Laser scan data with UAV

[Ryang]

Hi I'm try to use Hokuyo's URG laser finder with RTAB map.
But in the instruction, there are only UGV not UAV.
Is it possible to use laser scan data with UAV?

Regards.

[matlabbe]

Hi,

Yes it is possible. However, rtabmap assumes we are mapping in 2D when a laser scan (sensor_msgs/LaserScan) is subscribed. To input a 2D laser scan for 3D mapping, we should convert the laser scan into a point cloud and use the resulting sensor_msgs/PointCloud2 for rtabmap (enabling "subscribe_scan_cloud" parameter and remapping "scan_cloud" topic).  

If you want to have a vertical lidar scanning the ground while the UAV is flying forward, you may look at this laser_assembler example.

cheers,
Mathieu