It’s not always possible to get a bird’s eye view of the world around us. Yes, Google Earth may provide you with photos and a street view, but it can’t tell what lies underneath the building. Lidar, which rhymes with eyedar, is an aerial light detection and ranging technology. It works by sending laser pulses from a plane, helicopter or drone. The information is then collected by the Lidar device about the surface below.

Possible uses for Lidar include urban planning. It can give you a good idea about how the geometry of the city flows. What buildings will cast shadows on the park. The trees that are now ready to be trimmed so that they don’t fall during a storm on top of a house. Which streets are likely to be most windy, and which part of the town is most likely to be vulnerable to starting a flood. All this information can be gained by studying the data of a Lidar.

Not only is the information gained about above the ground structures, such as what all restaurants have a ramp to allow the handicapped in a wheelchair easy access, the technology also gives us a view under the ground. It can tell where historical properties may be weakening due to underground tunneling. Using the Lidar makes for an exciting science experiment.