SLAM-Based Mobile Terrestrial LiDAR

a Methodological Framework for Diameter at Breast Height (DBH) Estimation in Urban Forest Fragments

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22409/2nmca333

Keywords:

Terrestrial LiDAR, SLAM, Forest Inventory

Abstract

The use of Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) technologies combined with mobile terrestrial Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) sensors has emerged as a promising alternative for forest surveys, particularly for estimating dendrometric variables such as Diameter at Breast Height (DBH). This study aimed to evaluate the accuracy of DBH estimates obtained from point cloud measurements acquired using a SLAM-based mobile terrestrial LiDAR system (Foxtech SLAM 100) in an urban forest fragment located in Sinop, Mato Grosso, Brazil. Nine trees distributed across three diameter classes were selected, and DBH estimates derived from the point cloud were compared with manual field measurements. Accuracy assessment was performed using the Mean Absolute Error (MAE), Root Mean Square Error (RMSE), Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE), and graphical analysis of the relationship between both methods. The results demonstrated agreement between LiDAR-derived estimates and manual measurements, with an MAE of 4.22 cm, an RMSE of 4.89 cm, and a MAPE of 15.43%. Greater error variability was observed in trees with higher structural complexity, possibly due to occlusion effects, irregular point distribution along the stem, and data acquisition conditions. The findings indicate that SLAM-based mobile terrestrial LiDAR is a promising tool for DBH estimation in cost-effective forest inventories, offering greater operational flexibility than stationary terrestrial LiDAR systems by enabling rapid and non-destructive surveys. However, given the limited number of sampled trees, these results should be regarded as preliminary, and further studies with larger sample sizes are recommended.

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Author Biographies

  • Marcel Dias, Instituto Federal de Mato Grosso

    Doutorando pela Universidade do Estado de Mato Grosso (UNEMAT), mestre em Ciência da Computação pela Universidade Federal do ABC (UFABC) e professor do Instituto Federal de Mato Grosso (IFMT).

  • Érico Martins, Universidade do Estado de Mato Grosso

    Doutor em Ciências Cartográficas pela Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) e professor adjunto da Universidade do Estado de Mato Grosso (UNEMAT). Professor permanente do ProfÁgua Unemat.

  • Cristiano Poleto, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul

    Doutor em Recursos Hídricos e Saneamento Ambiental e professor associado IV do Instituto de Pesquisas Hidráulicas (IPH) da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS). Prof. Permanente ProfÁgua UFRGS.

  • Francisco Santos, Universidade do Estado de Mato Grosso

    Doutor em Engenharia Elétrica pela Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) e Pós-Doutorando no IPH/UFRGS. Professor permanente do ProfÁgua Unemat.

  • Henrique Oliveira, Universidade Estadual de Campinas

    Professor Associado da Faculdade de Engenharia Civil, Arquitetura e Urbanismo da Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), onde coordena o Programa de Pós-Graduação em Engenharia Civil.

  • Ricardo Dias, Universidade do Estado de Mato Grosso

    Engenheiro civil pela Universidade do Estado de Mato Grosso (UNEMAT). Mestrando ProfÁgua Unemat.

  • Rodrigo Zanin, Universidade do Estado de Mato Grosso

    Doutor em Ciências Cartográficas pela Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) e professor adjunto da Universidade do Estado de Mato Grosso (UNEMAT). Professor permanente do ProfÁgua Unemat.

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Published

11/04/2026

Issue

Vol. 13 No. 26 (2026): Essays of Geography

Section

Dossiê: Inovação, Resiliência e Sustentabilidade

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How to Cite

SLAM-Based Mobile Terrestrial LiDAR: a Methodological Framework for Diameter at Breast Height (DBH) Estimation in Urban Forest Fragments. Essays of Geography, Niterói, Brasil, v. 13, n. 26, p. e132616, 2026. DOI: 10.22409/2nmca333. Disponível em: https://periodicos.uff.br/ensaios_posgeo/article/view/72374. Acesso em: 10 nov. 2026.