Importing LiDAR data

Light Detection And Ranging (LiDAR) is one of the most common devices for generating point cloud data. The system captures 3D location and other properties of objects or surfaces in a given space. This approach is very similar to radar in that it uses electromagnetic waves to measure distance and brightness, among other things. However, one main difference between LIDAR and radar is that the first one uses laser beam technology, instead of microwaves or radio waves. Another distinction is that LiDAR generally sends out a single focused pulse and measures the time of the returned pulse, calculating distance and depth. Radar, by contrast, will send out multiple pulses before receiving return pulses and thus, requires additional processing to determine the source of each pulse.

LiDAR data has become quite common in conjunction with both ground and airborne applications, aiding in ground surveys, enhancing and substantially automating aspects of photogrammetric engineering...