2023 journal article
Point Density Variations in Airborne Lidar Point Clouds
SENSORS, 23(3).
author keywords: airborne lidar; laser scanning; point density pattern; nonuniform point distribution; geospatial mapping; remote sensing; surface topography
open access via www.mdpi.com (publisher PDF)
UN Sustainable Development Goal Categories
15. Life on Land
(Web of Science)
Source: Web Of Science
Added: March 13, 2023
In spite of increasing point density and accuracy, airborne lidar point clouds often exhibit point density variations. Some of these density variations indicate issues with point clouds, potentially leading to errors in derived products. To highlight these issues, we provide an overview of point density variations and show examples in six airborne lidar point cloud datasets that we used in our topographic and geospatial modeling research. Using the published literature, we identified sources of point density variations and issues indicated or caused by these variations. Lastly, we discuss the reduction in point density variations using decimations, homogenizations, and their applicability.