In a visual world an image is easily recognizable to viewers when compared to a monochrome point cloud and can be one of the biggest challenges when a new person attempts to interpret LIDAR data sets for the first time. The LAS format (v1.2 and later) supports the storage of point color values directly within the data file which enables the point cloud to become a 3D image. The inclusion of normalized red, blue and green channel color values to be stored with each point record in the dataset have been added with the introduction of Point Data Record Format 2. With the introduction of LAS format 1.4, and point formats 8 and 10, a near infrared channel color value was also added. Visualizing point clouds in this manner will only increase in its appeal as data point densities continue to increase and point clouds take on the role of a 3D image.
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