Point Cloud

A point cloud is a three-dimensional dataset consisting of a large number of individual points, each defined by XYZ coordinates and typically also by colour (RGB) or intensity values. Each point represents a measured location on the surface of the scanned object or building.

Point clouds are produced by laser scanners (which measure the distance and angle to each point using laser pulses) and by photogrammetry software (which computes point positions from the depth information in overlapping photographs). A typical terrestrial laser scan of a medium-complexity building produces 20–200 million points. Dense photogrammetric point clouds are comparable in density but differ in how the positions are computed.

Point clouds are used directly for inspection and measurement, or processed further into mesh models, orthophotos or BIM objects. They are stored in formats including LAS, LAZ, PLY and E57.