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Single Rotor Drone Spins for 360° LiDAR Scanning

image of single rotor drone

The latest development in LiDAR drone technology comes from a single-rotor drone design, which uses a novel approach to achieve 360° scanning for high-resolution data collection. The single-rotor mechanism allows the entire drone body to rotate, creating a consistent and comprehensive LiDAR scan without the need for multi-rotor stabilization systems. According to the research published in Science Robotics, the system employs a compact, lightweight design that reduces overall drone mass and improves flight efficiency, particularly in challenging environments such as confined urban areas or rugged terrain.

In terms of specifications, the drone is equipped with a **Velodyne Puck LITE LiDAR sensor**, which provides a **100-meter range** with a **30-degree vertical field of view** and **300,000 points per second** scan rate. The drone’s single-rotor design not only enables full 360° rotational movement but also simplifies mechanical complexity, reducing weight to approximately **1.25 kg**. The system’s overall power consumption is measured at **50 watts**, allowing for **30-minute flight durations** under standard conditions. This makes it suitable for high-precision mapping tasks where consistent, real-time data collection is required over large areas.

Testing demonstrated that the system maintained a scan accuracy of **±2 cm** across diverse environments, including dense forests and urban landscapes. The rotating drone body ensures uniform data capture across all directions, minimizing occlusions typically caused by fixed-mounted LiDAR systems. Additionally, the onboard sensor integrates with advanced SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping) algorithms to process real-time 3D point clouds. These capabilities were demonstrated in trials that showed significant improvements in speed and accuracy compared to conventional multi-rotor drone systems. For an in-depth view of the drone in operation, watch the video below:

For more insights into the latest advancements in LiDAR technology, check out our post on LiDAR drones advancing surveying applications.

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