Velodyne CEO Anand Gopalan. Photo credit: Velodyne

Velodyne, a well-known manufacturer of lidar sensors, has announced it has secured a multi-year lidar sales deal with 3D mapping company GeoSLAM. GeoSLAM already uses Velodyne lidar sensors for its flagship 3D mobile scanner that helps generate 3D mappings of indoor, underground, and difficult to access environments without the need for GPS systems. Entering an official deal with Velodyne implies GeoSLAM is doubling down on its use of the company’s lidars. The lidar sensor in particular that GeoSLAM has adopted is the Velodyne Puck LITE, a compact, lightweight, and lower-cost sensor.

“Working with Velodyne has opened up new possibilities for collecting geospatial data, allowing companies to capture, process and understand the world around them,” GeoSLAM’s chief revenue officer, Darren Burford, touted in a press statement that announced the company’s sales deal with Velodyne. “We combined Velodyne sensors with our robust SLAM algorithm to create an easy-to-use mobile product that can generate 3D point clouds in real-time.” He said.

GeoSLAM’s flagship ZEB-HORIZON mobile 3D scanner. Photo credit: GeoSLAM

The Puck LITE, in particular, provides a 360-degree environmental view to deliver real-time 3D data. The sensor is capable of capturing high-resolution images of indoor, outdoor, and underground environments, images that are then utilized to generate 3D maps. The Puck LITE is designed for scenarios that require sensors that are portable and lightweight. This comes in handy for GeoSLAM given that its 3D scanners are handheld.

Velodyne has led the lidar market for a long time, even as it faces increasing competition from newer incumbents. Velodyne was founded in 2005 and got into the lidar market early. Such is the case that most autonomous vehicles today happen to spot a Velodyne lidar. Amid increasing competition, Velodyne has worked to secure sales deals with numerous companies. As of this year, Velodyne has announced new sales agreements with several firms including the likes of EasyMile and Idriverplus, two well-known autonomous vehicle startups.