Lidar as Art
A virtual gallery showcasing lidar in its digital beauty
LIDAR — Light Detection and Ranging
It’s the same idea as radar, except it uses laser beams which bounce off of an object instead of radio waves. In terrestrial form you just set up your sensor where it is most effective and collect ample amounts of accurate data — data that comes from lasers, which is cool.
AERIAL LIDAR
From plane, helicopter, or UAS/drone, aerial sourced lidar is a safe option no matter what traffic or environmental conditions may exist below.
MOBILE LIDAR
So, you’ve got a highway that’s awfully busy, but you need lidar? You don’t want to set up a terrestrial sensor a bunch of times, and you want features you can’t get from the air (ie bridge clearances). Rest assured, mobile lidar can fulfill those demands. At highway speeds, this state-of-the-art machine can get you all of the data you need, in a safer and faster manner.
TERRESTRIAL LIDAR
Terrestrial lidar is essentially a mobile lidar sensor mounted on a tripod. The sensor is optimized for the different (stationary) setup. The primary conceptual difference here is that with a terrestrial setup you’ll get an incredible point cloud density. This density is excellent for intensive projects like rehab or replacement of towers and bridges.
The art of lidar is demonstrated with the following images. Each image is grouped by the general category in which the work was applied.
NATURE
Nature has an inherent beauty. These images only magnify the natural elements of the earth, showcasing the natural art of the land.
ROADS
Highways and Byways take Americans where they need to — or want to — go. The subtle lines that tell us where to keep our vehicles when driving, and where it’s safe to be when walking take on a far more noticeable appearance.
BRIDGES
Below there is a single bridge that’s highlighted. It’s got an interesting appearance in lidar form, and it represents a historical period in bridge development. In the 1950's and 1960's, America was building steel spans like this one with a fervor unmatched in the country’s history. These dinosaurs are on the brink of extinction as longer-lasting cable stayed bridges take their place across mighty rivers and through sprawling communities. So, enjoy them while you can.
RAILS
150 years ago America was sewn together with ribbons of steel. Today, those ribbons still serve a vital role in moving people and commerce where they need to go. The intensely modern appearance of lidar is a far cry from the folklore for which American railroads are commonly represented, but there is an unmistakable coolness to their infinite wandering about the images below.
HYDRO
It’s good to know where the water is going to go when the rivers and lakes break from their typical banks and flood out their surrounding areas. It’s good to know who will be impacted and to what extent they will get wet. It’s good to plan ahead though understanding brought about by the mapping created through the images below. The artistic representation in lidar derived images is just added value.
