GSoC 2017 Integration Of PDAL into GRASS GIS

Title:	Integration Of PDAL into GRASS GIS
Student Name:	Paul Schrum, ​North Carolina Sate University
Organization:	​OSGeo - Open Source Geospatial Foundation
Mentor Name:	​Vashek Petras
GSoC proposal:	​Integration of PDAL into GRASS GIS
Repository:	TODO

Abstract

The Point Data Abstraction Library (PDAL) “is Point Data Abstraction Library, and it is an open source software for translating and processing point cloud data. It is not limited to just LiDAR data, although the focus and impetus for many of the tools have their origins in LiDAR..” At the time of this proposal, the only user interface for PDAL is a Command Line Interface. The proposal envisions the development of a GRASS GIS module which will facilitate importing and exporting Lidar files (with the .las extension) into and out of Vector and Raster formats.

Goal

The goal is to add API classes and methods to form an Adapter in GRASS GIS to utilize PDAL to read Lidar datasets. Included in this will be development of command line and GUI tools to make use of PDAL from GRASS easy for the end user operating through the GRASS application. This involves development of (or extension of) v.in.pdal, r.in.pdal, and r3.in.pdal and thorough unit test coverage of these. Optionally, if time permits, I will develop classes, methods, and UI elements to implement v.external and @PDAL pseudo-mapsets for point clouds.

Timeline

		status
Community bonding period	Get GRASS GIS and PDAL to build from source.
MAY 30 - JUNE 2	Begin development of v.in.pdal, including Unit Test coverage. Unit test development will be parallel to software development.
JUNE 5 - JUNE 9	Complete basic functionality of v.in.pdal at the command line. Begin development of GUI support. Basic functionality entails import and export of .las files to and from GRASS vector maps.
JUNE 12 - 16	Complete GUI development for v.in.pdal. Identify edge and corner cases, add them to the testing data, and handle them in code. Begin vacation 15 June.
JUNE 17 - 23	Vacation. Unavailable all week.
JUNE 24 - 30	Vacation until 26 June. Begin familiarization with GRASS's raster API. Complete First Evaluation.
First evaluations
JULY 1 - 7	Partial week due to holiday. Begin work on command line r.in.pdal. Plan Class design and determine adapter pattern specifics.
JULY 8 - 14	Continue development of r.in.pdal, including Unit Test coverage.
JULY 15 - 21	Fix bugs in v.in.pdal found by the mentor. Complete basic functionality of r.in.pdal and begin development of GUI support.
JULY 22 - 28	Complete GUI development of r.in.pdal. Identify edge and corner cases, add them to the testing data, and handle them in code. Complete Second Evaluation
Second evaluations
JULY 31 - AUG 4	Begin work on r3.in.pdal, including Class design and determining adapter pattern specifics.
AUGUST 7 - 11	Complete work on r3.in.pdal, including GUI and Unit Tests.
AUGUST 14 - 18	Complete all documentation and final checklist. Unavailable after 15 August due to the start of the Fall semester at NC State.
AUGUST 21 - 29	Complete final evaluation
Final evaluations

Requirements

​GRASS 7.3

Development

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