Forward-thinking organizations are increasingly embracing LiDAR data to enhance overall decision-making.
From applications in defense and emergency management to natural resources and beyond, LiDAR enables the creation of highly detailed 3D models of terrain, natural and manmade features, vegetation and other structures.
As the volume of increasingly high-quality LiDAR and other 3D data increases, so does the opportunity to share and leverage the information in a manner that is accessible and beneficial across the enterprise.
Meeting this challenge has traditionally been difficult due to the complexity of LiDAR and the sophistication of expert systems required to exploit the data. In addition, the large file sizes for 3D LiDAR data use up massive amounts of storage space and can be cumbersome to access and use.
In addition, 3D models can only be viewed and managed by trained GIS specialists who know how to interact with the data. For the untrained professional, it is nearly impossible to fully leverage LiDAR data analytic capabilities, which require complex geospatial systems for viewing the data. On top of this, geospatial data management software needs to be installed on the user’s desktop.
In terms of data limitations, image and elevation data are typically stored as TIFF, IMG or SID and are often very large. Transferring and storing these data is often challenging for the casual user.
In many ways, these challenges have slowed down the speed of adoption when it comes to LiDAR.
Thankfully new software solutions and 3D GeoPDF maps and imagery can now allow organizations to extend the value of LiDAR data and 3D geospatial information throughout the enterprise and to the field.
The Source of 3D GeoPDFs
Much like any key innovation that has been adopted in the larger enterprise setting, the origins of the 3D GeoPDF came from the military and Intelligence Community (IC).
In October 2008, the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) InnoVision – Advanced Development Office funded the LIDAR 3D Products Study and Demonstration project.
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