LiDAR Hybrid Hydrography: The Future of Marine Mapping

April 17, 2025
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Updated February 9, 2026
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1 min read

Colorful bathymetric map showing underwater topography in the Indian Ocean region, illustrating LiDAR Hybrid Hydrography techniques.
As the demand for high-resolution marine and coastal data grows, the future of hydrography lies not in choosing one technology over another, but in combining their strengths.

A new article written by Kyle Goodrich, featured in Hydro International, explores how integrating LiDAR, multibeam sonar, and satellite-derived bathymetry (SDB) is transforming hydrographic workflows—making them more efficient, cost-effective, and environmentally responsible. LiDAR is continuing to evolve as a critical element of this integration.

“For too long, discussions about hydrographic surveying methods have centered on comparing individual technologies – multibeam vs. Lidar, Lidar vs. satellite, satellite vs. multibeam. This ‘either/or’ and one versus the other mentality is outdated. Each of these methods, whether using sound, light or reflectance, is an imperfect tool for measuring a complex environment.”

It’s a timely read for anyone looking to understand LiDAR’s evolving role in a multi-sensor, data-driven hydrographic future: Read The Article Here

And here is another great recent original article on the topic by Arjan Mooij, a seasoned Technical Manager with over 19 years of international experience in geomatics and geospatial technologies.

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About The Author

Nathan Roe of Lidar News

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