what is a lidar

Ah, LiDAR, the acronym that sounds like a fancy Italian car model but is actually a nifty tech gizmo. It stands for Light Detection and Ranging, a method that uses laser pulses to measure distances by timing how long it takes for the light to bounce back. Think of it as a radar but with lasers instead of radio waves, providing a high-resolution 3D map of the surroundings. Commonly found in autonomous vehicles, drones, and some snazzy smartphones, LiDAR helps machines see the world with precision.

Key specs include range (up to 200 metres or more), accuracy (centimetre-level), and point cloud density. If you want to dive deeper, the official documentation won't bite.