Editing Laser rangefinder (section)

==Precision==

The precision of an instrument is correlated with the [[rise time]],<ref>{{cite web |last1=Boreman |first1=Glenn |title=System design of a pulsed laser rangefinder |url=https://pages.charlotte.edu/glenn-boreman/wp-content/uploads/sites/146/2014/06/Burns_OE_30_1991.pdf |website=charlotte.edu |publisher=University of Central Florida, Center for Research in Electro-Optics and Lasers |access-date=2023-03-11}}</ref> divergence, and power of its laser pulse, as well as the quality of its optics and onboard [[Digital_signal_processor|digital signal processing]]. Environmental factors can significantly reduce range and accuracy:
* Humidity, snow, dust, or other airborne particulates will diffuse the signal.
* Higher temperature and higher pressure (lower elevation) slightly decrease [[Speed_of_light#In_a_medium|the speed of light through air]].
* Smaller and less reflective targets return less information.
In good conditions, skilled operators using precision laser rangefinders can range a target to within a meter at distances on the order of three kilometers.