As a new type of active earth observation technology, hyperspectral LiDAR combines the advantages of three-dimensional spatial information acquisition of traditional LiDAR and imaging technology of passive hyperspectral sensors. Hyperspectral LiDAR can realize the integrated imaging detection of high spatial resolution and hyperspectral resolution, which has become an important direction of the development of remote sensing technology in the future. First, the development process and unique advantages of hyperspectral LiDAR imaging technology are discussed from the research progress of spatial-spectral integrated data acquisition technology for LiDAR. Then, in terms of the application and development of the airborne platform, the technological development of laser transmitting unit, receiving and detecting unit, and data processing unit is introduced from the key technical difficulties in the development of airborne hyperspectral LiDAR system. Finally, in view of the future development prospects, the major application potential of airborne hyperspectral LiDAR in land cover classification, vegetation remote sensing monitoring, marine resource detection and military target detection is analyzed. Meanwhile, the future promotion and application of this technology are prospected and analyzed. Due to its advantages in spatial-spectral integrated data acquisition, airborne hyperspectral LiDAR is expected to develop into a new type of remote sensing technology in the future.