Managing Lidar Data in ArcGIS

Description

Lidar data is a rich source of topographic information, but its massive size poses a challenge to those who want to work with it. This course shows how to organize and prepare lidar data for use in ArcGIS. You learn a process for examining lidar data, organizing and storing lidar data in a geodatabase, and evaluating data characteristics using various geoprocessing tools. A solid understanding of a lidar dataset is essential to ensure reliable results from any analysis project based on the data.

Who Should Attend

This course is designed for GIS analysts, data managers, and others who want to work with lidar data in ArcGIS. Familiarity with ArcGIS, the geodatabase, raster data, 3D analysis, and lidar data is assumed.

Learn How To

• Explore metadata for a lidar dataset in ArcCatalog.
• Calculate statistics in order to assess lidar data characteristics.
• Classify lidar data as bare-earth and above-ground points.
• Subset lidar data for an area of interest to speed up processing and analysis operations.
• Organize lidar data points into a multipoint geodatabase feature class.
• Evaluate lidar point density to ensure it is sufficient for an area of interest.
• Visually inspect lidar data in ArcMap to assess its accuracy.

To complete course exercises, you need the following software:

• ArcGIS 9.3 for Desktop or ArcGIS 9.3.1 for Desktop (ArcView, ArcEditor, or ArcInfo)
• ArcGIS 9.3 3D Analyst or ArcGIS 9.3.1 3D Analyst
• ArcGIS 9.3 Spatial Analyst or ArcGIS 9.3.1 Spatial Analyst

Exploring lidar data

• Point cloud information
• Loading lidar data into a geodatabase
• Examine the metadata and create a file geodatabase
• Organizing point clouds
• Assess the lidar coverage
• Evaluate the point density and import lidar data

Data accuracy

• What impacts the accuracy of the lidar data?
• What causes artifacts?
• What causes data voids?
• Identify gaps in the lidar data

Completion of the following courses or equivalent knowledge is required:

• Getting Started with Lidar in ArcGIS
• Learning ArcGIS Desktop (for ArcGIS 9.2-9.3)
• Creating, Editing, and Managing Geodatabases for ArcGIS Desktop
• Learning ArcGIS Spatial Analyst
• Learning ArcGIS 3D Analyst