Accuracy and Limitations of Airborne LiDAR Surveys in Coastal Environments

The results of this work enable specification of the vertical and horizontal accuracy of LiDAR systems. The horizontal error is mainly the result of aircraft positioning and LiDAR spatial resolution limitations and is assumed to be smaller than 30 cm. LiDAR vertical errors were found to be slope-dependent, the greatest errors being observed on cliffs. Sea cliffs are in any case the most challenging features to survey and wave-cut notches constitute a major limitation to airborne surveys. The portion of the cliff that can be surveyed with an airborne LiDAR has been determined according to notch dimensions and laser beam incidence angle. Keywords-LiDAR; remote sensing; accuracy; coastal zone; erosion monitoring; sea cliffs