November 21st, 2011
LAS 1.4 Specification Approved by ASPRS Board

The most significant of the new features include:

• Expansion of the Class field from 32 to 256 classes
• Well Known Text (WKT) encoding for coordinate reference system designation
• Support for scanner designation for multiple sensor laser systems such as mobile mappers
• Support for up to 15 return pulses for discrete pulse systems (waveform support was added at release 1.3)
• Maximum file size increased from 4 GB to a theoretical file size of 18 Exabytes

 “ASPRS has been very proactive in accommodating the needs of the lidar community,”  said James Plasker, ASPRS Executive Director. “This latest update addresses the rapidly changing capabilities of lidar hardware as well as recognizing the needs of the data processing side of the technology.   The adoption of WKT as the standard method of representing coordinate reference systems brings LAS in line with evolving GIS standards and ensures a method of accurately representing both horizontal and vertical references.  The expansion to 256 classes will allow more robust representation of complex collection environments such as electric transmission line modeling.”

ASPRS President Gary Florence added “I am very pleased, not only with the outcome, but with the overall public comment and review process.  The ASPRS LAS Working Group effectively resolved several contentious issues in a manner supportive of the broader community.” Florence also “commended ASPRS Lidar Division Director Lewis Graham for his excellent leadership of the overall process, as well commended the many Working Group members who devoted themselves to this effort.”

The LAS version 1.4 specification was approved by the ASPRS Board of Directors on November 14, 2011 and is available for immediate use. The full specification can be downloaded from the ASPRS website athttp://www.asprs.org/LAS_Specification.