LSI presently owns and operates two Riegl LMS-Q560 digital waveform laser scanners. The Q560 scanner emits up to 240,000 infrared laser pulses per second that are reflected from a spinning 4-sided polygon mirror with a 60-degree swath angle, resulting in a dense grid pattern of points reflected from the ground. The time-of-flight of each laser point is measured to the nanosecond and further integrated with GPS and IMU data to provide a distinct easting, northing and height value for each reflected pulse in the desired mapping system. Based on the nanosecond waveform digitization, the Q560 is able to measure vertical distances between discrete objects separated by as little as 15 cm. Also, unlimited laser returns from each and every laser pulse are possible, allowing for detailed mapping of multiple vertical layers of vegetation, transmission lines and other features.

The Q560 laser is an eye-safe Class 1 laser during airborne operation.

More information about the Q560 scanning laser can be found on the Riegl website.