FME can read and write LiDAR (data exchange format standard) LAS specifications.
The LAS file is intended to contain LiDAR point records. The data will generally be put into this format from software (provided by LiDAR hardware vendors) which combines Global Positioning System (GPS), Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU), and laser pulse range data to produce X, Y, and Z point data. The intention of the data format is to provide an open format that allows different LiDAR hardware and software tools to output data in a common format.
Versions: FME supports LAS versions 1.0, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, and 1.4.
Limited support for Esri LAS Datasets is available when ArcGIS is present. A LAS Dataset is, in its simplest form, a collection of LAS files.
The format contains binary data consisting of a header block, Variable Length Records (VLRs), and point data.
ASPRS LiDAR Data Exchange Format (LAS) Product and System Requirements
|
Format |
FME Platform |
Operating System |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Reader/Writer |
FME Form |
FME Flow |
FME Flow Hosted |
Windows 64-bit |
Linux |
Mac |
|
Reader |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Writer |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Reader Overview
FME considers a single LAS or LASD (Esri LAS Dataset) file to be a dataset. Each LAS file contains a single FME point cloud feature.
Writer Overview
FME considers a dataset to be a folder name: the value for the Writer Dataset is the path of the output folder where the data will be written.
The feature type of each dataset is the filename.
The LAS writer distinguishes duplicate output files by appending numbers to the filenames.