Crowdfunding for LiDAR point-cloud data integration in QGIS

A new data type "LiDAR Point Cloud Data" should be integrated in QGIS. The integration in QGIS will rely on the PDAL library (Point Dtata Abstraction Library). The first work package of the LiDAR point cloud data integration will offer the following possibilities:

• New layer type "Point Cloud Data"
• Extension of the API to handle such new layers
• Representation (viewing) of Point Cloud Data in 2D and 3D
• Colorization by elevation
• Colorization by classification type (e.g. ground, vegetation, building roof, etc.)
• Colorization by RGB values (if present in the data)
• Colorization by other attributes present in the data (e.g. reflexion intensity, number of returns, etc.)
• Configurable point size
• Integration of "eye-dome light effect" (shading and silhouettes)
• Filtering of point cloud data by
• elevation
• classification
• number of returns
• Integration with the Identify map tool to query all available attribute data of single or multiple selected points

The development work will be done by the following three companies:

• LutraConsulting
• North Road (Nyall Dawson)
• Hobu (Howard Butler) from the PDAL project

The project will cost 49'000 € for the first work package. Further information along side with instructions how to join the crowdfunding effort can be found at the "crowdfunding website". It would be great if a number of Swiss QGIS users can participate in this crowd funding effort. If the first phase can be financed and implemented successfully, then follow-up work packages could follow, in order to implement profile functionality, integration of PDAL with the QGIS processing analysis framework, as well as for loading remote LiDAR data sources.