Airborne Laser Bathymetry Technology

Abstract

The Airborne Laser Bathymetry (ALB) is a technique to measure from an aircraft using a scanning (pulsed laser beams) and mainly used for hydrographic survey in shallow and moderately clear, nearshore coastal waters and lakes. Recently, ALB has been utilized for the verification of river surveying. It seems that it will become as a valuable sensor for rapid and accurate measurements in various fields in the near future. In this paper, in order to promote the usage of ALB in various fields, we have described the development history of ALB and measurement outline. We highlighted the differences from conventional airborne laser survey, and introduction of measurement examples in rivers (Yoshino River) and oceans (Kerama islands).