3D building extraction from aerial LiDAR enhanced by fusion with cartographic data: a case study

The continuous advancements in technologies such as Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) enable automated solutions for various urban studies. Airborne LiDAR technology generates detailed three-dimensional (3D) maps of terrain, directly measuring the Earth's topography to create 3D point clouds over vast areas. This study focuses on Rimini and utilizes LiDAR for 3D building extraction at different levels of detail and compares open source and commercial software. Specifically, it examines the fusion of LiDAR data with cartographic data to enhance model accuracy by addressing challenges like irregular building shapes, incomplete datasets, and varying point densities. The results highlight significant improvements in 3D models when integrating cartographic data with LiDAR, demonstrating the potential for accurate urban modeling in applications like urban planning and disaster management.