Overview #
The LiDAR payload comprises a LiDAR sensor, an INS, and optionally an RGB camera. To accurately geo-reference the LiDAR points, data from these devices must be fused—transforming LiDAR reference frame data into geographic coordinates. PCMasterProGL software facilitates this process. It also corrects for any misalignments between the INS and the LiDAR lasers. The software takes the INS trajectory generated by Post-Processed Kinematics (PPK) workflow, LiDAR scan files, and camera images from the LiDAR payload system and converts them into point clouds in LAS/LAZ format for further processing.
All LiDAR payload units are pre-calibrated and shipped with the necessary boresighting values saved on the devices. This eliminates the need for manual alignment of laser offsets, angle scale factor errors, and adjustments for linear and angular offsets, thereby streamlining and simplifying the processing experience.
Key Features #
PCMasterProGL offers the following key features:
- Post-processing of inertial data
- Fast data processing (refer to Default One-Click Processing for details)
- Capability to process multiple datasets simultaneously
- Point cloud visualization and colorization
- Visualization of misalignment corrections
- Point coloring by selected path number, laser number, or intensity
- 3D distance measurement tool
- XML project format for automation
- Ground classification, accuracy assessments, DEM and Contour generation
- Strip alignment and SLAM processing
System Requirements and Limitations #
Computer Hardware Limitations #
PCMasterProGL is compatible with Windows 10 x64 and Windows 11 (MacOS and Linux x64 versions are under development). For optimal performance in visualizing large point clouds, a fast GPU with substantial video memory is recommended. The software has been tested with Nvidia GeForce GTX graphics cards, but it is hardware-independent. A general guideline is 1 GB of memory for every 15 million points in the cloud. Fast data processing also necessitates a high-performance CPU.
Recommended Computer Specifications:
- Intel 10th gen Core i7 or better
- 32 GB DDR4 RAM
- Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 Ti or better
- Windows 10 x64 or Windows 11
Data Processing Limitations #
PCMasterProGL has specific limitations related to data processing. Known limitations include support for certain Base Station file formats and the volume of data that can be processed at once, which is primarily constrained by computer specifications rather than software limitations.
Note: Trimble proprietary formats such as .T02 and .T04 are not supported. These should be converted to RINEX format before use.
For Rinex Base Station data, multiple files are required for processing and must be placed in the data folder without renaming. During processing, PCMasterPro will prompt the user to select the Base Station file for the project. Choose the Rinex file with the extension “.YYo” or “.YYO” (where YY denotes the year, e.g., “.23o” for 2023). If you need to merge several RINEX files into one, you can familiarize yourself with this procedure by following this link.
Processing more than 150 GB of data in a single project may lead to issues with producing final .las files. These issues are generally due to GPU processing power rather than software malfunction. For assistance with data processing issues, please contact RESEPI support.