How to Use LIDAR
Aurora offers light detection and ranging (LIDAR) coverage through many parts of the United States and select international locations.
It can be a useful tool for designing roofs because it allows for accurate and detailed measurements of the roof's surface- even for complex shapes, heights, and angles.
What is LIDAR?
LIDAR is an optical technology that uses a remote sensing method. A scanner will emit pulses of light energy toward buildings and other objects in an area to measure how long it takes for the laser to strike an object and return. The laser pulse travels at the speed of light. Accordingly, the distance it travels can be calculated by multiplying the amount of time it takes for the pulse to arrive back at the scanner and dividing that figure by two (since the pulse makes a round trip).
Using LIDAR when modeling a roof helps you to accurately capture the detailed measurements of a roof, along with the height of trees and other obstructions that could impact shading and performance.
- After completing your design, click on the LIDAR button on the top menu.
- Toggle between mesh or point cloud under the Style section.
- If needed, adjust the LIDAR data by using the x, y, and z coordinate fields.
- After calibrating LIDAR, click on the Auto-fit buildings to LIDAR button to fit your design to the LIDAR data.
You can also view or switch the source of LIDAR data in the LIDAR settings menu.