Outsight, the 1st LiDAR that Sees Individual Trees While 3D Mapping Forests in Real-Time

Drawing on its established LiDAR expertise in other industries, Outsight has developed a mapping solution capable of generating a comprehensive 3D map of a forest in real-time. Taking no longer than the time needed for the human or machine operator to traverse the plot, Outsight’s solution automatically determines the exact position and characteristics of trees. On-site operators can digitally tag each tree with supplemental information, including species or the presence of insects, that can be used for further analysis.

This solution further builds upon Outsight’s expertise in the environmental and forestry sectors. In July 2020, Outsight was selected from a large pool of candidates to be a recipient of the European Innovation Council’s inaugural Green Deal funding. A part of the European Union’s Green Deal Strategy, Outsight was chosen for its LiDAR-based environmental and forestry management and conservation solutions.

Outsight’s solution is already being used by forestry researchers around the world. Esteemed forestry professor, Philippe Nolet, has been using Outsight’s LiDAR processing technology to assist in his forest monitoring research at Université du Québec en Outaouais in Gatineau, Canada.

“With Outsight, we’re able to complete our surveys of the forest three times faster”, says Philippe Nolet. “Then, when we’re back in the office, we have a detailed inventory of the plot with all our notes automatically tagged to each tree, saving us a huge amount of time.”

The solution has also been adopted by Outsight’s Hong Kong-based partner, Insight Robotics, a leader in the Forestry Risk Management sector. Using Outsight’s ground-based LiDAR tool to supplement its market-leading aerial survey solution, Insight Robotics can provide its clients with even more accurate survey data, allowing customers to better manage their forests and plantations.