Spaceborne LiDAR Surveying and Mapping

Abstract

Laser point cloud data have the characteristics of high elevation accuracy, fast processing efficiency, strong three-dimensional (3D) vision, and wide application fields. It will be one of the core datasets of the new generation national global topographic database. The rapid advancement of spaceborne laser earth observation technology allows the collection of global 3D point cloud data, which has brought a new breakthrough in the field of satellite-based earth observation, and its significant advantages of all-day time, high accuracy and high efficiency will lead the future development of space precise mapping technology. This chapter firstly introduces the principle and development status of satellite-based LiDAR technology, then presents the basic technical framework of satellite-based LiDAR 3D mapping, and analyzes the data processing methods of spaceborne photon point clouds, and finally, focuses on the application research in various fields including precise geolocation of combined with satellite images, fusion of multi-source topographic information, polar mapping, 3D objects reconstruction, and shallow sea topographic mapping, etc.

Forestry Applications of Space-Borne LiDAR Sensors: A Worldwide Bibliometric Analysis

“…Finally, the LiDAR Surface Topography (LIST; NASA), which is scheduled to launch in 2025, will mount a very powerful photon-counting detection system with 1000 beams to achieve footprints of 5 m in diameter separated by about 0.7 m on the ground (swath mapping). This system will allow obtaining accurate and global topographic information of 5 m grid size and surface elevation changes in forests, lakes, and ice caps [ 25 ].…”

“…The satellite-based LiDAR telescope receives this energy return, and the distance between the sensor and the target on Earth is calculated by converting photoelectric signals and measuring time. This computed distance is processed together with information from the satellite attitude, position, and laser pointing to produce accurate 3D spatial coordinates of the laser footprint point directly [ 25 ]. This is the case of GEDI, which marked a pioneering achievement as the inaugural space-borne full waveform LiDAR (photon counting at wavelength λ = 1064 nm), uniquely designed to offer insights into the vertical structure of forest canopies [ 20 , 26 ], with a particular focus on Earth’s temperate and tropical forests.…”

Forestry Applications of Space-borne LiDAR Sensors: A Worldwide Bibliometric Analysis

“…Finally, the LiDAR Surface Topography (LIST; NASA), which is scheduled to launch in 2025, will mount a very powerful photon counting detection system with 1000 beams to achieve footprints of 5 m in diameter separated by about 0.7 m on the ground (swath mapping). This system will allow obtaining accurate and global topographic information of 5 m grid size and surface elevation changes of forests, lakes, and ice caps [54].…”

Remote Sensing-Based 3D Assessment of Landslides: A Review of the Data, Methods, and Applications

“…Spaceborne lidar, on the other hand, is rarely used for landslides or general topographical and geomorphological studies. This is because flying at high altitudes limits the characterization of internal structures, thus not being able to separate between ground and non-ground points (i.e., DTM) [54,55]. Photogrammetric elevation data are generally preferred due to their relatively low cost and availability from all platforms, including satellite, aerial, UAV, and terrestrial systems.…”

“…Combining lidar with data from optical sensors has been shown to boost performance and provide better accuracy for mapping landslides based on color, texture, changes in slope, etc. [43,54,100]. Other studies have noted that combining data from both platforms, i.e., airborne and terrestrial, can provide a broader perspective and better analysis of the landslide-prone area [45], thus providing a complete terrain profile with information about the vertical and horizontal deformations.…”