> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://kelsey.gitbook.io/orienteering-software-tutorials/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://kelsey.gitbook.io/orienteering-software-tutorials/3_lidar_stub.md).

# 4. Coming soon– Contours from LiDAR

LiDAR scanning involves shooting lasers out of a puck, often from an airplane, and recording the bounceback at many, many points. This can give us a great deal of information, including the distance to the ground from a fixed altitude, even through tree cover.

As far as I know, LiDAR is what modern cartographers generally use to source topographic data.

LiDAR data is often freely available online through government agencies, and it is possible (even, common practice) to convert laser files into contour data that is importable into Open Orienteering Mapper.

I don't know how to do this yet, but you can check out my efforts thus far [here](https://github.com/Frijol/orienteering-immersion/blob/lidar/lidar-learning.md).