An air data system (100, 200, 300, 404), comprising: at least one light source configured to emit a pulsed light beam; an optical transceiver (120, 220, 320) operatively coupled to the at least one light source and configured to receive the emitted pulsed light beam, the optical transceiver (120, 220, 320) configured to: transmit the pulsed light beam into an interrogation air region (130, 230, 330); and receive and collect scattered light pulses of the transmitted pulsed light beam from the interrogation air region (130, 230, 330); an optical modulation device (140, 240, 340) operatively coupled to the optical transceiver (120, 220, 320); characterized in that the optical modulation device (140, 240, 340) is configured to receive the collected scattered light pulses from the optical transceiver (120, 220, 320) and output modulated light pulses; wherein the air data system further comprises: a radio frequency driver and delay device (142, 242, 342) operatively coupled to the optical modulation device (140, 240, 340), the RF driver and delay device (142, 242, 342) configured to send an on/off trigger signal (144, 244, 345) to the optical modulation device (140, 240, 340); and an optical detector (150, 250, 350) operatively coupled to the optical modulation device (140, 240, 340) and configured to receive the modulated light pulses from the optical modulation device (140, 240, 340); and wherein the optical modulation device (140, 240, 340) receives the on/off trigger signal (144, 244, 345) and the on/off trigger signal (144, 244, 345) allows the optical modulation device to synchronize and delay the collected scattered light pulses with respect to the pulsed light beam, the optical modulation device (140, 240, 340) configured to allow stroboscopic detection of a volume of the interrogation air region (130, 230, 330) based on the modulated light pulses received by the optical detector (150, 250, 350) with an exposure time of multiple pulse periods. at least one light source configured to emit a pulsed light beam; an optical transceiver (120, 220, 320) operatively coupled to the at least one light source and configured to receive the emitted pulsed light beam, the optical transceiver (120, 220, 320) configured to: transmit the pulsed light beam into an interrogation air region (130, 230, 330); and receive and collect scattered light pulses of the transmitted pulsed light beam from the interrogation air region (130, 230, 330); transmit the pulsed light beam into an interrogation air region (130, 230, 330); and receive and collect scattered light pulses of the transmitted pulsed light beam from the interrogation air region (130, 230, 330); an optical modulation device (140, 240, 340) operatively coupled to the optical transceiver (120, 220, 320); characterized in that the optical modulation device (140, 240, 340) is configured to receive the collected scattered light pulses from the optical transceiver (120, 220, 320) and output modulated light pulses; wherein the air data system further comprises: a radio frequency driver and delay device (142, 242, 342) operatively coupled to the optical modulation device (140, 240, 340), the RF driver and delay device (142, 242, 342) configured to send an on/off trigger signal (144, 244, 345) to the optical modulation device (140, 240, 340); and an optical detector (150, 250, 350) operatively coupled to the optical modulation device (140, 240, 340) and configured to receive the modulated light pulses from the optical modulation device (140, 240, 340); and wherein the optical modulation device (140, 240, 340) receives the on/off trigger signal (144, 244, 345) and the on/off trigger signal (144, 244, 345) allows the optical modulation device to synchronize and delay the collected scattered light pulses with respect to the pulsed light beam, the optical modulation device (140, 240, 340) configured to allow stroboscopic detection of a volume of the interrogation air region (130, 230, 330) based on the modulated light pulses received by the optical detector (150, 250, 350) with an exposure time of multiple pulse periods. a radio frequency driver and delay device (142, 242, 342) operatively coupled to the optical modulation device (140, 240, 340), the RF driver and delay device (142, 242, 342) configured to send an on/off trigger signal (144, 244, 345) to the optical modulation device (140, 240, 340); and an optical detector (150, 250, 350) operatively coupled to the optical modulation device (140, 240, 340) and configured to receive the modulated light pulses from the optical modulation device (140, 240, 340); and wherein the optical modulation device (140, 240, 340) receives the on/off trigger signal (144, 244, 345) and the on/off trigger signal (144, 244, 345) allows the optical modulation device to synchronize and delay the collected scattered light pulses with respect to the pulsed light beam, the optical modulation device (140, 240, 340) configured to allow stroboscopic detection of a volume of the interrogation air region (130, 230, 330) based on the modulated light pulses received by the optical detector (150, 250, 350) with an exposure time of multiple pulse periods.