2023 NOAA Lidar Point Cloud for Hawaii's Big Island

HI_NOAAMauiOahu_3_B20 is a QL1 lidar dataset covering approximately 306 square miles on the eastern side of Hawaii's Big Island. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the USGS managed the project, with data collected between February 14 and March 15, 2023. The processed data is delivered as 3,450 individual 500-meter tiles in LAZ 1.4 format, collected at an aggregate nominal pulse spacing of 0.35 meters.

Use Cases

• Generate high-resolution digital elevation models based on the 0.35-meter nominal pulse spacing and 8 points per square meter density.
• Analyze coastal topography and erosion patterns based on the geospatial coverage of Hawaii's eastern coastline.
• Calibrate remote sensing and autonomous vehicle navigation systems based on the QL1 specification and ASPRS positional accuracy standards.
• Identify areas of low data confidence for survey planning based on the documented low-confidence polygons and data voids.

Strengths

• Data adheres to the National Geospatial Program Lidar Base Specification Version 2.1 and ASPRS Positional Accuracy Standards.
• Collection achieved an aggregate nominal pulse spacing of 0.35 meters and approximately 8 points per square meter.
• Vertical accuracy was assessed using independent checkpoints collected throughout the project area.
• Data is delivered in a standardized, processed LAZ 1.4 format across 3,450 tiles.

Limitations

• Description metadata is limited; actual data quality requires manual inspection after download.
• Areas of low point density and small data voids are present within the work unit.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.

Provenance

Source

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce

Collection Method

Airborne lidar acquisition and processing by Woolpert, following established ground control and accuracy checkpoint procedures.

Time Range

Primary data collection occurred from February 14, 2023, through March 15, 2023.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03 13 22:17:14.724407; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Covers approximately 306 square miles on the eastern side of the big island of Hawaii.