What does "cheap" mean?

[Simon Ritchie]

I’ve read all sorts of articles saying that Lidar mapping systems are getting cheaper.  Reading further I find that the price has fallen to a mere $100,000!  That’s not what I mean by cheap.  I’m interested in solutions that costs a lot less than that.

Drones are already used by small businesses like architects and builders.  If you want to know the state of the roof of a large building, a flying video camera is very handy.  Many also use laser tape measures, which are a form of Lidar equipment, but right now only large consultancies use Lidar mapping to plan building projects.  According to my rule of thumb, if the equipment is to be used more widely, a complete solution has to cost around $10,000, about the price of a used car. 

If the cost can be reduced to more like $2,000, then Lidar systems enter the high end of the hobby market.  Some well-healed photography enthusiasts spend much more than that on their habit.

I’m particularly interested in the potential use of very cheap Lidar systems in archaeology.  In the UK at least, archaeology often depends on willing enthusiasts who provide time and equipment for free.  Metal detectorists are a good example.  Archaeologist find accurate Lidar maps very useful, so somebody with their own flying Lidar system will be a handy helper.

So, my personal goal is to figure out whether it’s possible to put together a working Lidar system mounted on a drone for under $10,000, preferably much less.  I think it might be possible to get the price down to about $2,000, which would make the technology available to a much bigger audience.