Which software is best for processing LiDAR data?

What is it about?

All free or low-cost software solutions for ground filtering of airborne LiDAR data are compared. No filter is outstanding compared to the others, but the results are directly transferable to real-world problem-solving: Which filter works best for a given combination of data density, landscape type, and type of archaeological features? In general, Lasground and Global Mapper are consistently among the best, followed by Whitebox Tools. The ability of the MCC-LIDAR to remove vegetation is also commendable. Notably, our findings show that filters based on an older generation of algorithms consistently outperform newer filtering techniques. This is a reminder of the indirect path from publishing an algorithm to filter implementation in software.

Featured Image

Photo by Ewoud Van der Cruyssen on Unsplash

Photo by Ewoud Van der Cruyssen on Unsplash

Why is it important?

Choosing the wrong software, for example because you are familiar with it, can lead to poor results. So it makes sense to shop around.