The presence of intensity values and RGB in point cloud datasets depends on the source of the data and the sensor settings used during data capture.
What is Intensity in Point Clouds?
Intensity is a value associated with each point in a point cloud that represents the strength of the returned signal (laser pulse) from a LiDAR or similar sensor. It reflects surface properties like reflectivity or material type.
Novorender visualizes this in shades of gray:
How to view intensity in Novorender
Navigate to Validation > Point visualization
If the feature is missing go to Adv. settings > Features > Widgets and toggle Point visualization then click SAVE.
When Intensity Is Present
Captured by LiDAR sensors: If the point cloud is generated using a LiDAR scanner (e.g. Leica, Faro, or a drone with LiDAR), the dataset usually includes intensity values.
Proper export settings: The dataset must be exported in a format that preserves intensity (e.g., LAS/LAZ, E57 with intensity channels).
Settings enabled: During scanning and exporting, intensity capture must be enabled explicitly in the hardware/software configuration.
When Intensity Is Not Present
Photogrammetry-based point clouds: These are generated from images (e.g., from drones using photogrammetry software like Pix4D, Agisoft) and generally lack intensity values.
Example of a point cloud without intensity and classification. The tab called INTENSTY is greyed out in Novorender widget:
Simplified or decimated point clouds: Some tools remove intensity for file size or performance optimization.
File format limitations: Certain formats (e.g., XYZ without additional channels) don’t store intensity.
How to Check If Your Point Cloud Has Intensity
View in software: Tools like CloudCompare, Novorender, or Autodesk ReCap will show if the "intensity" channel is available.
Inspect metadata: LAS/LAZ headers or E57 XML descriptors often list available channels.
When Point Clouds Include RGB Data
Point clouds have RGB data in the dataset when each of the points is associated with color information—typically coming from a color camera or RGB sensor used during the data acquisition process.
The RGB color values correspond to the real-world appearance of the object or surface being scanned, making the point cloud visually detailed and realistic.
