Light detection and ranging (LiDAR) is best known as the technology that powers navigation in self-driving cars, but that’s not all it can do. LiDAR is used for everything from creating 3D elevation maps and river surveys to modeling pollution and helping archeologists detect long-lost relics hidden under vegetation. In security circles, LiDAR is emerging as an important tool to improve perimeter security, people flow and occupancy management as well.
Just as radar uses electromagnetic radio waves to detect objects and sonar uses sound waves, LiDAR uses laser light. The LiDAR system emits a pulse of light and measures how long it takes for it to return to the sensor. By combining sensor data with GPS tracking and factoring in other variables like speed, an AI-powered LiDAR system can create precisely detailed, 3D representations of terrain and objects.