Market Overview

The airborne lidar market is expected to register a CAGR of 18% over the forecast period of 2020 - 2025.

  • The combination of LiDAR scanning technology with an aerial deployment platform has enabled the user to extract extraordinary efficiency and speed for gathering accurate spatial data allowing him to support asset management needs for numerous industries such as Aerospace & Defense, Mining, Forestry & Precision Agriculture, Corridor mapping, oil & Gas.
  • Surveying And Mapping LLC., with the addition of the state-of-the-art Trimble Harrier 68i airborne LiDAR system to SAM’s in-house capabilities. These systems in combination with the three different modes of laser data collection have enabled the company to enhance its ability to provide complete geospatial solutions and a full suite of LiDAR services.
  • The evolution of drones further displays huge potential as aerial photos provide ?a much bigger perspective when it comes to tracking progress, inspecting the equipment, and measuring structures. Also, the increased usage of airborne lidars in construction projects is expected to drive market growth over the forecast period.
  • For instance, in May 2019 Terra Drone Indonesia successfully completed two pilot projects demonstrating how construction companies can benefit from drone surveying and mapping services using drones equipped with Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) technology.
  • Miniaturization of the lidar system is another factor contributing to the growth of the market over the forecast period as the smaller and lighter the lidar the easier it becomes to deploy them on UAVs. In October 2019, RIEGL Laser Measurement Systems GmbH launched its Riegl miniVUX-2UAV a lightweight airborne laser scanner designed specifically for integration with unmanned aerial vehicles and systems.
  • Some of the prominent players in the market through strategic partnerships have been able to further the technology allowing the airborne lidar market to grow over the forecast period. For instance, in August 2019, Teledyne Optech announced the availability of its new compact lidar sensor, the CL-90 for purchase through its first integration partnership with LiDAR USA.



Scope of the Report

An airborne lidar enables the user to scan swathes of land covering many miles with the systems fitted on to a helicopter or aircraft. This report segments the market by by Type (Topographic Lidar, Bathymetric lidar), By Offering(Hardware, Services), End-User Vertical (Aerospace & Defense, Mining, Forestry & Precision Agriculture, Corridor mapping, oil & Gas), and Geography

Key Market Trends

Aerospace & Defense to Hold the largest Share

  • The increasing investments by the regulatory bodies of the sector for the deployment of airborne lidars on the aircraft’s, UAVs and helicopters is expected to fuel the market growth over the forecast period.
  • For instance, in March 2019, U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright-Patterson Air Force announced an USD 8.2 million contract to JASR to develop chip-scale optical phased arrays and lidar systems that use technology from the Modular Optical Aperture Building Blocks (MOABB) project of the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) for 3-D mapping, navigation, and long-range communications.
  • The major manufacturer in the aerospace industry was the first to address the immense advantages of LiDAR technology. In 2018, Boeing was amongst the first players to start the testing of LiDAR in the aerospace industry. The 2018 version of the original equipment manufacturer’s ecoDemonstrator aircraft was reported to be researching the use of LIDAR to detect clear air turbulence, a capability that Boeing claims have never been achieved before on a commercial airplane.



North America is Expected to Hold Significant Share

  • The increasing adoption of the airborne lidars in archeology for the identification of the now-unpopulated landscape, ruins, and many more is expected to fuel the adoption of the technology in the region over the forecast period.
  • For instance, in February 2018, a consortium of researchers called garrison took part in the project spearheaded by the PACUNAM Foundation, used aerial lidar sensing equipment and identified the ruins of more than 60,000 houses, palaces, elevated highways, and other human-made features that have been hidden for centuries under the jungles of northern Guatemala.
  • Some of the prominent players in the region have been able to develop the technology through strategic partnerships that have not only provided them with a competitive advantage over others but also with the first mover’s advantage. This is expected to fuel the growth of the airborne lidars over the forecast period.
  • In October 2019, SAM, LLC, in North America to Deploy Advanced Aerial Scanning Technology the RIEGL VQ-1560 II which would be installed in SAM’s new fixed-wing aircraft, a 2019 Cessna Grand Caravan EX, that would further expand SAM’s national aerial mapping capabilities. The RIEGL VQ-1560 II is equipped with a 4 megahertz, dual-channel airborne mapping system that enables the user to collect High Density (HD) LiDAR at up to a 2,450 meter swath or a density of 60 points per square meter from a fixed-wing platform.



Competitive Landscape

The competitive rivalry amongst the players in the airborne lidar market is high owing to the presence of some key players such as Teledyne Technologies, IGI Systems amongst others. Through research and development activities the players have been able to gain a competitive advantage over others. Strategic partnerships and mergers & acquisitions have enabled the companies to gain a stronger footprint in the market.

  • In August 2018, Fugro introduced a new bathymetric lidar system that delivers industry-leading depth penetration and point densities for nearshore and coastal mapping. Known as RAMMS (Rapid Airborne Multibeam Mapping System), the field-proven technology promises to deliver an efficient and cost-effective solution, dramatically improving upon other bathymetric lidar mapping capabilities.



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