How to batch process .las to tile and DEM (over 100 files)

[nathanste...@gmail.com]

Is there a way to process over 100 .las files into tiles. Then after batch process all those files into DEM files that I can then bring into a geospatial software such as ArcMAP 10.2?

[Stippa, Sawyer]

In ArcMap, Use the tool create lidar dataset from the folder containing all the .las files. Then use lidar dataset to raster (dem)

On Friday, March 13, 2015, <nathanste...@gmail.com> wrote:

Is there a way to process over 100 .las files into tiles. Then after batch process all those files into DEM files that I can then bring into a geospatial software such as ArcMAP 10.2?

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Sawyer R. Stippa

U.S. Geological Survey Coastal and Marine Science Center 

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[Martin Isenburg]

Hello,

one way of doing it is inside the "Argh" as Sawyer describes it. But LAShipsters and LiDARyuppies would use these two LAStools commands instead (assuming you have tiles):

:: first spatially index the tiles

lasindex -i folder\*.las -cores 4

:: then create DTMs (using on-the-fly buffering)

las2dem -i folder\*.las ^

               -buffered 25 ^

               -keep_classification 2 8 ^

               -user_orig_bb ^

               -odir dtms -otif ^

               -cores 8

:: then create DSMs (using on-the-fly buffering)

las2dem -i folder\*.las ^

               -buffered 25 ^

               -keep_first ^

               -user_orig_bb ^

               -odir dsms -otif ^

               -cores 8

Here is what happens if you do not use buffers:

http://www.facebook.com/LAStools/photos/845485148847264
http://www.facebook.com/LAStools/photos/856864197709359

Here an illustration (also attached) why this has to happen when you do not use buffers:

http://www.facebook.com/LAStools/photos/846759968719782

And here a picture on how to "hipster" or "yuppy" up your GUI command line when running on a folder of tiles:

http://www.facebook.com/LAStools/photos/857261534336292

Please note that you (often) need to use '-keep_classification 2 8' for DTM generation when you work with pre-classified data that has both ground (2) points and keypoints (8).

Regards,

Martin @rapidlasso

[Stippa, Sawyer]

Las2dem is fantastic if you have the license to batch hundreds of las files.  I only suggest the alternative non-hipster way.

[nathanste...@gmail.com]

Martin can you explain more clearly for a new LAStools and lidar user please. I need to create 10 cm DEM so I can do further analysis. I tried to run my 100 scans in a row and have failed miserably every single time.

[Martin Isenburg]

Hello,

I suggest to work yourself through all of the tutorials listed here that have to do with tile-based pipelines (using '-buffer 25' suring lastile and '-use_tile_bb' during las2dem and lasgrid).

http://rapidlasso.com/category/tutorials/

You could also watch the many videos that are now available via

http://rapidlasso.com/category/videos/

where you can follow me realizing such tile-based multi-core processing pipelines step by step through the native GUIs of LAStools.

Regards,

Martin @rapidlasso