Central South Dakota Airborne Lidar Validation - Field Survey Data

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientists conducted field data collection efforts during the time periods of April 25 - 26, 2017, October 24 - 28, 2017, and July 25 - 26, 2018, using a combination of surveying technologies to map and validate topography, structures, and other features at five sites in central South Dakota. The five sites included the Chamberlain Explorers Athletic Complex and the Chamberlain High School in Chamberlain, SD, Hanson Lake State Public Shooting Area near Corsica, SD, the State Capital Grounds in Pierre, SD, and Platte Creek State Recreation Area near Platte, SD. The work was initiated as an effort to evaluate airborne Geiger-Mode and Single Photon light detection and ranging (lidar) data that were collected over parts of central South Dakota. Both Single Photon and Geiger-Mode lidar offer the promise of being able to map areas at high altitudes, thus requiring less time than traditional airborne lidar collections, while acquiring higher point densities. Real Time Kinematic Global Navigational Satellite System (RTK-GNSS), total station, and ground-based lidar (GBL) data were collected to evaluate data collected by the Geiger-Mode and Single Photon systems.