iPhoneLiDAR_measurement data20241003.csv

The LiDAR-equipped iPhone (iPhone-LiDAR) is highly portable for outdoor use and is significantly more cost-effective than other LiDAR-equipped devices such as uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) or ground-based LiDAR. Therefore, this method holds practical promise for small-scale forest measurements. In this study, we conducted terrain mapping and positioning of newly planted small areas in northern Japan, as well as tree height measurements, using iPhone-LiDAR. The iPhone-LiDAR generated highly accurate 3D models, allowing detailed terrain measurements of the planted area. Although there were many false-positive points in the detection of tree positions, manual removal of these points made it possible to create a tree position map. This is believed to significantly reduce the workload compared to traditional survey methods. We also found LiDAR-estimated seedling heights to be underestimated due to some inevitable noise in the point cloud. Improvements in software, scanning, and analytical methodologies will open future possibilities for iPhone-LiDAR applications in forestry practices.