What is a dense point cloud?

A dense point cloud is created during UAV laser scanning and subsequent processing.

It is a multimillion set of points having XYZ coordinates and the parameters characterizing them: reflection intensity, point acquisition time, return number, scan angle, edge of flight line and its direction.

Afterwards, by using specialized software, we filter and classify the points according to the ASPRS standard into:

• unclassified points
• ground points
• low vegetation points (0-0.40 m)
• medium vegetation points  (0.40-2.00 m)
• high vegetation points (above 2.00 m)
• points representing buildings, rail, road surface, wires, noise.

The most important application of a dense point cloud acquired from airborne laser scanning is to generate:

• digital terrain model representing the physical surface of the land or ground
• digital surface model showing the landforms with vegetation, buildings and other infrastructure, such as roads.

Derivative products can also be::

• terrain profiles and cross-sections
• volumes and areas of objects
• slope maps, contour maps, hillshade maps
• 2D and 3D vizualizations.

Advantages of technology

Aerial laser scanning UAV is a modern method of mapping the surface of objects using a dense point cloud based on precise measurement of the distance between the measured object and the scanner on an unmanned aircraft

The technology has a number of advantages that distinguish it from classic measurement technologies:

• measurement independent of lighting conditions (ability to perform measurements during the day and night)
• sunny areas and shaded areas are mapped with the same accuracy
• laser beam penetrates the vegetation layer and measures the ground level
• lack of generalization, high density of points allows accurate representation of shape and position of objects
• speed of measurement and acquisition of large amounts of data in a short period of time
• automation of processing and integration with photogrammetric data
• low data acquisition costs for large areas.

INTERACTIVE VISUALIZATION- DENSE POINT CLOUD - laser scanning / photogrammetry