Comparison of LiDAR and RGB Sensor Technologies Applied to Close-Range Remote Sensing

This paper discusses methodological and quality aspects of photogrammetric products using high-resolution RGB and LiDAR sensors to derive 3D panoramas with rich multilevel spatial information. The comparative analysis from the two sensing approaches confirms that the RGB sensor in the visible region enables a colorful description of surface models, whereas the LiDAR sensor in the infrared region provides exceptional scene reconstruction capabilities with high levels of detail and accuracy. Through a case study of a rural landscape with partial forest coverage in Costa Rica, the advantages, and disadvantages of the two remote sensing principles are discussed and compared.