Aura Desktop
Aura as a native desktop app — convert point clouds and unlock Pro features
Aura Desktop is Aura as a native application for macOS and Windows — the same app you use in the browser, downloaded to your computer. Think of it like using Slack in the browser versus installing the Slack desktop app. The core experience is identical: you get the same viewer, Digital Grid tools, and project management features.
Aura Desktop also enables capabilities that require local file system access:
- Point cloud conversion — Convert LAS and LAZ files to COPC format (free, no account required)
- Reverse Classification — Classify point cloud data using your Digital Grid model (requires Pro)
Download
Download Aura Desktop for macOS (Apple Silicon & Intel) and Windows from the downloads page.
Point Cloud Conversion
Aura Desktop converts standard point cloud files (.las, .laz) into COPC format (.copc.laz). COPC files can be streamed efficiently in Aura, enabling smooth visualization of very large datasets without loading the entire file into memory. Conversion runs entirely on your machine — no account required, no data uploaded.
During conversion, you can also:
- Override CRS — Correct files that have a wrong or missing EPSG coordinate reference system
- Reproject coordinates — Transform point cloud data between different coordinate systems
- Assign vertical datums — Tag files with vertical reference systems like NAVD88, NGVD29, or EGM2008
Converting Files
Add Files
Drag and drop your .las or .laz files onto the drop zone, or click Browse to select files from your computer. You can add multiple files for batch conversion.
Configure CRS (Optional)
If your files have an incorrect or missing coordinate system, expand the CRS Settings panel to:
- Override EPSG — Enter the correct EPSG code for your data
- Reproject — Transform coordinates to a different coordinate system
- Vertical Datum — Assign a vertical reference system (NAVD88, NGVD29, etc.)
Aura Desktop will auto-detect the EPSG code from your first file when possible.
Convert
Click Convert to begin. Each file shows a progress bar with the number of points processed. Output files are saved alongside the originals with a .copc.laz extension.
Load in Aura
Open Aura and select Add Data → Point Cloud → Add Local COPC to load your converted files. COPC files stream progressively, so even multi-gigabyte datasets will start rendering immediately.
Files that are already in COPC format will be detected automatically and skipped during conversion.
Supported Formats
| Format | Extension | Support |
|---|---|---|
| LAS (uncompressed) | .las | Input |
| LAZ (compressed) | .laz | Input |
| COPC | .copc.laz | Output |
Troubleshooting
File won't convert
Ensure the file is a valid LAS or LAZ point cloud. Aura Desktop validates files on import and will report if a file can't be read.
Data appears in the wrong location in Aura
The source file likely has an incorrect or missing coordinate reference system. Use the Override EPSG option in CRS Settings to specify the correct EPSG code for your data.
macOS security warning
On first launch, macOS may block the app because it was downloaded from the internet. Go to System Settings → Privacy & Security and click Open Anyway next to the Aura Desktop message.