LiDAR Point-Cloud Analysis

LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) Point-Cloud Analysis is an active remote sensing technique that measures distances by emitting laser pulses and recording the time for returns to reach the sensor. First systematically applied to ecosystem science by Lefsky, Cohen, Parker, and Harding in 2002, LiDAR produces dense three-dimensional point clouds that encode the precise vertical and horizontal structure of vegetation, terrain, and built environments at resolutions unachievable by passive optical sensors.