US Patent 9542738 Augmented three dimensional point collection of vertical structures

Automated methods and systems of creating three dimensional LIDAR data are disclosed, including a method comprising capturing images of a geographic area with one or more image capturing devices as well as location and orientation data for each of the images corresponding to the location and orientation of the one or more image capturing devices capturing the images, the images depicting an object of interest; capturing three-dimensional LIDAR data of the geographic area with one or more LIDAR system such that the three-dimensional LIDAR data includes the object of interest; storing the three-dimensional LIDAR data on a non-transitory computer readable medium; analyzing the images with a computer system to determine three dimensional locations of points on the object of interest; and updating the three-dimensional LIDAR data with the three dimensional locations of points on the object of interest determined by analyzing the images.