Traditional metrology devices using laser-based electronic distance meters were designed for single point measurements and scanning of stationary scenes. Newer devices are not mainly built for stationary use anymore. They are usually moved across the scenes like automotive LiDAR sensors. These mobile scanning systems often incorporate multiple laser beams or flash illumination combined with image-based detectors. The differences in design and in the application the devices are made for are illustrated showing some representative Leica Geosystems / Hexagon products.
One important part within the product safety evaluation of these LiDAR systems is the laser safety standard IEC-60825 series. The accessible emission (AE) and the accessible emission limit (AEL) have to be evaluated. Those values are paired and linked together with the measurement conditions defined by the standard with the measurement apertures and the minimum evaluation distance. Especially for unregularly pulsed systems including extended source, one will end up with a complex analysis to find the most restrictive ratio between the accessible emission and the accessible emission limit which might not be at the minimum evaluation distance. In the current edition 3.0 of the IEC-60825-1 standard, the influence of measurement condition 1 for mobile scanning devices does not have to be considered for a laser source with a time-varying origin compared to a stationary frame. In this proceeding, possible limitations of this exception of measurement condition 1 are discussed.