Abstract: To solve the problem that the non-uniform distribution of extinction coefficients in the vertical direction of the atmosphere makes it difficult to directly measure the vertical visibility by traditional methods, this paper presents a method for calculating the vertical visibility based on lidar detection. Firstly, according to the basic principle of atmospheric radiation transmission and radiation transfer equation, it deduces the calculation formula of vertical visibility, which solves the problem that there is no specific formula for calculating vertical visibility. Secondly, it inverts the extinction coefficient distribution in the vertical direction of the atmosphere by using the lidar equation and Klett algorithm. On this basis, it proposes an iterative algorithm for vertical visibility. Finally, it uses the gray model GM(1,1) and batch statistics algorithm to evaluate the backscattering coefficient obtained by laser radar inversion, and gives the error confidence interval (0.760±0.339)×10⁻⁴(srad·km)⁻¹. The results show that the method is a particularly effective one for calculating vertical visibility, which meets the basic requirements of detection, with small error and high precision.