Orienteering mapping with LiDAR, smartphones and free tools

I’m learning about making orienteering maps. I’ve made a series of articles describing some of the things I’ve learned and done.

You can treat this article is an index. I update it when I post a new article.

The Gossan Hill map project

• Map project: Gossan Hill Nature Reserve
• Why bother with georeferenced mapping?
• Thanks to Stefano Raus
• Thankyou software and service creators

Fundamentals

• Understand the co-ordinate system
• Getting the map boundary co-ordinates
• Sharing large files with Dropbox

Working with LiDAR data

• Identify the LiDAR data tiles required
• Getting the LiDAR data
• Installing LASTools
• Clipping the LiDAR data with LASTools
• Merging the LiDAR data with LASTools
• Compressing and decompressing LiDAR data with LASTools
• Changing LAS file version using LASTools
• Thinning LiDAR files with LASTools
• Checking LiDAR data with LASTools
• Installing LASEdit
• Viewing a profile with LASEdit
• Inspecting slope images in LASEdit
• Installing the Karttapullautin map generator
• Generating map inputs with Karttapullautin
• Installing OL Laser
• Generating contours and cliffs with OL Laser
• Generating slope and relief images with OL Laser

Producing the map with Open Orienteering Mapper

• Installing Open Orienteering Mapper
• Open Orienteering Mapper help file is great
• Starting a new map with Open Orienteering Mapper
• Importing into Open Orienteering Mapper
• Changing map objects using tags
• Trimming objects in Open Orienteering Mapper
• Working with templates in Open Orienteering Mapper
• Adding contours from Karttapullautin
• Adding cliffs from Karttapullautin
• Adding cliffs from OL Laser
• Adding knolls and depressions from Karttapullautin
• Coming soon: marking features, adding acknowledgements, etc

Working with Open Street Map data

• Starting a new project based on an old map (and using Open Street Map data to geo-reference the old map)

Working with aerial photography

• ACTmapi aerial photography

Fieldwork using a GPS smartphone

• Adding features based on the GPS data in their photos
• Mapping features based on GPS waypoints
• Adding features based on a GPS route

Other

• Comparing Karttapullautin generated contours and traditional contours

Who is this series for?

You might be interested in this series of articles if you:

• are a recreational orienteer
• want a practical approach
• prefer freely available data and software
• have access to LiDAR data.

This series of articles probably isn’t for you if you:

• are a mapping professional, since you already know what you’re doing
• have access to commercial tools and data, since your facilities are better than mine
• are seriously competitive about orienteering practices, since I’ll be taking too many shortcuts to satisfy you
• love the technicalities of orienteering maps, since I’ll be taking a practical approach
• want to know all about software and data licenses, since I am not a lawyer and won’t be going into that side of things
• need to make maps in bulk, because I’m only interested in making one at a time
• need help using a computer, since I’m not offering detailed guidance about installing software, managing files and folders, or using the command line
• use an Apple or Linux computer, since I know nothing about those
• are focused on course setting, since this series is about mapping.