Spinning Lidar tilted 25 degree forward - Experiences?

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Spinning Lidar tilted 25 degree forward - Experiences?

I plan to use an ydlidar tilted forward by 25 degree to

1. detect obstacles and holes in the path
2. understand where the side of the path (forest roads or farm tracks) is to drive along the side of the path

For navigation I plan to use GPS, open street maps and a Magnetometer to get the general heading of the path and compare it to my actual heading and to the constraints imposed by the side of the path or any rocks or holes in the path.

The Idea is that the forward tilted lidar would show where the path is even and where not. I would loose forward range but I would be able to look down (to discover holes or water which would look like a hole as it reflects) and I would be able to see things sticking up from the ground (distance and known height). Things, that are only a few centimeters high I would want to ignore anyway.

Yes, I understand that objects hanging over the path I would see rather late or not at all just before they knock off the sensor. And yes, I would loose seeing something meanigful "in the back". But I plan to have a robot that drives forward only and if needed turns on the spot.

My experience so far is that the "path" shows up as a line in front and the curbs or grass standing at the side and also buildings or trees show up to the left and to the right (albeit not scanned horizontally but at an angle. angled slopes up or down on the side will show up with an angle too.

Does anyone have experience with such angled laser scans? I have seen some people work with tilting lasers that scan let and right and up and down and typically they would remove the ground from the scene. In my case I would also want to remove the ground and leave all else there as potential obstacles (both deep and high).

Marcus from Heidelberg