What data do gis and light detection and ranging (lidar) technologies provide to portland city officials?

LiDAR is an acronym for ‘light’ and ‘radar,’ a tool developed to detect targets and to use reflected light off of objects as a kind of visual sonar. Light Detection And Ranging (LiDAR) can determine how far objects are away from each other by shining a laser onto a target and analyzing the light that bounces back. LiDAR is used to create incredibly detailed maps in addition to assisting researchers in the fields of geography, archeology, geology, seismology, atmospheric sciences, laser studies, and much more.

LiDAR’s first applied use was in the 1960s and came soon after the invention of lasers. Used in combination with radar, LiDAR was originally used in atmospheric studies to measure clouds by the National Center for Atmospheric Research. LiDAR later became more publically known when the Apollo 15 mission used it to map the surface of the moon more accurately than ever before.