laser range finder

instrument

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Last updated

June 30, 2026

Quick Summary

A laser range finder is an instrument used to measure the distance to a target by timing how long it takes for a laser pulse to travel to the object and return. This technology, developed in 1965, largely replaced earlier optical range finders and radar in certain applications.1

Laser range finders employ visible or infrared light beams, similar to how radar uses radio pulses, to determine distances. They can measure distances up to 1 mile (1.61 km) with remarkable accuracy, to within 0.2 inches (0.5 cm). This precision makes them particularly useful for surveying challenging terrain and for remote sensing applications.12

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range finder
…ranging instrument known as the laser range finder. It has largely replaced coincidence range finders for surveying and radar in certain military applications. The laser range finder, like radar, measures distance by timing the interval between the transmission and reception of electromagnetic waves, but it employs visible or infrared light…
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…ranging instrument known as the laser range finder. It has largely replaced coincidence range finders for surveying and radar in certain military applications. The laser range finder, like radar, measures distance by timing the interval between the transmission and reception of electromagnetic waves, but it employs visible or infrared light…
Read More

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…began to be replaced by laser range finders. In combination with electronic ballistic computers, these greatly increased the hit probability of tank guns. They became standard in all new tanks built from the early 1970s and were retrofitted in many of the earlier tanks.
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…began to be replaced by laser range finders. In combination with electronic ballistic computers, these greatly increased the hit probability of tank guns. They became standard in all new tanks built from the early 1970s and were retrofitted in many of the earlier tanks.
Read More