What is LiDAR?

A different way to see the ground.

Airborne laser measurements can separate the shape of the land from trees and structures. This explorer places that bare-earth surface beside official aerial imagery, so the difference is visible immediately.

Explore the map

Official aerial view of forest, fields, roads, and Lake Norman near Mountain Creek. — **The canopy. The ground beneath.**
Drag to compare, or use the arrow keys.

The same area as bare-earth LiDAR hillshade, revealing branching valleys and ridges beneath the canopy. — **The canopy. The ground beneath.**
Drag to compare, or use the arrow keys.

What the comparison reveals

Start with the familiar view

The aerial side shows the landscape as it appears from above: tree canopy, streets, buildings, rivers, and fields.

Reveal the measured surface

Drag the divider to uncover a shaded bare-earth model derived from LiDAR elevation measurements.

Read the landform

Ridges, stream valleys, road grades, terraces, and other terrain forms become easier to understand.

Built for exploration

Useful without GIS training

The interface keeps technical machinery in the background. Search for a place, compare two views, and tap for a simple elevation. Collection dates and source details remain close at hand when you want to understand where the picture came from.

Catawba County is the first complete publication. Elsewhere in North Carolina, search and aerial imagery continue to work while the map clearly identifies areas where bare-earth terrain has not yet been published.