DJI with LIDAR?

Squak1437 · Jan 26, 2017

I've been flying Phantom 3 drones commercially now for about six months with a partner. Between the two of us we have 3 different versions of the Phantom 3 and 12 batteries that we can interchange. Most of our flying is in agriculture and with each field we fly we will go though about five battery changes before we move on to the next field. Recently we have been approached to do some work that would require a camera with LIDAR. Because of our investment in DJI products, we are hesitant to invest into another aircraft. And before we do, I wanted to here from others if DJI has had any thoughts to having a drone with LIDAR equipment? Or can anyone help with attaching a LIDAR camera on a current Phantom 3?

ATP, CFII, MEI, RPO
Part 121, 135, and 91 Corporate Pilot
30 years of exploration.

a31burgervan · Jan 26, 2017

I thought those bits of kit are usually flown around in Chinnock Helis lol. It's not fr Metal Detecting is it ?

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elarryland · Jan 26, 2017

I seen a YouTube video of removing the IR filter out of the stock camera to be used for lidar

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Richard R · Jan 26, 2017

After 25 years of developing Lidar for the Air Force, I would like to have one on my UAS too. So far, haven't figured out how to incorporate one into my phantom. I'm currently wait g for a unit from Scanse that I helped grows fund. Could be interesting, but the package will likely be too big for a phantom. My buddy is building a hexcopter and we hope to package the Lidar along with a GPS and imu into a package for it. What did you want to do with the Lidar, just range finding or making/3D?

Richard R · Jan 26, 2017

No, a conventional camera wouldn't work for Lidar. It doesn't have the proper gating and timing. Could use it for a laser illuminated sensor, but that's a different application.

Javier Ruiz O · Jan 26, 2017

I think that the Routescene lidar pod for drones is one of the smallest available: 5 pounds. Dimensions: 13 inches lenght, 4" diameter.

Www.routescene.com

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Richard R · Jan 26, 2017

Cool system! Never fit on our phantoms! But it would on my buddies hex. Have to check it out further.

Ohiowoodsman · Jan 26, 2017

Richard R said:
Cool system! Never fit on our phantoms! But it would on my buddies hex. Have to check it out further.

What part of Ohio are u in?

Richard R · Jan 26, 2017

Ohiowoodsman said:
What part of Ohio are u in?

Springfield, you?

Ohiowoodsman · Jan 26, 2017

East of Cleveland along the lake

FunN4lo · Jan 26, 2017

There are 100s of lidar sensors out there designed for things like obstacle avoidance or distance measurement that would fly on a Phantom. Problem then becomes controlling the sensor or getting real time data. You could fly a phantom size rig, but you almost have to build it yourself.

If you are looking for the spinning 3d mapping type lidar you will have to step up a few sizes in your Drone. But DJI has the set up.

Search DJI lidar on Youtube and you can watch for hours. Most all of the first vids that pop up have the lidar mounted to the S1000

Kristina Fowler · Feb 10, 2017

Javier Ruiz O said:
I think that the Routescene lidar pod for drones is one of the smallest available: 5 pounds. Dimensions: 13 inches lenght, 4" diameter.

Www.routescene.com

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I was looking at Routescene lidar today. It's nice but a bit heavy. Is there a list of UAV's that can carry this load?