IE GSI LiDAR Coverage GSI/DCHG/DP Ireland (ROI) ITM View

LiDAR is important as it generates accurate measurements instantaneously. Knowing the height of the Earth’s surface is important for a number of reasons.

Landslides, small fault scarps, and other geologic features that are difficult to spot visually in the field or on aerial photographs can often be clearly shown on LiDAR images.

LiDAR data helps detect where flooding might occur. The risk of rivers flooding is linked to factors such as: climate, the material that makes up the banks of the stream, the channel slope and the topography. The LiDAR (topography) data enables more accurate mapping of where the water will flow.

LiDAR data helps planners to assess where to place new buildings; knowing the height of buildings, LiDAR can determine where shade will occur and where best to place solar systems.

LiDAR data helps foresters to measure the height of trees in a forest and hence estimate the volume of timber.

LiDAR data helps archaeologists to find archaeological sites. Remains of buildings and other sites can be almost impossible to spot with the naked eye. LiDAR can pinpoint tiny surface differences that reveal small sites like graves or big ones like sunken cities.