A New Lidar Capability to Map Littoral Zones

Advancements in Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) technologies have made possible the ability to observe features within littoral zones from above the water and produce unprecedented 3-D map bathymetry with centimeter-level precision. This breakthrough LiDAR technology in high-resolution mapping, detecting, and identifying objects in shallow waters (< 5m) from above-water platforms (including watercraft, bridges, and drones) offers next generation capability for littoral zone research. Rapid and repeatable deployments allow for detailed littoral zone description of coastal restoration efforts, underwater infrastructure assessments, human impacts on coastal environments, and change detection due to storm effects. This instrument puts the points in point clouds with point densities commonly exceeding 400 pts/m²giving unprecedented detail of underwater features in shallow waters. The novel technique enables centimeter precision in range that is unmatched by other lidar systems.