The 3D topographic data generated by airborne laser scanning (ALS) has numerous applications such as urban planning, transportation planning, flood modeling and mapping. Various types of LiDAR (light detection and ranging) datasets are needed for testing and development of algorithms for these applications. Such datasets are not readily available as the LiDAR data capturing process is complex, time-consuming and expensive. Simulated ALS data can be a low-cost alternative to the expensive LiDAR datasets. This paper presents the development of a simulator (called Limulator 4.0) for ALS data. Limulator includes four components, namely 3D model component, camera component, laser component and LiDAR data generation. The first component provides a user, the facility to input user-defined 3D models of various objects. The laser component mathematically models the scanner movement and flight trajectory to generate simulated ALS parameters. The camera component takes user-defined parameters to generate images captured by a virtual camera. The effects of external and internal forces on flight movement and various errors are also modeled mathematically. Software for this simulation is developed in C + + , and its user-friendly GUI is developed using QT Creator 5.6. Limulator can serve as the ideal testbed for developing, testing and validation of various algorithms.

机载激光扫描（ALS）生成的3D地形数据具有众多应用，例如城市规划，交通规划，洪水建模和制图。测试和开发这些应用的算法需要各种类型的LiDAR（光检测和测距）数据集。由于LiDAR数据捕获过程复杂，耗时且昂贵，因此此类数据集不容易获得。模拟的ALS数据可以作为昂贵的LiDAR数据集的低成本替代品。本文介绍了用于ALS数据的模拟器（称为Limulator 4.0）的开发。Limulator包含四个组件，即3D模型组件，相机组件，激光组件和LiDAR数据生成。第一个组件为用户提供了输入各种对象的用户定义3D模型的便利。激光组件对扫描仪的运动和飞行轨迹进行数学建模，以生成模拟的ALS参数。摄像头组件采用用户定义的参数来生成由虚拟摄像头捕获的图像。外力和内力对飞行运动和各种误差的影响也可以通过数学方法建模。用于此仿真的软件是使用C ++开发的，其用户友好的GUI是使用QT Creator 5.6开发的。Limulator可以用作开发，测试和验证各种算法的理想测试平台。用于此仿真的软件是使用C ++开发的，其用户友好的GUI是使用QT Creator 5.6开发的。Limulator可以用作开发，测试和验证各种算法的理想测试平台。用于此仿真的软件是使用C ++开发的，其用户友好的GUI是使用QT Creator 5.6开发的。Limulator可以用作开发，测试和验证各种算法的理想测试平台。