Parallel Beam Laser RADAR: Benefits Over Scan Systems

For R&D engineers, metrology specialists, and vibration testing experts, the challenge of capturing structural dynamics has always involved a fundamental trade-off.

Traditional scanning laser vibrometers can provide high spatial resolution, but they collect data one point at a time. 

This one-at-a-time approach creates four key problems:

• Preparation of the measurement: single point scanning laser vibrometers need to define beforehand a mesh where the laser will take measurements. In complex samples the mesh generation can be time-consuming
• Time-based: Fast, transient events end before the scan finishes.
• Speed: Detailed surveys take hours to complete.
• Accuracy: The structure moves between scan points, creating data errors. 

In applications such as aerospace structural testing, automotive NVH validation, or structural health monitoring, those constraints prevent engineers from getting the measurements they need.

This is where parallel beam laser radar architecture fundamentally changes what’s possible in non-contact vibrometry.

This article explains how parallel beam laser radar works, why it outperforms scanned systems, and how Ommatidia LiDAR’s Q1 and Q2 platforms deliver this capability.

Why Parallel Beam Laser RADAR Outperforms Scanned Systems

Traditional scanned systems, like galvanometer-based laser vibrometers or mechanical laser trackers, measure one point at a time.

That approach can be precise, but it takes time, requires moving parts and can miss transient dynamics during vibration tests.

Parallel beam laser radar measures multiple points simultaneously.

With the Q1 (128 parallel channels) and Q2 (65 parallel channels), Ommatidia LiDAR collects far more data, much faster:

• Massively parallel data collection: 65 or 128 of points measured at once to produce dense point clouds and vibration maps. 
• Faster inspection cycles: Reduced acquisition times to minutes in field trials, so engineering teams iterate designs faster and perform more checks.
• Improved temporal fidelity: Measuring all points at the same moment preserves timing relationships needed for operational modal analysis (OMA).

How Parallel Beam Laser RADAR Works

Ommatidia’s systems are built around Photonic Integrated Circuit (PIC) technology that generates and manages multiple parallel laser beams simultaneously.

Each beam works as an independent laser Doppler vibrometer, constantly measuring how fast the surface is moving using laser interferometry.

The system projects a grid of laser beams onto the structure. 

When the surface moves, it changes the laser frequency (Doppler effect) based on the velocity.

The PIC processes all channels at once, providing synchronized velocity or displacement data.

Key advantages include:

• True simultaneity: All 128 or 65 points measured at the same instant, eliminating temporal phase errors.
• Metrology-grade accuracy: ~0.1 mm positional precision. Comparable to high-end laser trackers and CMM machines.
• Compact, field-deployable: PIC integration reduces system size, power requirements, and unit cost.
• Non-contact: No sensors to mount, no added weight, and no changes to how the structure moves naturally.

In field trials, switching from scanning to parallel systems cuts measurement time by over 70% while improving data quality.

Learn More About Q1/Q2 Systems →

Comparative Case Study: Parallel vs. Scanned

During a recent aerospace campaign, a laboratory replaced its scanned LDV array with Ommatidia’s Q2. 

The scanned system required multiple sweeps and repeated excitations to reconstruct mode shapes. The Q2 acquired synchronized data across 65 channels in a single test. 

Results:

• 70% reduction in total measurement time
• Simplified post-processing with no alignment or data stitching required
• Improved modal coherence and data quality