laser beam Directory References Discover All 119 References in “We Didn’t Start the Fire,” Explained Timeline of the Space Race, 1957–69 Is Australia an Island? Timeline of the American Civil Rights Movement Vietnam War Timeline 7 Deadliest Weapons in History Inventors and Inventions of the Industrial Revolution Contents Ask the Chatbot a Question laser beam Ask the Chatbot a Question Learn about this topic in these articles:use in lidar In lidar…an object by transmitting a laser beam, usually from an airplane, at the object and measuring the time the light takes to return to the transmitter. The word lidar is derived from light detection and ranging.Read More Britannica ChatbotChatbot answers are created from Britannica articles using AI. This is a beta feature. AI answers may contain errors. Please verify important information using Britannica articles. About Britannica AI.