Distance sensor choice advice.

I’m searching a proper obstacle avoidance solution for an agricultural drone prototype. Drone’s task is to fly at low altitude between rows of fruit trees and for such task I need a LIDAR capable to detect small objects like branches, fence poles, pipelines\hoses (at least 1 inch in diameter) etc. I need your help in clarification of following:

  • Which Field-of-View(FoV): https://www.sparkfun.com/products/14599 this LIDAR has?

  • Which diameter of a laser spot this LIDAR has: https://www.sparkfun.com/products/14599 has?

  • Does SparkFun supplies any LIDAR\Sonar solution with:
  •         - FoV: 25(or more) degrees + range 30(or more) feet?[/list]
            - LIDAR\Sonar solution with known beam spot diameter at given distance? For example Model-A: has approx. 2 inches spot at 30 feet, 4 inches at 60 feet etc.
    

  • Are there any LIDAR\Sonar solutions with standard FoV (1-6 degrees) but larger emitter which due to a emitter size produces larger laser\sonic spot?
  • If SparkFun supplies any solutions which I didn’t mention, please kindly advise.

    Best regards, Sergio.

    Page 10 here https://cdn.sparkfun.com/assets/9/a/6/a … ations.pdf has info about the spread of that device

    You might want to look at ToF arrays, like https://www.sparkfun.com/products/18642 or cameras running a small detection algorithm to augment the height lidar

    For the other specs browse through our distance category here https://www.sparkfun.com/categories/84 and click ‘documents’ tab to see specific info

    Thanks you, looking into it.