An integrated workflow for LIDAR / optical data mapping for security applications

This paper elucidates the potential of LiDAR data for information\ngeneration for security applications. The study is embedded in the\nEU Network of Excellence GMOSS. General, security applications cover\na large area from infrastructure monitoring (e.g. power stations,\npipelines) or border monitoring to less tangible threats like terrorism\nand civil security / homeland security. It is demonstrated that for\nthose security applications where the birds eye view can generally\nprovide useful information LiDAR data are increasingly a valuable\nsource of information, either stand alone or -- preferable -- in\ncombination with optical data. The empirical work focuses on the\nextraction of some buildings and power lines. It is demonstrated\nthat aggregated grid data in form of a DTM and DSM are only partially\nsuitable to extract linear and point-type features such as power\nlines or small power transformation stations. Detectability clearly\ndepends on the spatial resolution but generally 3D point clouds from\nfirst and last pulse information allow more sophisticated object\nextraction methods.