Coastal landscapes, including sandy beaches and foredunes, are dynamic and susceptible to changes caused by water level fluctuations, storm events, and human activities. Monitoring these changes is crucial for effective coastal management and resilience planning. Traditional methods for measuring geomorphic changes, such as small-unoccupied aircraft systems paired with structure-from-motion photogrammetry (sUAS-SfM), are often costly and logistically challenging. A recent study by researchers at Michigan State University evaluated the accuracy of Apple’s built-in lidar technology as a more accessible alternative.
The study compared the performance of Apple lidar with high-precision sUAS-SfM and Real-Time Kinematic GPS (RTK-GPS) in mapping geomorphic changes in sandy beach and foredune environments. Checkpoint elevations measured via RTK-GPS were used as a benchmark to assess the accuracy of both sUAS-SfM and Apple lidar. The results showed that sUAS-SfM elevation data were on average around 0.004 meters above or below the checkpoint elevations, while Apple lidar elevations were around 0.039 meters. Although Apple lidar was slightly less precise, it still provided reliable data for detecting geomorphic changes.
The study also compared volumetric measurements and spatial patterns of erosion and accretion between the two methods. Both techniques documented similar geomorphic changes, but Apple lidar captured finer-scale patterns of erosion and accretion. This ability to detect detailed changes rapidly and accurately suggests that Apple lidar can be a valuable tool for proactive coastal management.