An improved simple morphological filter for the terrain classification of airborne LIDAR data

Terrain classification of LIDAR point clouds is a fundamental problem in the production of Digital Elevation Models (DEMs). The Simple Morphological Filter (SMRF) addresses this problem by applying image processing techniques to the data. This implementation uses a linearly increasing window and sim...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:ISPRS journal of photogrammetry and remote sensing 2013-03, Vol.77, p.21-30
Main Authors: Pingel, Thomas J., Clarke, Keith C., McBride, William A.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acceptability
Algorithms
Animal, plant and microbial ecology
Applied geophysics
Biological and medical sciences
Classification
data collection
DEM/DTM
digital elevation models
Earth sciences
Earth, ocean, space
Errors
Exact sciences and technology
filters
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
General aspects. Techniques
image analysis
Internal geophysics
LIDAR
Morphological filters
Preserves
Teledetection and vegetation maps
Terrain
Three dimensional models
trails
Virtual reality
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Summary:Terrain classification of LIDAR point clouds is a fundamental problem in the production of Digital Elevation Models (DEMs). The Simple Morphological Filter (SMRF) addresses this problem by applying image processing techniques to the data. This implementation uses a linearly increasing window and simple slope thresholding, along with a novel application of image inpainting techniques. When tested against the ISPRS LIDAR reference dataset, SMRF achieved a mean 85.4% Kappa score when using a single parameter set and 90.02% when optimized. SMRF is intended to serve as a stable base from which more advanced progressive filters can be designed. This approach is particularly effective at minimizing Type I error rates, while maintaining acceptable Type II error rates. As a result, the final surface preserves subtle surface variation in the form of tracks and trails that make this approach ideally suited for the production of DEMs used as ground surfaces in immersive virtual environments.
ISSN:0924-2716
1872-8235
DOI:10.1016/j.isprsjprs.2012.12.002