at a height of 500 m (1,500 ft) above ground level. The flexibility of day and night missions is
subject to usual constraints of flying aircrafts at relatively low altitudes due to the applicable
aviation rules. An airborne platform provides non-intrusive operation and no interference with
highway traffic.
The aircraft is generally set for flying stability at 160 km (100 miles) per hour for good data
collection purposes or flying at 296 km (185 miles) per hour for transit to and from missions.
Before a flight, a ground-based GPS is set up on a known point in the survey area. Flight
planning determines optimal LIDAR settings and aircraft parameters. A typical survey can
collect data at a rate of up to 81 sq. km (20,000 acres) per day.