Generating Lidar Data in Laboratory: Lidar Simulator

This paper describes the methodology adopted for developing a simulator for airborne altimetric LiDAR. The goal is to model LiDAR sensor functioning so LiDAR data can be generated for a user specified terrain with given parameters of the sensor and aerial platform. The simulator is conceived having three components: 1) Terrain component, 2) Sensor component and 3) Platform component. Terrain component is formed using multiple mathematical surfaces for bare terrain and for objects on top of the surface. Further, the terrain can be represented using a raster. The sensor component permits a user to opt for the commercially available sensors or a generic sensor and accordingly generates data. The third component attempts to model the platform parameters, viz., velocity, roll, pitch, yaw and accelerations. LiDAR data are generated by first finding the equation of laser vector that changes with each pulse and then determining the point of intersection of this vector with the mathematical surface or the raster representing terrain. This GUI based simulator, developed in JAVA, is an ideal tool for research and education.