Bathymetric LiDAR Mapping Services

Bathymetric LiDAR mapping services include airborne LiDAR bathymetry and aerial terrestrial LiDAR. Our new 2-in-1 LiDAR system measures and maps underwater features and ocean floor terrain at a centimeter-level depth resolution. Our new system makes bathymetric LiDAR mapping affordable compared to traditional SHOALS. Airborne LiDAR bathymetry is perfect for civil engineering projects, shoreline or coastal erosion mapping and tracking erosion from rising sea-levels.

Bathymetric LiDAR Mapping Services

LiDAR Hawaii is proud to announce its newest service… Bathymetric LiDAR. We mount our 2-in-1 LiDAR System on a gas-powered drone to do both Airborne Bathymetric LiDAR and Aerial Terrestrial LiDAR mapping. LiDAR Hawaii makes it possible to measure and map underwater features at a centimeter-level depth resolution for the first time ever.

LiDAR Bathymetry Services

airborne lidar bathymetry

Bathymetric LiDAR Drone Mapping Services

digital BATHYMETRIC LIDAR maps

Bathymetric LiDAR Topographic Mapping

hawaii digital elevation models dems

Bathymetric LiDAR 3D Digital Elevation Models (DEMs)

Bathymetric LiDAR Mapping Services

Bathymetric LiDAR mapping services are based on the technology and application of airborne laser altimetry or Light Detection And Ranging aka LiDAR. Aerial terrestrial LiDAR is used for mapping terrestrial topography. This type of LiDAR has undergone a rapid evolution over the last few decades. These LiDAR systems have transitioned from being research tools to operational systems which are commercially available in the private sector from LiDAR Hawaii.

The use of airborne lasers to measure bathymetry, however, has not experienced the same development. Bathymetric LiDARs, which employ a blue-green wavelength of laser light to penetrate water, currently remain a very specialized and unique technology with only a handful of SHOALS systems currently in existence. These extremely large and very expensive SHOALS systems must be mounted on a large aircraft in order to collet bathymetric LiDAR data. This makes using SHOALS systems cost-prohibitive for most projects.

Our new 2-in-1 bathymetric LiDAR plus aerial terrestrial LiDAR system ushers in a new generation in LiDAR technology mapping services. The small size of our new dual LiDAR system allows us to use a gas-powered drone for LiDAR mapping. This eliminates the high cost of an aircraft for bathymetric LiDAR mapping. Thanks to the water penetrating capabilities of our advanced LiDAR system, LiDAR Hawaii is now able to perform underwater feature mapping and terrain mapping in shallow ocean, clear lakes, and clear or shallow rivers.

Advantages of our new 2-in-1 LiDAR System:

Measuring and mapping of underwater features and seafloors, clear lake bottoms and riverbeds at a centimeter-level depth resolution.
Cost-effective gas-powered LiDAR drone mapping for any size project verses the full-size aircraft required for SHOALS.
Our dual system does both airborne LiDAR bathymetry and aerial terrestrial LiDAR for bathymetric LiDAR projects with adjoining shorelines or coastline.
Our in-house licensed land surveyor guarantees highly accurate 3D digital modeling and high-resolution digital mapping.

About Bathymetric LiDAR Mapping

Bathymetric LiDAR mapping services are becoming increasingly popular due to their versatility and accuracy. Bathymetry remotely measures and maps underwater features and underwater terrain using state-of-the-art Light Detection And Ranging aka LiDAR technology. If you need high-quality maps or models of the seafloor, lake bottom, or riverbed a bathymetric LiDAR mapping solution is the right choice for you. One of the main benefits of bathymetric LiDAR mapping services is that they can be used to create high-resolution maps and models of the seafloor. Airborne LiDAR Bathymetry mapping services are a valuable tool that can be used for many different applications.

What is Bathymetric LiDAR Mapping used for?

Civil Engineering Projects along the coastline or shoreline in combination with aerial terrestrial LiDAR.
Environmental Studies like mapping and tracking coral reef health and declining coral reef populations.
Mapping shoreline or coastal erosion or damage caused by natural disasters like flash flooding or tidal waves in conjunction with aerial terrestrial LiDAR.
Topographical mapping of the seafloor, lake bottoms, and riverbeds and 3D digital terrain models of underwater features.
Scientific research like geological studies and marine biology research.

What is Airborne LiDAR Bathymetry?

Bathymetry is the study of the physical features of the sea floor. This is often done with bathymetric LiDAR mapping services. Bathymetric LiDAR is the technology and application of airborne laser altimetry or Light Detection And Ranging, LiDAR, for mapping underwater features and seafloor topography. Bathymetric LiDAR data is used to create topographical elevation maps and digital 3D models aka digital elevation models (DEMs) of the seafloor. Airborne LiDAR Bathymetry mapping is now being done using a gas-powered drone. This replaces traditional SHOALS. Our new 2-in-1 LiDAR system now makes airborne LiDAR bathymetry combined with aerial terrestrial LiDAR a practical and affordable solution for civil engineering projects, land surveying projects, and shoreline or coastal resort, golf course and land developments.

SHOALS Bathymetric LiDAR

SHOALS aka Scanning Hydrographic Operational Airborne Lidar Survey systems were developed as a tool for monitoring nearshore bathymetric environments by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. SHOALS systems are used in tidal inlets for collecting data on channel shoaling, changes in shape of ebb and flood tidal shoals and the patterns of sand movement. SHOALS is also used for coastal structure evaluation, protecting shorelines and coastlines, natural disaster emergency response, navigation, and nautical charting.

SHOALS systems are very large and very costly. SHOALS systems must be mounted on a full-size aircraft in order to do bathymetric LiDAR data collection. This cost of the system in addition to the cost of the aircraft makes using a SHOALS systems cost-prohibitive on most commercial projects.

Bathymetric LiDAR Mapping Services

Environmental Conservation: Coral Reef Mapping

Coral Reef Mapping

Coral reefs are one of the most diverse and beautiful ecosystems on our planet. They are also one of the most important ecosystems on Earth. Coral reefs make up less than 1% of the ocean floor but are home to more than 25% of all marine species. They provide a habitat for thousands of species of fish, coral, and other marine life. This has earned coral reefs the nickname, “rain forests of the sea.” Coral reefs also protect coastlines from erosion and storms.

Coral reefs are also one of the most endangered ecosystems on the planet. Unfortunately, climate change, pollution, and other human activities like the use of sunscreen all put the worlds coral reefs in danger. Coral reef mapping and the study of coral reefs is essential for their conservation. Scientists use cutting-edge technologies like bathymetric LiDAR to map and study these delicate ecosystems. Bathymetric LiDAR mapping allows scientists to create detailed maps of the reef structure helping them track coral reef changes over time. This makes bathymetric LiDAR technology one of the most important tools for conservation efforts.

Bathymetric LiDAR is a laser scanning or remote sensing technology which uses light to measure the depth of water. It maps coral reefs and other underwater features with great accuracy. Bathymetric LiDAR mapping helps scientists understand the ecology of coral reefs. LiDAR data also helps scientists learn more about the three-dimensional structure of coral reefs and how they change over time. It provides information about the size, shape, and health of coral reefs. This information gives scientists a better understanding of how coral reefs respond to environmental changes to develop strategies to protect them.

Scientists like Dr. Asner, PhD, Director of Asner Labs hire Aerial Surveying, Inc. to perform airborne LiDAR bathymetry mapping for research grants for studying and preserving coral reefs. LiDAR Hawaii offers a cost-effective solution to airborne LiDAR bathymetry mapping compared to traditional SHOALS systems. This helps scientists like Dr. Asner use bathymetric LiDAR mapping to better understand coral reefs and their ecology to help preserve them for future generations.