EVALUATION OF A NOVEL UAV-BORNE TOPO-BATHYMETRIC LASER PROFILER

Abstract. We present a novel topo-bathymetric laser profiler. The sensor system (RIEGL BathyCopter) comprises a laser range finder, an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU), a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver, a control unit, and digital cameras mounted on an octocopter UAV (RiCOPTER). The range finder operates on the time-of-flight measurement principle and utilizes very short laser pulses (