The good news is that regardless of the initial scanning technology you employed, processing LiDAR data requires the same tools. Pre-processing is the initial step in the process, which entails extracting the following data in order from the system: first, the laser data; second, the positional raw data; third, the data from the ground base station; and, finally, the raw GPS and inertial measurement unit (IMU) data. The data is then integrated and processed into a trajectory file; the procedure is a little more involved than this, but the LiDAR vendor typically offers software to facilitate it. After pre-processing, the calibration files are adjusted, and all the data is produced in LAS format (a standard file type for exchanging 3D point cloud data among users). This format permits the communication of any 3-dimensional x, y, and z tuplet while intended primarily for the interchange of LiDAR point cloud data.) The process will change based on your apps and intended uses since the data must now be converted into a format that engineering and mapping software can use. Once more, some solutions can assist with this process. For instance, Autodesk has data extraction tools that seamlessly interact with its products, like Map 3D and Civil 3D. It’s crucial to remember that your choice of LiDAR data-collecting method, terrestrial, mobile, or high-altitude aerial depends on the project you’re working on. A use case like a flood plain study might benefit more from high aerial data collection. Still, motorway resurfacing may help more from terrestrial or mobile scanning with tall order x, y, and z survey control monumentation for data calibration.