Field demonstration of a wing-beat modulation lidar for the 3D mapping of flying insects

We describe a wing-beat modulation lidar system designed for the 3D mapping of flying insects in ecological or entomological studies. To better understand the signals from this instrument, we analyzed simulated signals to identify how they were affected by various imperfections, such as variations in the spacing and amplitude of each individual wing-beat reflection. In addition, a radiometric model was used to estimate signal-to-noise ratio to gain insight into the relationships between the optical system design and insect parameters (e.g., wing size, reflectivity, or diffusivity).