TBC 2024.00 Advanced Point Cloud Filtering Point Cloud Shift

We received a LiDAR point cloud on a state plane coordinate system. Our project site is a calibrated site that is within a few hundreths of the state plane coordinate system. To get the point cloud to to import into TBC in the correct location matching the calibrated site, we had to use “Point cloud from unknown source”, or else the point cloud was shifted by 10-20 feet. This seems strange in itself, but it got the job done.

However, when we ran the new Advanced Point Cloud Filtering command, the new scan it created is shifted a few feet, as if it is trying to do some kind of coordinate system transformation bring the new scan back into the project.

For the sake of curiosity, we tried running the RPS Point Cloud Processor in TBC 2023.11 in the same scenario, and it does not appear to shift the new scan!

We’re still testing to eliminate variables, but I suspect @alan.sharp may have some insights as to what is going on behind the scenes with these commands? I’m curious to know if anyone else will experience something similar…

I’ve had some issues in the past with point clouds (depending on the file type/format) coming tagged as “feet” instead of international or us survey. Then as I would process, it was misread and be translated. May be food for thought. I actually make a point to export PCs to meters now, to assist in avoiding.

Matthew
This is a TBC Bug that we have worked around with our Point Cloud Processor that Trimble just fell into with their own conmand - this is a good thing because maybe they will fix the bug that has been there for 2 years since we reported it - now that they have tried to copy our functionality in that command.

I woukd use the RPS Point Cloud Processor as rhat solves this issue.

Alan

2 Likes

I literally just laughed out loud. That’s awesome. :rofl:

I’ve had similar happen in 2023.10. Imported a .LAS that was exported from DroneDeploy, as a “Georeferenced Grid Scaled Point Cloud” which looked correct in N, E, Z axis. However, when using the Advanced Point Cloud Filtering command baked into TBC, the new scan it created was off vertically by 100+ feet, in multiple TBX projects. Gave up and eventually started using RPS Point Cloud Processor with no issues.