Lidar (light detection and ranging) is an optical remote-sensing technique that uses laser light to densely sample the surface of the earth, producing highly accurate x,y,z measurements. Lidar, primarily used in airborne laser mapping applications, is emerging as a cost-effective alternative to traditional surveying techniques such as photogrammetry. Lidar produces mass point cloud datasets that can be managed, visualized, analyzed, and shared using ArcGIS.
ArcGIS Pro supports lidar data provided in LAS format files (*.las, *.zlas, and *.laz files). Various formats (datasets) can be used to manage and work with lidar data in ArcGIS Pro, which include the LAS dataset, the mosaic dataset, and the point cloud scene layer. Also, individual .las and .zlas files can be used in ArcGIS Pro with the same support as a LAS dataset.
When a LAS dataset or individual LAS format file is added to a 3D scene in ArcGIS Pro the points are symbolized with an elevation renderer and eye-dome lighting applied, by default. Eye-dome lighting is a shading technique that improves the perception of depth and contour when viewing LAS datasets. You can switch the shape in which points from a point cloud are being rendered from circles to squares to improve overall performance in a 3D scene.
The following table compares lidar support in ArcGIS using a LAS dataset, mosaic dataset, and a point cloud scene layer.
Data types that support lidar data
| LAS dataset | Mosaic dataset | Point cloud scene layer | |
|---|---|---|---|
ArcGIS applications | ArcCatalog, ArcScene, ArcMap, and ArcGIS Pro | ArcCatalog, ArcGlobe, ArcMap, and ArcGIS Pro | ArcGIS Pro |
Storage locations | File system | Geodatabase | Scene layer package |
Relationship to LAS source files | Points to | Points to | Builds a cache |
Size limitation | Limited by space on disk | Limited by size allowed by geodatabase | Limited by space on disk |
Surface constraints | Supported | Not supported directly (supported if present in LAS dataset or terrain dataset) | Not supported |
Lidar inputs | *.las, *.zlas, and *.laz files. | LAS files, terrain datasets, LAS datasets | LAS dataset |
Types of lidar | Airborne and terrestrial | Airborne | Airborne and terrestrial |
Rendering | Points, triangulated surface viewed in 2D and 3D | Raster | Points viewed in 3D |
Analysis | Tools that can ingest point clouds or TINs. Use with 3D Analyst tools. Use with LAS dataset tools. | Use with tools that can ingest raster data. Use with Spatial Analyst tools and other raster dataset tools. | Not supported |
Display | Thinned points. Change the display by choosing different class types or data types. The display is modified by changing the symbology or point filters. | Uses cache for faster display. Change the display by choosing different class types or data types. The display is modified using the Layer Properties dialog box or the Image Analysis window. | Thinned points. Point cloud scene layers use the cache for faster display. The display is modified by changing the symbology or point filters. |
Editing points | Can edit the point classification residing in *.las and *.zlas. The *.laz files do not support editing. | Cannot edit points | Cannot edit points |
Combining with data | Supports LAS files, feature classes, and shapefiles | Supports .las files, LAS datasets, terrain datasets, and other raster formats | Supports LAS datasets |
Use an individual *.las, *.zlas, or *.laz file
Individual *.las and *.zlas files can be used in ArcGIS Pro, which allows you to examine LAS format files quickly without creating a LAS dataset. This functionality allows you to understand the data before using the file as input into another dataset. The *.las and *.zlas files behave in the same way as a LAS dataset in ArcGIS Pro.
Note:
Individual *.laz files are not supported in ArcGIS Pro with the same support as a LAS dataset. They must be added to a LAS dataset to be used in ArcGIS Pro.
You can use individual *.las and *.zlas files in the following ways:
- Displayed in 2D or 3D as points using elevation or point attribute renderers based on certain lidar filters applied to the point cloud
- Rendered as a triangulated surface model (TIN)
- Visualized using elevation, slope, aspect, or contour lines based on certain lidar filters
- Used as input to many 3D Analyst analysis tools
Classification editing is supported in *.las and *.zlas files.
Use lidar as a LAS dataset
The LAS dataset provides access to large volumes of lidar and surface data without the need for data conversion or importing. You can work with several thousand LAS files covering an entire administrative area or a few LAS files for a specific study area. It allows you to examine LAS format files quickly, providing detailed statistics and area coverage of the lidar data in the LAS format files.
You can use LAS datasets in the following ways:
- Displayed in 2D or 3D as points using elevation or point attribute renderers based on certain lidar filters applied to the point cloud
- Rendered as a triangulated surface model
- Visualized using elevation, slope, aspect, or contour lines based on certain lidar filters
- Used as input to many 3D Analyst analysis tools
Classification editing is supported in a LAS dataset that references *.las and *.zlas.
Note:
Editing classification codes is not available for a LAS dataset that references *.laz files.
Use lidar in a mosaic dataset
By adding your lidar data to a mosaic dataset, it can be used and rendered as a raster. This allows you to do the following:
- Use tools such as Viewshed, Contour, and Profile.
- Estimate volumes.
- Use it as a DEM.
- Use it to orthorectify imagery.
- Use it in applications that support rasters but not LAS files or LAS datasets.
The mosaic dataset is similar to the LAS dataset, in that it stores a pointer to the original dataset and does not move all the points from one format into another; therefore, it is quick to create, small in file size, and editable to update with additional LAS files. Alternatively, you can convert LAS files or LAS dataset to a raster dataset.
You can also use a mosaic dataset to catalog lidar data.
Share lidar data using a point cloud scene layer
Point cloud scene layers display large volumes of symbolized and filtered point cloud data. They are optimized for the display and sharing of many kinds of sensor data, including lidar. A point cloud scene layer can be published as a service layer and uploaded to Portal for ArcGIS or ArcGIS Online using the Share Package geoprocessing tool.