Random Error Modeling and Analysis of Airborne Lidar Systems

When airborne lidar is used to produce digital elevation models, the random error of airborne lidar systems is often the limiting factor. To improve the overall 3-D expected accuracy of airborne lidar systems, we develop random error models of airborne lidar systems. First, we present a footprint geolocation equation for the airborne lidar that describes an ideal system, followed by a modified footprint geolocation equation that contains systematic and random errors. To better constrain these uncertainties, we describe the mathematical characteristics of the random error in detail by modeling it as a stochastic process. The probabilistic random error models are developed by analyzing the differences between the errorless equation and the equation with errors. This paper also addresses the issue of recovering the errors and presents an error recovery model. Finally, based on a linear scanner and a new coordinate system, we simulate the geometric processes of point positioning of airborne lidar systems and study the impacts of the random measurement errors on the 3-D coordinate accuracy of airborne lidar systems.