A Unity-based simulation framework for airborne LiDAR scanning, point cloud generation, and data export.
This project simulates an airborne push-broom LiDAR system for 3D scanning and point cloud data generation.
It models real-time flight dynamics, configurable laser emission geometry, and automatic export of point cloud and range matrix data.
Designed for research in LiDAR imaging, airborne sensing, and point cloud analysis.
- Multi-Beam Emission: Configurable beam count (
Lines) and field of view (laserAngles). - Raycasting: Each beam performs a
Physics.Raycastto simulate distance measurement. - Realistic Geometry: Supports pitch, yaw, and elevation adjustments.
- Data Capture: Records both raw point cloud (XYZ + range) and range matrices.
📸 (Figure 2 Placeholder: Multi-beam scanning and FOV illustration)
| Script | Function | Key Methods |
|---|---|---|
| FlightScript.cs | Core LiDAR logic, ray emission, data export | drawRay(), FlightMovement(), SaveSimulationData() |
| Menucontrol.cs | User interface, parameter configuration, simulation control | confirmParameters(), RayDireConfirm() |
| Inputtext.cs | UI input listener and numeric parsing | End_Value() |
| TargetDrop.cs | Dropdown target selection logic | ConsoleResult() |
| Targetcontrol.cs | Target behavior placeholder for rotation or slope setup | (reserved for expansion) |
📸 (Figure 3 Placeholder: Class dependency or module relationship diagram)
| Parameter | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|
Lines |
Number of beams (16–64) | 16 |
laserAngles |
Field of view (°) | 48 |
Frequency |
Emission rate (Hz) | 1 |
Distance |
Maximum detection distance | 40 |
| Parameter | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|
FlightSpeed |
Platform flight speed | 3 |
Height |
Flight altitude | 10 |
AttackAngle |
Pitch angle | 0 |
FlightAngle |
Yaw deviation | 0 |
Startdistance / Stopdistance |
Start & stop range | 10 / 10 |
| Parameter | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|
TargetAngle |
Target rotation angle | 0 |
MissDist / MissDirect |
Miss distance and direction | 8 / 90 |
| Output Type | Format | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Point Cloud | .txt |
XYZ + range for each beam |
| Range Matrix | .csv |
Distance matrix [Lines × ScanIndex] |
| Storage | /PointClouds/<timestamp>/ |
Automatically created per session |
Example:
/PointClouds/
├── 20251018_142300/
│ ├── PointCloud_Speed10.0_Height10.0_MissDir0.0.txt
│ └── RangeMatrix_64x250.csv
📸 (Figure 4 Placeholder: Example data folder structure)
- Launch Unity and open the simulation scene.
- Configure LiDAR and flight parameters via the menu panel.
- Select target type using the dropdown (Target1 / 2 / 3).
- Click Confirm Parameters to validate input.
- Click Start Simulation to begin scanning.
- When the flight ends, point cloud and range matrix data are automatically saved.
- Import
.txtpoint clouds into CloudCompare, Open3D, or Matlab for visualization. - Use
.csvrange matrices for heatmap visualization or depth analysis. - The exported data format is fully compatible with common 3D point cloud processing tools.
While this simulator shares similar concepts with generic LiDAR environments (e.g., autonomous driving simulators， Blensor or Gazebo-based robotic frameworks),
it is specifically tailored for airborne push-broom and intersection-scanning configurations —
allowing easy modification of flight trajectory, scanning geometry, and LiDAR–target intersection parameters.
🛩️ This makes it particularly suitable for airborne sensor experiments, aerial photogrammetry research, and LiDAR data synthesis under controlled flight dynamics.
- Target motion and dynamic environment modeling
- Noise model and reflectivity simulation
- PLY/PCD point cloud export support
- Integrated in-Unity visualization panel
This project is open-sourced under the MIT License.
You are free to use and modify it for research and educational purposes with proper attribution.
✨ Placeholder figures (1–4) can later be replaced with architecture, FOV, UML, and data output diagrams for publication use.
这是一个基于 Unity 的机载/弹载激光雷达仿真项目，用于指定交会姿态下的点云数据生成与分析。 支持多线束扫描、参数化设置与自动导出。