Since the use of compass and chain field survey, the acquisition of precise terrain information has been instrumental in advancing our knowledge and understanding of the natural and built environment. As time has passed, technological developments have facilitated faster and more effi cient acquisition of ever more accurate field data. Laser ranging has been used extensively since the development of the ruby laser in the 1960s – the same time that the term LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) appeared in the geoscience literature. Over the last decade or so LiDAR mapping has gained acceptance as a rapid, accurate and adaptable method for three-dimensional surveying of the Earth.