OPALS stands for Orientation and Processing of Airborne Laser Scanning data. It is a modular program system consisting of small components (modules) grouped together thematically in terms of packages. The aim of OPALS is to provide a complete processing chain for processing airborne laser scanning data (waveform decomposition, georeferencing, quality control, structure line extraction, point cloud classification, DTM generation and several fields of application like forestry, hydrology/hydraulic engineering, city modelling and power lines).

User Documentation

Section Installation Guide discusses how to download the Windows/Linux binaries and how to install OPALS
Section Getting Started gives a 15 minute introduction on how to use OPALS
Section Software Concept describes the basic concept of OPALS in detail
Section Workflow Management shows how to combine OPALS modules using scripts
Section Use Cases presents typical applications, workflows and typical command sequences
Section Supported data formats overviews the supported vector and raster file formats
Section FAQ answers frequently asked questions concerning OPALS
Section Bibliography contains a list of OPALS related articles

Reference Documentation

Section List of OPALS Modules contains a list of all OPALS modules and a detailed description of each module
Section OPALS Datamanager describes the ALS data administration concept in detail
Section Parameters / Configuration Files / Parameter Mapping explains parameter categories and types, and their specification
Section Logging / Error Handling contains details about the way OPALS logs information and handles errors
Section Filters explains the detailed syntax used to filter vector data
Section OPALS Format Definition shows how to specify data formats for import and export
Section Using Python Bindings describes how to embed OPALS modules in a Python programming/scripting environment
Section Using C++ Bindings deals with embedding OPALS modules in a C++ programming environment
Section C++ API Reference contains the detailed OPALS module class documentation (public functions, parameters, etc.)
Section Acknowledgements lists all the third party libraries, programs and data used within OPALS
Section Glossary contains a list of a keywords and acronyms together with a description of their meaning

OPALS Packages

Package opalsPreprocess Signal analysis and point cloud derivation
Package opalsQuality Quality control and documentation
Package opalsGeoref ALS strip adjustment
Package opalsGeomorph ^* Terrain feature extraction (breaklines lines,etc.)
Package opalsClassify ^** 3D-Classification of ALS point cloud
Package opalsSurface ^** Surface interpolation (DTM/DSM) and visualisation
Package opalsHydro ^** Hydrologic/Hydraulic applications
Package opalsForest Forestry applications
Package opalsCity ^* Building and city modelling

^{*) package not yet available **) package only available partially}

For inquiries and feedback please contact the OPALS Team