Puma Helicopter

Terrestrial LiDAR has long enabled the capture of highly detailed 3D data in complex engineering environments. To demonstrate the ongoing value of legacy datasets, original LiDAR scans of a Puma helicopter, captured in 2012 using a then state-of-the-art Leica HDS6000 scanner, were recently reprocessed.

The scans, originally produced to support the design of bespoke maintenance equipment, captured the full geometry of the aircraft within a controlled hangar environment using multiple scan positions and supporting photography. The registered LiDAR data and photogrammetric imagery were combined to create a highly accurate 3D model without any physical contact with the aircraft.

The resulting dataset remains suitable for engineering analysis, visualisation, simulation, training and aerodynamic studies, demonstrating that terrestrial LiDAR data — both past and present — continues to be a valuable tool in aerospace applications.