Quantitative Landscape Assessment Using LiDAR and Rendered 360° Panoramic Images

The study presents a new method for quantitative landscape assessment. The method uses LiDAR data and combines the potential of GIS (ArcGIS) and 3D graphics software (Blender). The developed method allows one to create Classified Digital Surface Models (CDSM), which are then used to create 360° panoramic images from the point of view of the observer. In order to quantify the landscape, 360° panoramic images were transformed to the Interrupted Sinusoidal Projection using G.Projector software. A quantitative landscape assessment is carried out automatically with the following landscape classes: ground, low, medium, and high vegetation, buildings, water, and sky according to the LiDAR 1.2 standard. The results of the analysis are presented quantitatively—the percentage distribution of landscape classes in the 360° field of view. In order to fully describe the landscape around the observer, graphs of little planets have been proposed to interpret the obtained results. The usefulness of the developed methodology, together with examples of its application and the way of presenting the results, is described. The proposed Quantitative Landscape Assessment method (QLA360) allows quantitative landscape assessment to be performed in the 360° field of view without the need to carry out field surveys. The QLA360 uses LiDAR American Society of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ASPRS) classification standards, which allows one to avoid differences resulting from the use of different algorithms for classifying images in semantic segmentation. The most important advantages of the method are as follows: observer-independent, 360° field of view which simulates human perspective, automatic operation, scalability, and easy presentation and interpretation of results.