A Second Free Look at the Luxor Hotel...with LAStools

I took a second look at the Luxor Hotel but this time with LAStools in QGIS.  If you missed the first post, check it out here: http://opensourcegisblog.blogspot.com/2014/01/a-free-look-at-luxor-hotel-in-las-vegas.html

Before I go a step further, it is important to note how to install LAStools into the processing toolbox of QGIS.  Essentially there are two parts: 1) adding a new "Lidar" folder to the QGIS program folder and 2) activating and linking LAStools to QGIS. Avoid placing this folder in any directory with a name that has spaces in its name, for example \My Documents\.

After that, it should be smooth sailing!  It is a really powerful toolbox that integrates well into QGIS.  There is also an ArcGIS toolbox too.

LAStools comes with a lot of different features for viewing and understanding lidar data.  Just a few of them are implemented below. Click on any of the images to magnify them.


                         Using lasclassify...

The same lidar data classified into different categories using lasclassify--and triangulated.

                       Using las2dem and las2iso...

Contours overlaying a raster DEM using las2dem and las2iso.

                         Up close - an impressive view:

The details of the sphinx, including head, front and rear legs, can be easily distinguished.