achieved a stable back beach topography estimate.
We also calculated statistical wave properties, runup values, and bathymetry inversions using a simple nonlinear correction to wave crest phase speed. This method shows the potential of drone-based LiDAR for accurate nearshore process observations, enabling data collection in previously inaccessible sites and providing valuable validation for coastal models.
Speed: Walking pace for SLAM. 6 m/s UAV flight
Point density: thousands of points/m²
AGL: 80 during UAV flight
Acquisition time: ~2 hours
Speed: 6 m/s
Point Density: 200 points/m² per flight line
AGL: 120 m
Acquisition time: 10 minutes
Speed: 40 – 60 mph
Point density: >2000 points/m²
AGL: Ground level
Acquisition time: 3.5 hrs
Speed: 20-40 mph
Point density: thousands of points/m²
AGL: Ground level
Speed: 50 kn
Point density: ~700 points/m²
AGL: 200 m
Acquisition time: 10 minutes
Speed: 60 kn
Point density: 21 points/m² per flight line
AGL: 750 m
Acquisition time: 1 hour