Separating LAS Dataset (.lasd) into point files of each class?

Question

I am want to examine my DEM, DSM, and other models I'm generating from LiDAR data in the model wizard to find the method with the least amount of error.

I want to separate the ground, and non-ground points into separate point shapefiles so I can use them within the model wizard and view the error and generate the error prediction surfaces as well as view the semi-variograms of different model parameters.

I would like to have points with the elevation value as a field within the point feature, and have a point feature for each class of the .lasd.

Answer 1

Assuming your LiDAR point cloud is already classified use the LAS To Multipoint tool to:

• filter the point cloud (class_code parameter) and
• convert it to a point feature class.

Alternatively, you can make the filtering with the Make LAS Dataset Layer tool, so to keep one .lasd file per class (in case you need to do other processing tasks using the point cloud format), and then use Las to Multipoint only to convert to point feature class.

You might be interested reading Converting LiDAR data to raster (DEM/DSM) for ArcGIS input? as well.