How exactly does LAStools classify point clouds in lasclassify.exe?

[Tomasz Bilski]

Hello,

Currenlty I am writing my master's thesis on classification of LiDAR data from airborne laser scanning. Since I plan to use LASTools as one of the tools for classification of my LiDAR data, I would like to ask if it is possible to provide some information about the filtration and classification methods implemented in LAStools. 

I would greatly appreciate your response.

With kind regards

Tomasz Bilski

West Pomeranian University of Technology, Szczecin, POLAND

[Huw Chittleborough]

Hi Tomasz,

I'm no expert in the matter but this paper by Hug et al 2004 may suit your needs regarding las tools classification;

Hug, C., Krzystek, P., & Fuchs, W. (2004). Advanced lidar data processing with LasTools. In XXth ISPRS Congress (pp. 12-23).

http://www.isprs.org/proceedings/XXXV/congress/comm2/papers/240.pdf

cheers,

Huw Chittleborough

Flinders University

Applied Geographical Information Systems - Honours Student

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From: last...@googlegroups.com <last...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Tomasz Bilski <tomaszb...@gmail.com>
Sent: Tuesday, 7 October 2014 8:26 PM
To: last...@googlegroups.com
Subject: [LAStools] How exactly does LAStools classify point clouds in lasclassify.exe?

 

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[Martin Isenburg]

Hello,

Please note that the "LasTools" described in the paper you cite (Hug et. al, 2004) have *NOTHING* - and let me stress this more - absolutely *NOTHING* to do with the "LAStools" software that I had first released in early 2007 during my post-doc at UC Berkeley. The two have nothing in common but the (rather descriptive) name that was simply the name of the project folder containing the little read/write library (LASlib) and a few basic tools (lasinfo, las2txt, txt2las, las2las, ...) that were originally merely written to assist my research on streaming triangulation of massive point clouds.

I had first come across LiDAR points in the LAS format when looking for the biggest possible point set in the 2D plane to stress- and performance-test my streaming triangulation code. As there was no open source software at the time to read the LAS format I simply wrote my own, zipped up the "lastools" folder and shared the "lastools.zip" file on my university Web site ... where it can still be found today. I then got more and more bug reports and feature requests and maintaining "LAStools" became a bit of a hobby next to my full-time job as a scientist. Eventually the software became so popular that I decided (with [un-]friendly assistance of the DoE (-;) to make this my full time vocation.

In summary, the "LasTools" described in the paper you mention (Hug et. al, 2004) have *NOTHING* to do with the "LAStools" software by rapidlasso.

(-:

Regards,

Martin @rapidlasso

[Huw Chittleborough]

my mistake Martin,  thank you for the information!​

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From: last...@googlegroups.com <last...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Martin Isenburg <martin....@gmail.com>
Sent: Monday, 13 October 2014 5:44 PM
To: LAStools - efficient command line tools for LIDAR processing
Subject: Re: [LAStools] How exactly does LAStools classify point clouds in lasclassify.exe?

 

[Olsen, Richard (RC) (CIV)]

If I may ask – what then is the appropriate citation or algorithm?

 

rco

 

RC Olsen
Naval Postgraduate School

[Martin Isenburg]

Hello,

I have seen different citations. (LAStools, 2014) or (Isenburg, 2014) or (rapidlasso, 2014)  Either of these or any variation thereof would be reasonable. It is a good idea to include the version number. 

LAStools, "Efficient LiDAR Processing Software" (version 141017, academic), obtained from http://rapidlasso.com/LAStools

M. Isenburg, "LAStools - efficient LiDAR processing software" (version 141017, unlicensed), obtained from http://rapidlasso.com/LAStools

rapidlasso GmbH, "LAStools - efficient LiDAR processing software" (version 141017, commercial), obtained from http://rapidlasso.com/LAStools

Regards,

Martin