PERFORMANCE CHARACTERIZATION OF AN AIRBORNE LIDAR SYSTEM: 
BRIDGING SYSTEM SPECIFICATIONS AND EXPECTED PERFORMANCE 
m 
V. Ussyshkin 3 *, M. Boba 3 , M. Sitar 3 
3 Optech Incorporated, 300 Interchange Way, Vaughan, Ontario, Canada L4K 5Z8 
valerieu@optech.ca 
KEY WORDS: LIDAR, data acquisition, specifications, impact analysis, parameters, performance, accuracy, understanding 
ABSTRACT: 
Airborne laser scanning, the preferred operational tool in remote sensing, surveying, and mapping, is demonstrating outstanding 
capabilities in generating high-accuracy spatial data with superior efficiency for a variety of applications. However, achieving 
results to fulfil survey project requirements demands a thorough understanding of the performance capabilities of the airborne 
surveying equipment being used. Due to the complexity of new technologies and the variability of factors affecting the quality of 
lidar-derived end products, certain performance characteristics presented by manufacturers on system specification sheets often look 
misleading. Moreover, the lack of widely accepted standards for lidar system characterization leaves room for variable interpretation 
of common terms and misinterpretation of instrument performance capabilities. This paper represents the efforts of Optech 
Incorporated, a leading manufacturer of airborne lidar systems, to bridge the gap among numbers on the system specification sheet, 
the achievable system performance in the field, and the expected quality of lidar-derived end products. We examine the main 
parameters characterizing airborne lidar system performance and provide technical information that usually remains out of scope of 
the system specification sheet but may significantly affect operational efficiency and achievable field performance. We also analyze 
the impact of various operational parameters and certain survey conditions, such as the highly variable reflectance of terrains, on 
lidar system performance. The demonstrated results should enable lidar service providers to avoid misinterpreting numbers on the 
specification sheets and bridge the gap between the manufacturers’ approach to characterizing system capabilities and the 
expectations of lidar system end users. 
1. INTRODUCTION 
Airborne lidar technology offers an efficient way of generating 
high-accuracy spatial data collected with superior efficiency for 
a wide range of mapping and surveying applications. However, 
achieving results that would meet the requirements of any 
surveying project requires a thorough understanding of lidar 
performance capabilities. Lidar data providers typically 
consider client expectations and translate them to main project 
requirements (Figure 1): 
• What is the coverage area? How large is it, and what 
are the properties of the terrain (such as coverage, 
slope, and elevation above sea level)? 
• What are the lidar-derived products, and what 
accuracy and density of points are required? 
• What is the time frame for completing the project? 
Based on these requirements, the lidar data provider typically 
derives the following: 
capabilities to project requirements (Figure 1) to collect data of 
required and uncompromised quality and quantity while 
keeping the project cost as low as possible. 
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Lidar system specification skeet 
• Project schedule 
• Operational scenarios for lidar data acquisition 
(mission planning) 
• Production procedures 
• Overall project cost. 
Project success is determined by the ability of the lidar data 
provider to meet the customer’s expectations while maintaining 
a cost-efficient lidar workflow through project and mission 
planning, data acquisition, processing, and production. In other 
words, the lidar data provider has to match lidar instrument 
Figure 1. Matching performance characteristics from the lidar 
specification sheet to project requirements 
On the other hand, lidar instrument manufacturers always try to 
represent system capabilities in the best possible way by 
presenting main performance characteristics, many of which 
may not be directly relevant to actual lidar project requirements. 
Many factors and technical details are often left out of the 
system performance specification sheet. That is why the 
“better” numbers on the lidar performance specification sheet 
do not always translate to better performance from the user’s 
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