ADVANCED STUDY OF NON-PRISM LASER RANGER AND IT'S IMAGING 
(Low-Cost 3D Imaging and Range Imaging Using Non-Prism Laser-Ranger) 
YOSHIAKI TAKAHASHI, HIDENORI ITOH, NORITSUNA FUJII 
Power Engineering Department 
ASIA AIR SURVEY Co.,Ltd. 
1-3 Tamura-Chou, Atsugi-Shi, Kanagawa-Ken, 243 JAPAN 
TEL +81-462-23-7073 FAX +81-462-23-7926 
Commission V, Working group 2 
KEY WORDS:  Egngineering,Application,Sensor,Aerial 
ABSTRACT: 
In recent years non-prism Laser-Ranger equipment is becoming more common,and methods of 
surveying and of measurements are changes dramatically. They are extremely useful 
instruments which constantlymeasure the distance between the subjects with the use of a 
sensor.They will also measure the distance between stationary and moving objects if 
measurement levels are speeded up.It was with this in mind that research was begun on the 
concept that the shape of the ground could be measured from the sky with the use of the 
non-prism Laser-Ranger.In order to attain this objective,work was started on examining 
non-prism  Laser-Ranger available on the open market to basically veryfy their 
characteristics,the meaning of the information they obtain and their limits of 
detection.Experiments were initiated in various stages including desk-top 
testing,laboratory testing,field testing and airborne testing.This report explains the 
  
results and basic outcome of these experiments. 
l.Research Objectives 
Easy-to-use methods of  continually,economy and 
safely obtaining ground surface information 
including tree lines without the use of image 
data,such as photographs or videos,were 
established.In other words, we attempted to 
establish methods of measuring the height of the 
ground surface and other objects with Aa 
Laser-Ranger directly from an aerial platform,and 
not with the indirect method of measuring the 
height of the ground surface and other objects 
with the use of stereopair from photographic or 
video images (with the use of a parallax). The 
levels of measurement accuracy aimed at for these 
experiments was set at within a 1m error ratio 
for ground measurement at a height of 100m to 
150m. The target for the first stage was to 
obtain a line profile from an aerial location,and 
the target for the second stage was to obtain a 
scanning profile. 
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2. Research Method and Experiment Results 
2-1. Desk-Top Testing 
The Laser-Ranger to be used as the sensor was 
selected. Conditions for selection were: 
*Large numbers of measurements (as current 
equipment carries out few measurements,a unit for 
which technological advancement could be relied 
up on the future). 
*A unit which would enable all measurement data 
to be loaded into a personal computer. 
*À unit with high resolution. 
*A unit with a measurement distance of within 
200m. 
*A unit with a measurement accuracy of *20mm. 
*A unit which is safe,economy and easy to use. 
A non-prism infrared laser-ranger manufactured by 
a certain company was selected as satisfying all 
of the above conditions. 
International Archives of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing. Vol. XXXI, Part B5. Vienna 1996 
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