Python LiDAR tools

Python LiDAR tools

Installation

Requirements

• Python

Setup (Windows)

1. Open a Windows PowerShell

2. Navigate to the directory where you want to store the project:

   cd PATH
   

3. Clone the github repository with:

   git clone https://github.com/sitn/py-lidar-tools.git
   

4. Navigate into the project directory:

   cd .\py-lidar-tools\
   

5. Create a new python virtual environment:

   python -m venv venv
   

This creates a venv folder inside the project directory.

6. Activate the virtual environnement:

   .\venv\Scripts\activate
   

7. Install the dependencies:

   pip install -r requirements.txt
   

Usage

1. Within the python venv, navigate to the scripts directory:

   cd .\scripts\
   

2. Open the config.yaml file and adjust the parameters as needed.

3. Run the scripts according to the desired workflow (see below).

Worflows

Tree top detection

1. Run raster_tiling.py to create a set of buffered raster tiles with overlap (to avoid edge effects)
2. Run detect_tree_tops.py to detect the tree tops from the buffered canopy height model tiles
3. Run merge_vector_files.py to merge the tiled tree_top files into a single file

Overview

Script	Description
raster_tiling.py	Creates a raster tile set from a vector tile index and raster source directory
detect_tree_tops.py	Detects tree top locations in a raster canopy height model