Welcome to the Kent LiDAR Portal

This website makes available imagery from various LiDAR datasets from across the county, including the recently obtained high resolution data covering over 190 square km along the Darent Valley and area of the Sevenoaks Commons, at the western end of the Kent Downs AONB.

About Volunteering

Want to learn more about how to use LiDAR and seeing what hidden features and previously unknown archaeology can be discovered in the landscape? This Portal is designed as a means to not only view the LiDAR data, but to be a tool for mapping and interpreting it.

In order to use this Portal, you must register for an account. Once you are logged-in, you can view the data by going to the Portal tab.

About volunteering video

What is LiDAR?

Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) is a method of collecting geographical point data by flying over the landscape and using laser to measure height and distance. The resulting 3-dimensional map is a precise representation of the shape of the landscape and its surface characteristics.

Learn to use LiDAR data

By exploring the 3D Lidar mapping, you can identify man-made structures, see the full breadth of vegetation cover, and understand the shape of the landscape as a whole. You can digitally remove surface data to reveal long-forgotten heritage sites, such as mines or dwellings, so that archaeologists can focus their ground exploration.

Get involved

Become a ‘citizen scientist’ and help to discover, understand, and preserve the natural and cultural heritage of the Kent landscape, by exploring the Lidar mapping and identifying new and exciting historical sites.