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- QGis for LIDAR: digital feature model (DEM) with Open Lidar Tools.In this article you’ll find out how to create a Digital Feature Model in just a few clicks and visualize the results, thanks to the Open Lidar Toolbox plugin. Tutorial HD LIDAR data processing with QGis … Read more
- QGis for LIDAR: digital terrain model (DTM) with LAStools.
- QGis for LIDAR: digital terrain model (DTM) with CloudCompare.QGis for LIDAR:digital terrain model (DTMIn this article you will find the definition of a digital terrain model and, step by step, how to create a DTM from an unclassified and classified LIDAR cloud, using CloudCompare … Read more
- QGis for LIDAR: digital surface model (DSM) with CloudCompare and LAStoolsIn this article you’ll find the definition of a digital surface model and, step by step, how to create a DSM from an unclassified and classified LIDAR cloud, using CloudCompare and LAStools. Tutorial : LIDAR HD … Read more
- QGis for LIDAR:Colorize from an image with LAStoolsIn this article you’ll find out how to transfer colors (colorize) from an image or orthophoto to the points of a LIDAR cloud, using the LAStools toolbox in QGis to render LIDAR as if it were … Read more
- QGis for LIDAR:colorizing from an imageTutoriel : LIDAR HD avec QGIS 3.32 In this article you’ll find out how to transfer colors (colorize) from an image or orthophoto to the points of a LIDAR cloud using CloudCompare. The result is an … Read more
- QGis 3.32: Tools for LIDAR dataTutorial: HD LIDAR with QGIS 3.32 In this article you’ll find tools for LIDAR data: LASTools, WhiteboxTools, OpenLIDAR Tools. Step-by-step installation, licensing and configuration. You’ll also find a presentation of CloudCompare. As we saw in the … Read more
- Loading IGN France HD Lidar dataTutorial: HD LIDAR with QGIS 3.32 1- Download LIDAR HD data from IGN and load it into QGis Downloading data You can download IGN Lidar data from the following address: https://geoservices.ign.fr/lidarhd. On the right you’ll find … Read more
- LIDAR data in QGis 3.32Among many improvements, version 3.32 introduces the long-awaited feature of native point cloud processing in QGIS, enabling QGIS Desktop to become a powerful LiDAR data processing utility. Before publishing a tutorial on the new features, I’ve … Read more
Why do we prefer Open Source software?
Geomatics is a discipline at the crossroads of geography and computer science, which involves using software tools to collect, store, analyze and represent spatial data. In this field, the use of open source software offers many advantages.
First of all, what is open source software? It’s software whose source code is publicly available and can therefore be modified and distributed by anyone. It also means that the software is often free, in the sense that it can be used without license fees. The open source movement was born in the 1990s with the emergence of Linux, an open source operating system based on the Unix kernel. Since then, many other open source software products have emerged, covering a wide range of fields, including geomatics. Licenses play an essential role in the operation of open source software. The GPL. General Public License is one of the most common in the open source world. It guarantees fundamental freedoms for users, including the freedom to use, modify and redistribute the software. Many libraries, frameworks and open source tools used in geomatics are distributed under the GPL license.
One of the major advantages of open source geomatics software is its flexibility. Developers have access to the software’s source code, enabling them to adapt it to their specific needs. For example, if you’re using open source geospatial data visualization software and want to add a specific feature, you can modify the source code to implement it.
Another important feature of open source software is the community of developers that surrounds it. These communities are made up of volunteer programmers who actively contribute to the development and improvement of open source software. They share their knowledge, resolve bugs and provide support to users. This ensures the software’s longevity and scalability, as new versions and features are continually developed.
Among the most popular open source geomatics software are GIS-based geographic information systems such as QGIS, which offer a user-friendly graphical interface and powerful spatial analysis functions. There are also libraries such as GDAL and proj, which can be used to manipulate geospatial data in a wide range of formats. As far as geospatial databases are concerned, PostgreSQL with the PostGIS extension is a popular open source solution. It enables efficient storage and processing of spatial data. In addition, open source tools such as Geoserver or MapServer can be used to publish this data on the web. In the field of cartography, the free and open source Mapnik software offers a powerful solution for custom map creation and tile generation. In addition to geomatics-specific software, more general open source solutions such as Python, R and Java can also be used to analyze and manipulate geospatial data.
In conclusion, using open source software in geomatics offers many advantages. They are flexible, scalable and benefit from an active community of developers. What’s more, they offer genuine interoperability with other software and can be used in a variety of environments, including Windows, MacOS and Linux. However, it should be remembered that the use of open source software does not mean that all software used in a geomatics project must be open source. It is common practice to integrate proprietary software into an open source environment, using open protocols and data formats to ensure greater interoperability.
In short, the open source world offers a multitude of solutions for geomatics, allowing users to access, modify and redistribute software source code according to their specific needs. This fosters freedom, innovation and collaboration within the community of open source geomatics software users and developers.