Abstract

During past 25 years, laser scanning has evolved from an experimental method into a fully autonomous family of Earth remote sensing methods. Now this group of methods provides the most accurate and detailed spatial data sets, while the cost of data is constantly falling, the number of measuring instruments (laser scanners) is constantly growing. The volumes of data that will be obtained during the surveys in the coming decades will allow the creation of the first sub-global coverage of the planet. However, the flip side of high accuracy and detail is the need to store fantastically large volumes of three-dimensional data without loss of accuracy. At the same time, the ability to work with the specified data in both 2D and 3D mode should be improved. Standard storage methods (file method, geodatabases, archiving, etc) solve the problem only partially. At the same time, there are some other alternative methods that can remove current restrictions and lead to the emergence of more flexible and functional spatial data infrastructures. One of the most flexible and promising ways of laser data storage and processing are quadtree and octree-based approaches. Of course, these approaches are more complicated than typical file data structures, that are commonly used for LIDAR data storage, but they allow users to solve some typical negative features of point datasets (processing speed, non-topological spatial structure, limited precision, etc.).

Highlights

  • Laser scanning, or LIDAR, is one of the youngest types of surveying

  • The data can be synchronized with high-precision inertial navigation systems (INS) and GNSS tools for positioning in global coordinate systems

  • In addition to coordinate information, a laser scanner can register the amplitude of the reflected signal, the albedo of the surface reflecting the signal, as well as register more than one reflected signal, classify the signals according to the shape of the reflected pulse, and much more

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Summary

Introduction

LIDAR, is one of the youngest types of surveying. A laser shooting device (laser scanner) is a laser range finder that performs a single or group of simultaneous range measurement with simultaneous measurement of beam deflection angles (vertical and horizontal plane). The number of laser scanning systems produced during this time around the world is (according to various estimates) several thousand units, with the vast majority of these systems released in recent years. Each of these systems is characterized by the highest data performance. Most of these systems (due to the extremely high cost) are constantly in operation. All of these LIDARs continuously produce a huge amount of data. Storing petabyte-sized data arrays while preserving the possibility of quick access requires different approaches compared to those accepted

Modern types of LIDAR systems
Performance of modern LIDAR systems
Current and perspective methods of LIDAR data storage and processing
Archiving and spatial roughening
Geodatabase
Quadtree and octree
Common issues
Approaches for saving and merging 3D BIG LIDAR DATA volumes on the drive
Conclusion

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