Description
Splits a single point-cloud feature into multiple point cloud features, based on a selected component. Currently, FME supports splitting by Point Source ID or Flight Line, Return, and CLassification
Transformer Highlights
In FME 2011, point clouds can be split by a limited number of components.
This can be changed in the future releases.
Splitting by Classification
The table below shows splitting by Classification.
Source Point Cloud
Resulting point clouds
(Unclassified)
(Ground)
(Vegetation)
Las 1.2 files have the following classes:
Class Meaning
0 Created, never classified
1 Unclassified1
2 Ground
3 Low Vegetation
4 Medium Vegetation
5 High Vegetation
6 Building
7 Low Point (noise)
8 Model Key-point (mass point)
9 Water
10 Reserved for ASPRS Definition
11 Reserved for ASPRS Definition
12 Overlap Points
13-31 Reserved for ASPRS Definition
I made a
simple custom transfomer(see attached) that can be placed after PointCloudSplitter. It will output each class through a separate port and add class description.
Splitting by Return Number
Splitting by return has three modes. The transformer can either split the point cloud by retunr number itself, or split by first or last returns only. Note that both last and first return can be the only returns for a single signal. Last returns can also have any number in the range of all possible return numbers. For example, if a beam returned 2 signals, the last return will have number 2, if there were 3 signals back, the last return will have number 3.
The table below shows splitting "By Return Number":
Source Point Cloud
Resulting point clouds
(First Return)
(Second Return)
Splitting by Point Source ID and Flight Line
These two components are similar and indicate the source from which this point comes from.
Splitting by these components can look as follows:
Further Reading
Point Cloud splitting is used in our
Point Cloud Scenario 2. LAS to DEM and TIN(Article#: 000001549) where only last return is used for surface modeling.