An active remote sensing system is provided with an array of laser diodes that generate light directed to an object having one or more optical wavelengths that include at least one near-infrared wavelength between 600 nanometers and 1000 nanometers. One of the laser diodes pulses at a modulation frequency between 10 Megahertz and 1 Gigahertz and has a phase associated with the modulation frequency. A detection system includes a photo-detector, a lens, a spectral filter at an input to the photo-detector, and a processor that processes digitized signals received from the photo-detector to generate an output signal. The detection system uses a lock-in technique that synchronizes pulsing the one laser diode. The active remote sensing system is configured to be mounted on a vehicle or an airborne platform to provide distance information based on a time-of-flight measurement.