Next-Gen Forestry: Integrating Mobile, UAV and Terrestrial LiDAR for End-to-End Forest Intelligence

Forestry across the world is entering a new era — one driven by data, precision, and sustainability. Gone are the days when manual surveys and rough estimates guided decision-making. Today, advanced 3D scanning and LiDAR technologies allow forest professionals to visualise and measure the natural environment with unmatched accuracy — from canopy to soil.

Forestry across the world is entering a new era — one driven by data, precision, and sustainability. Gone are the days when manual surveys and rough estimates guided decision-making. Today, advanced 3D scanning and LiDAR technologies allow forest professionals to visualise and measure the natural environment with unmatched accuracy — from canopy to soil.

At the centre of this transformation sits LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) — and the future lies not in any one scanning method, but in how they all work together.

Beyond a Single Scan – Why Integration Matters

Each LiDAR platform — terrestrial, UAV (drone-based), and mobile — offers a unique perspective. Used alone, they capture slices of information; used together, they create a unified, data-rich picture of the forest landscape.

•   UAV LiDAR captures extensive terrain, revealing canopy height, forest gaps, and underlying surface contours in hours rather than days.

• Terrestrial LiDAR provides millimetre-level accuracy for stems, trunks, and understorey vegetation — ideal for sample plots or detailed growth analysis.

•    Mobile and handheld LiDAR systems add speed and agility, enabling rapid capture of high-resolution data in dense or uneven terrain.

This integrated approach forms the foundation of next-generation forestry — what we call the three pillars of LiDAR-enabled forest intelligence.

The Three Pillars of LiDAR in Forestry

1. Terrestrial LiDAR – Precision at Ground Level

Station-based scanners deliver ultra-high detail of forest plots. These scans allow teams to measure tree diameters, stem density, canopy height, and understorey structure. The resulting data is ideal for calibration, carbon modelling, and ecosystem health studies.

2. UAV LiDAR – The Aerial Advantage

Drone-mounted LiDAR systems bring scale and efficiency to forest mapping. They enable accurate canopy-height modelling, terrain mapping, and elevation tracking across vast areas — critical for biomass estimation, access-track planning, and erosion monitoring.

3. Mobile and Handheld LiDAR – Agility in the Field

Lightweight scanners combine the flexibility of handheld mobility with survey-grade accuracy. Field teams can walk through forests capturing high-density point clouds in real time — perfect for plot verification, slope scanning, and regeneration assessments.

Together, these technologies create a hybrid LiDAR ecosystem that scales from a single survey area to a full plantation.

From Point Clouds to Forest Insights

Data capture is only the first step. The true value lies in how that data is processed, integrated, and interpreted.

With powerful software ecosystem — from point-cloud processing to cloud-based collaboration — forestry teams can move seamlessly from data collection to insight generation.

LiDAR workflows now automate tasks such as:
•    Extracting tree heights and canopy metrics
•    Counting stems and measuring diameters
•    Estimating timber volume and biomass
•    Tracking regeneration and structural change over time

Integrating these results with GIS and forest-management platforms enables smarter decisions — whether for harvest planning, sustainability reporting, or long-term ecosystem monitoring.

To explore more on the principles behind LiDAR data processing and its global applications in forestry, visit FARO’s original article on LiDAR in forestry.

Why Hybrid LiDAR Matters in Australian and New Zealand Conditions

Forestry in this region faces unique terrain and vegetation challenges — from steep slopes and dense native canopies to remote plantation sites.

Hybrid LiDAR workflows overcome these obstacles by combining aerial coverage with ground-level precision and field flexibility. UAVs provide the big picture, terrestrial scanners add fine detail, and mobile units fill the gaps — ensuring no area is overlooked.

The Road Ahead – Smarter, Connected Forestry

The future of forestry is connected. Artificial intelligence, automation, and real-time cloud processing are already reshaping how forest data is used.

As LiDAR integrates with IoT sensors, GNSS, and environmental analytics, managers can monitor change dynamically — creating a living “digital twin” of their forest assets.

By combining FARO’s proven LiDAR technologies with Synergy Group’s local expertise, organisations can move confidently into this next generation of forestry — one built on precision, efficiency, and environmental intelligence.

To explore how FARO LiDAR solutions can support your next forestry or environmental project, contact the Synergy Group team.