Simultaneous Adjustment of LIDAR Strips

Abstract

Light detection and ranging (LIDAR)-based mapping systems are a well-established technology for the acquisition of three-dimensional (3D) point clouds. Although the results have generally been promising, uncompensated systematic errors in overlapping LIDAR strips cause horizontal and vertical shifts relative to each other. These LIDAR systematic errors are caused by the LIDAR system mounting parameters (boresight misalignment), mirror angles, and range biases. Global positional system/inertial measurement unit (GPS/IMU) drift in position and orientation can also contribute to these systematic errors if a low performance or improperly aligned GPS/IMU system is used. The proposed work demonstrates a 3D simultaneous multiswath block adjustment of overlapping LIDAR strips using elevation and intensity data to remove the LIDAR systematic errors without reference to the original navigational data. This can be achieved using ground control or LIDAR strips flown in different directions (parallel and orthogonal). The methodology presented takes a data-driven approach; therefore, it does not require access to the LIDAR raw data or navigational data, which in many cases is not available to the user. More generally, the methodology presented can be applied to other digital elevation models (DEMs), e.g., generated by photogrammetry or interferometric synthetic aperture radar (IFSAR).