TILED LIDAR FOR USE IN MOBILE AND WEB APPS

Creating a tiled web map service for Lidar data allows its use in a variety of tools for both scientific work and adoption by the general public. Tiled maps contain x, y, and z coordinates that are easily ingested by all modern web and mobile mapping frameworks, allowing developers to incorporate Lidar data into apps and visualizations easily and with great performance when compared with other data formats. An example mobile application, created using Minnesota’s statewide Lidar dataset, demonstrates the benefits of the tiled map approach. The app shows the user’s current location within the Lidar data, and is integrated with other data sources revealing information about the landscape and geologic formations for any location in the state, allowing scientists, resource managers, and the public to both explore the data at will and see their current location within the Lidar data. This access can enhance field professional's field operations and allow landowners, outdoor enthusiasts, and educators/students to benefit from the high resolution topographic data while they’re interacting with the landscape directly.