LiDAR (light detection and ranging) is a sensing technology that measures distance by emitting laser pulses and timing how long they take to reflect back. Sweeping these measurements across a scene produces a precise 3D point cloud of its surfaces.
It is widely used in autonomous vehicles, surveying, and 3D capture, and now ships in consumer devices like recent iPhones and iPads. LiDAR scans are a common starting point for building meshes, digital twins, and other 3D assets.
Point cloud — The typical output of a LiDAR scan.
Photogrammetry — A camera-based alternative for 3D capture.
Digital twin — A common use of LiDAR-captured environments.
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