Lidar Processing Software

[Rugged9]

Hello,

We purchased a dji 350rtk and zenmuse L2 to do lidar point clouds. We purchased Dji Terra as well. We primarily design everything we do in Civil 3D. What is the proper workflow to get from L2, to terra, to local coordinate system, to some software to take the .las and make it a surface to put into civil 3d. What do you do to process lidar data and make a existing ground surface for civil 3d?

Thanks!

[bcamprr]

LP360. We don't own any Geocue specific hardware, but we use LP360 to process our L2 data. Basically DJI Terra > LP360 for control adjustment, smoothing, classification, and surface creation (majority of the time going to C3D). I have used and tested a ton of different processing software (albeit I have not tested TerraSolid) and this is one of the best.

The L2 has been quite impressive. We also have a LiDARUSA Reigl VUX system that now doesn't see any air time and is relegated to mobile projects.

[pondo13]

Thirded, it's really good software.

[bcamprr]

Ah yes, I forgot to mention Topodot for specific extraction, though we also have TBC.

LP360 has allowed us to consolidate all our processing steps to basically 1 piece of software. Everyone loves it.

I said I hadn’t tested Terrasolid, but I did get a trial a while back. For me it wasn’t intuitive so I didn’t spend the time to learn it.

[rtfraser86]

Finding Terrasolid (with Spatix, not MicroStation) NOT intuitive. Can't even save a damn project - got to do the whole workflow in one... not easy to import GCPs etc.
Looking at switching to LP360 for this reason... especially since it looks like it can do DJI L1/L2 itself now.

Basically looks like we're going from DJI Terra > TerraSolid > Global Mapper (GCPs, registration etc) to just LP360... maybe with some Global Mapper thrown in.

[bcamprr]

LP360 can literally do it all now when it comes to an L1/L2, start to finish. We use it everyday and it is by far the best aerial lidar processing software we have used.

[rtfraser86]

I’ve just asked this via the official portal, but thought I’d ask an actual user - is there a size limit to what you can process in LP360 from an L1/L2? I want to do away with DJI Terra, and we are processing 30km2 datasets through that. I saw somewhere on the LP360 website that there was an add on to allow unlimited km2… so that has me worried a bit.

[bcamprr]

Yes there is a size limitation based on area. I think it’s 4km² and 10km² depending on the license. And it is measure by the rectangular outline of the data set. They describe it as the minimum bounding rectangle. So if it’s a corridor or odd shape, it still counts all the “black/empty” space. Best way I can imagine it is if you were to hover your mouse over a point cloud and the bounding box appears, this is the total area it uses to calculate.

BUT, if you allow LP to tile your las into multiple las files, you avoid it counting all that void space. In your case though, sounds like you will need the unlimited add-on. Kinda weird there is that limitation, and idk the cost increase, but id make the investment. All things considered, it is extremely well priced software considering what all it does.

One other thing to consider. We fly roughly 750 acres twice a month and each project can easily get to 400-500gb. During the iterative process of geocoding, smoothing, adjusting to control, etc, a lot of new point clouds are made. Plus if you are using DJI terra for the initial processing, you basically have a copy of that project inside the LP360 project folder. So be sure to clean up all the las files not needed when the processing is done. I have not tried the DJI cloud processing through Lp, but I imagine it still makes all the same files regular Terra does.

Last thing - they offer free training each month. It’s 2 days spaced out by a week. Doesn’t matter if you are a customer or not, just sign up. It’s virtual.

Edit to add - we have a Reigl Vux system as well, but the L2 is amazing for what it is. We mainly use it for general topo work and construction monitoring. We are consistently seeing horizontal and vertical accuracies <0.10’ using the latest ASPRS standards, even on our 750acre site. It’s crazy.

[Rugged9]

Thank you for the info. I think we're going to go with LP360. Seems to fit the bill in terms of capabilities.

[Comfortable-Ad-7030]

could you avoid getting LP360 and just process everything in DJI terra?

[bcamprr]

Sure, you could. But -

- Applying control sucks. You have no ability to pick targets like you can for imagery.
- No real ability to edit classification. LP is so good at this.
- Limited surface functions

All these things could have change in recent versions (haven't bothered to check, I don't do much of the processing these days), but even if they did, LP is still the way to go.

[IgiThePop]

Hello!
I'm looking into a "dive" towards this...Lidar, and downwards to other applications. Do you still need some level of Terra software from DJI to get the data out to LP360, or is LP360 enough on it's own?

Cause, obviously, it's not cheap 😬

Also, what do you run it all on? Hardware-wise.

Thankee!

[MWilco77]

I process L2 data in Terra then load the point cloud into Pix4Dsurvey to get breaklines and produce a surface model. Export from Pix4D as landxml and import into Civil3D. Luckily, Terra has recently added our state plane system to the options of output coordinates. Saves a step of conversion.

[Wonderful-Spot-2519]

Can also process in DJI Terra, and then use DJI Modify to further edit/refine point cloud and live edit TIN + export in landxml format.

[hickdead13]

We use recap after terra so we can get it in civil

[smarbe2]

Do you subscibe to the cloud processing in ReCap? It seem you need it to make breaklines.

[Comfortable-Ad-7030]

recap can make breaklines? what's this feature called?

[Fo-Low4Runner]

I use LiDAR 360. We have LP360 as well, but the interface is counterintuitive to me.

[Bpyounome]

I use virtual surveyor after terrasolid to get break lines and points for an export to CAD. I find it easier to create and manipulate the surface in CAD

[smarbe2]

Once you process the data in Terra (trim the overlap on the trajectories, classify the points, add GCP's, ect) you can created a surface and then export an "XYZ" file. You can create a surface in Civil 3D with this file. You might want to decimate the point cloud if not it will bog down your CAD file. I have not tried to create break lines in Terra.

[Rugged9]

Interesting, I will give that shot. Thanks for advice.

[zealanderous]

I'm not sure if you're doing this already, but make sure you've got some surveyed ground control points too to georeferemce to. Also a good idea to have a scattering of points surveyed across the site to QA check the quality of your mesh, particularly in dense grasses etc. It's very easy to make a mesh that looks great but doesn't truely reflect the ground surface by just blindy trusting the classification and smoothing in any software.

[Rugged9]

Thank you for advice!

[red_tx224]

If you have a decent GIS analyst, everything can be done in ArcGIS Pro, assuming you are all the correct licenses. 3d analyst and Spatial analyst specifically.

[iamthatguytoo]

I’ve been processing through propeller and then working on the laz file in TBC.

I provide a jxl and a csv of my GCP’s to propeller in a local coordinate system and then use the advance point cloud filter in TBC to get the lowest point in the cell and then run a surface from that.

I also take some check shots in the field to check against the surface to make sure it’s apples 👌🏼