Automatic generation of high-quality building models from lidar data

Automating data acquisition for 3D city models is an important research topic in photogrammetry. In addition to techniques that rely on aerial images, generating 3D building models from point clouds provided. by light detection and ranging (Lidar) sensors is gaining importance. The progress in sensor technology has triggered this development. Airborne laser scanners can deliver dense point clouds with densities of up to one point per square meter. Using this information, it´s possible to detect buildings and their approximate outlines and also to extract planar roof faces and create models that correctly resemble the roof structures. The author presents a method for automatically generating 3D building models from point clouds generated by the Lidar sensing technology.