CHC Navigation launches high-altitude Lidar system for demanding survey environments

CHC Navigation (CHCNAV) has unveiled the AlphaAir 6 (AA6), its latest flagship airborne Lidar system aimed at professionals conducting aerial surveys in high-relief and complex terrain. The launch addresses growing demand for UAV-based mapping solutions capable of operating efficiently across challenging environments, from mountainous topography to dense vegetation and built-up areas, where conventional survey methods are slow or impractical.

The AA6's headline specification is a maximum ranging capability of 2,100m, with typical operational flight altitudes of 400-600m above ground level. At its core is a fifth-generation real-time waveform processing engine paired with advanced multi-period technology, enabling a pulse repetition rate of two million pulses per second while maintaining real-time point cloud output. This gives operators immediate in-flight visibility and a faster route to survey-grade 3D results according to CHCNAV, a positioning and geospatial technology company operating across more than 140 countries.

The system incorporates a high-grade inertial measurement unit (IMU) with 0.3°/h bias stability. The company says this improves trajectory accuracy and eliminates the need for pre-mission IMU calibration, a step that has traditionally added time and complexity to aerial survey workflows.

Single-camera and dual-camera variants

To accommodate different project requirements, the AA6 is offered in both single-camera and dual-camera variants. Both use large-format CMOS sensors for high-resolution imagery, while the dual-camera version adds an ultra-wide field of view designed to increase coverage efficiency across wider mapping areas.

At 1.35kg, the integrated unit is positioned as a lightweight payload option for both multirotor and fixed-wing UAV platforms. Open interface protocols are designed to ease integration across mainstream platforms, giving survey teams flexibility to deploy the system across varied mission types without significant hardware reconfiguration.

CHCNAV serves the geospatial, agriculture, machine control and autonomy sectors. The AlphaAir 6 is targeted at topographic mapping, corridor mapping and wide-area aerial survey workflows, where operational efficiency and data quality at scale are key procurement considerations.