Factors Controlling DEMs Generated from Airborne LiDAR Data

Accurate and high spatial resolution digital elevation models are in increasing demand for a growing number of mapping and Geographical Information System applications such as forest management urban planning ice sheet mapping flood control road design etc. Airborne light detection and ranging (LiDAR) has become the preferred technology for producing digital elevation data in a wide range of applications. DEMs quality depends mainly on the accuracy of LiDAR and elevation data and the process of converting discrete elevation points to DEMs (interpolation). As LiDAR technology provides high density and high accuracy three dimensional terrain point data acquisition the quality of DEMs relies on the interpolation process.