Mobile LiDAR has been around in some form since the mid 1990's. Early pioneers were mounting terrestrial LiDAR systems to vehicles and driving from location to location collecting data at each stop. While there are still a few of these systems in operation, since it’s faster than setting up a tripod at each location, this no longer really qualifies as mobile.

For aerial LiDAR platforms to work, Inertial Measurement Units (IMU's) and airborne GPS (ABGPS) are necessary to establish location, direction, and position. This data makes it possible to determine the location of the laser pulses (or points) in relation to each other and allow for geo-spatial correction. Once the pulses are corrected, analysis can be performed, algorithms can be run and data can be extracted.

Aerial LiDAR is an innovative tool for extracting and producing surface models for large areas and corridors in conditions that do not allow for traditional photogrammetric methods. In recent years, the cost of aerial LiDAR systems has gone down, making it feasible for aerial LiDAR to be used on smaller projects. However, there are limitations to the data that aerial LiDAR collects. Some limitations include tunnels, bridges, and vertical features for architectural work and asset inventory.

As a result of the recent demand for this information, companies such as Optech, have been working on solutions to bridge the aerial/terrestrial gap. Using IMU's and GPS with the addition of a Distance Measurement Unit (DMI) to aid in collection, LiDAR systems have become truly mobile. Now with the release of the LYNX V200 from Optech, survey grade data can be collected at true highway speeds, in excess of 65 mph. Using a two sensor system capable of firing 200,000 points per second per laser, point densities of 10,000 points per square meter are possible. In addition, each sensor head collects data in a 360 degree field of view. When positioned correctly (as with Optech's LYNX system), the sensors can minimize the shadowing effect along vertical features and therefore, reduce the need for multiple passes.