Blogs

Found cheapest-ever LIDAR! Seems great for UAV use!

Posted by iangl on July 14, 2011 at 2:30am

http://www.eodevices.com/main_erc_2kit_frameset.htm

Electro-Optical devices sells kits and spare parts to build a real, far-ranged LIDAR ranger, such as: nanosecond timer, transmitter module (high voltage laser power supply included on-board), receiver module (APD photodiode, PIN photodiode), controller, laser diodes (power 10W - 75W).

The price of the cheapest kit ERC2-KIT is $ 429 , but you can get even cheaper if you buy just the modules and assemble it yourself.

The boards are really small and are thus ideally suited to fit an UAV plane which includes a rotating mirror system and a capable memory onboard.

Maybe there are some restricting laws about the power of the laser? Anyone knows?

cheapest, laser, lidar, mapping, telemetry, terrain, uav

E-mail me when people leave their comments –

You need to be a member of diydrones to add comments!

Join diydrones

Comments

iangl July 14, 2011 at 4:08pm

Hey Mike, you are correct. But we could even trust the data coming from a barometer or better, an array of barometers averaged together. i think mapping would still be possible and a new source of pure fun from UAVs

below is a viable configuration for mapping purpose:

And the mirror mechanism (which should be DIY made)
Mike July 14, 2011 at 12:22pm

Chris for terrain mapping you still need an accurate altitude of the aircraft relative to the datum. Obvious way to do this is with RTK. I have been testing this with small antennas but they really don't cut it and the one that I have had some success with are very hefty indeed in modelling terms. Also consider that a simple LIDAR system with only measure at points along the flight line - so if you want a high density DEM then you will need to fly an awful lot of closely spaced lines.So for me the best terrain mapping option remains digital photogrammetry which just requires some ground control at which level the RTK antenna weight is not an issue.

Mike
iangl July 14, 2011 at 11:40am

As I read the datasheets, it appears that you can get the complete ranging system by getting just the ECH-1B which is a chronometer measuring time between a start signal (generated, 5V compatible with TX module) and an input signal (received from photodiode), the ETX-10A (which has HV laser driver) and the RX-5XF. This should be the cheapest option; communication is done via TTL compatible protocol, so it should be Arduino-friendly. Oh and please note that the mininum range stated is about 50m, even if the ECH-1B datasheet suggests that it can go even lower. So no Hokuyo-like...

Repetition rate up to 250 Hz

How strange, i've contacted them a month ago but still no reply...
Ritchie July 14, 2011 at 11:22am

It might be good for fixed wing but rotorcraft the best is still $400 from the robovacuum. Plus you get all the spares from the vacuum too.
Chris Paulson July 14, 2011 at 11:02am

I agree with iangl on this one, I think this looks great for UAV applications. It's not great for takeoff and landing, but imagine the possibilities with terrain mapping and terrain following with this system. In terms of eye safety, don't assume that a 75W laser diode isn't eye safe. This laser pulses for only 15 nanoseconds, which is 1.125 microjoules of energy or less depending on laser rise and fall times. In addition, pulsed laser diodes have large fast axis divergence. Even when collimated well, the divergence of the beam will still be a few degrees. If this were operating about 100 feet off the ground, the energy per unit area is very very low.
Dano July 14, 2011 at 7:29am

The 10w laser is not eyes safe and with a ranging error of +/- 1 foot for the $ I would pass on it.