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Measurement Tools
Measure distances, areas, and elevation cross-sections directly on your point cloud — no need to download data or open external software like CloudCompare. Everything works right in the browser, and you can export your measurements to CSV or DXF.
Accessing the Tools
The measurement tools are available via the small buttons on the left side of the viewer, next to the project tree panel:
- Ruler icon — opens the measurement toolbar (distances and areas)
- Terrain icon — opens the elevation profile tool
These buttons become active once your point cloud is loaded in the viewer.
Distance Measurement
How to Measure a Distance
- Click the ruler icon on the left side of the viewer. A small toolbar appears below the button with two sub-tools: Distance (ruler icon) and Area (square icon).
- Click the Distance tool.
- Click on the point cloud to place your first point.
- Click again to place additional points — a line is drawn between each consecutive pair.
- Right-click to finish the measurement.
The total distance is displayed along the line.
Keyboard Shortcuts
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| Backspace | Remove the last placed point |
| Escape | Cancel the current measurement entirely |
Managing Measurements
After finishing a measurement, it appears in a results list below the measurement toolbar:
- Each measurement shows its type (distance or area) and value (in meters).
- Click on a measurement in the list to zoom the camera to it.
- Click the trash icon next to a measurement to delete it.
You can create multiple measurements — they all remain visible on the point cloud until you delete them.
Area Measurement
How to Measure an Area
- Click the ruler icon to open the measurement toolbar.
- Click the Area tool (square icon).
- Click on the point cloud to place the vertices (corners) of a polygon.
- Right-click to close the polygon and finish the measurement.
The area is displayed in square meters (m²).
Tips
- Place at least 3 points to define a polygon.
- The polygon closes automatically between the last point and the first point.
- Like distance measurements, you can undo points with Backspace and cancel with Escape.
Elevation Profile
The elevation profile tool lets you draw a line across your point cloud and see a cross-section — a side view showing how the elevation changes along that line. This is especially useful for understanding terrain, verifying slopes, or inspecting infrastructure.
How to Extract a Profile
- Click the terrain icon (elevation profile button) on the left side of the viewer.
- Click a starting point on the point cloud.
- Click an ending point — a line appears between the two points.
- A profile panel opens at the bottom of the screen showing the cross-section chart.
Reading the Profile Chart
The chart shows:
- Horizontal axis — distance along the line you drew (in meters, starting from 0)
- Vertical axis — elevation (in meters)
- Points — each dot on the chart represents a LiDAR point within the profile corridor
The points are colored according to your current visualization mode:
- In Classification mode, points are colored by class (ground in brown, vegetation in green, buildings in red, etc.)
- In Elevation mode, points follow the elevation color gradient
- In Intensity mode, points are shown in grayscale
- In RGB mode, points show their original colors
Hover over any point in the chart to see a tooltip with its exact distance, elevation, and classification class.
Profile Header Information
At the top of the profile panel, you will see:
- Total number of points included in the profile
- Total distance of the profile line
Corridor Width
The profile does not capture just the points directly under the line — it captures all points within a corridor (a band of a certain width centered on the line). You can adjust the corridor width using the dropdown in the profile panel:
Available widths: 10 cm, 20 cm, 50 cm, 1 m, 2 m, 5 m, 10 m, 20 m
- A narrow corridor (10–50 cm) shows only the points very close to the line, giving a precise cross-section.
- A wide corridor (5–20 m) includes more points, giving a denser profile but also capturing features further from the line.
Choose based on your needs:
- For a precise terrain cross-section: use 50 cm – 1 m
- For a general corridor overview (e.g., a power line span): use 5 – 10 m
- For very sparse data: use a wider corridor to capture enough points
Exporting the Profile
You can export the profile data in two formats:
- CSV — a spreadsheet file with columns for distance, elevation, classification class, and optionally RGB colors and intensity. Open this in Excel, Google Sheets, or any data analysis tool.
- DXF — a CAD-compatible file showing the profile as a 2D drawing.
Click the Export CSV or Export DXF button in the profile panel header.
Multiple Profiles
You can create multiple profiles. Each one appears in a list below the profile button:
- Click on a profile in the list to re-open its chart.
- Click the trash icon to delete a profile.
Use Cases for Elevation Profiles
| Scenario | What to Look For |
|---|---|
| Road cross-section | The road surface should be smooth with a slight crown (high point in the center for drainage) |
| River valley profile | A V-shaped or U-shaped dip showing the valley and water channel |
| Embankment or levee | A raised mound of consistent height |
| Power line clearance | The wire height above the terrain, and whether any vegetation reaches close to it |
| Slope analysis | The angle of the terrain — steep slopes will show a sharp rise in the chart |
| Building height | Flat ground suddenly rising to a flat rooftop, then dropping back to ground |
Tips for Accurate Measurements
- Zoom in before placing measurement points for greater precision.
- Use 2D mode (top-down view) for horizontal measurements — it is easier to click precisely when looking straight down.
- Use 3D mode for elevation profiles — it helps you see the terrain shape and choose meaningful start and end points.
- Measurements are based on the 3D coordinates of the points you click, so they account for elevation changes. A distance measurement along a hillside will show the true 3D distance, not just the flat (horizontal) distance.
Next Step
Need to correct some classifications by hand? Head to Classification Editing.