Cross Section
Create 2D profile views through your 3D point cloud data
The Cross Section tool creates a 2D profile view by slicing through your point cloud along a line you define. This is invaluable for analyzing vertical clearances, terrain profiles, and infrastructure heights.
Creating a Cross Section
Open the Tool
Select Cross Section from the top navigation bar.
Draw the Section Line
Click on the map to define the start point of your cross section line.
Set the End Point
Click again to define the end point. A line appears showing your cross section path.
View the Profile
A secondary viewer opens showing the orthographic (2D) cross-section view.
- Points are displayed from a side view
- The view shows vertical structure along the line
Adjusting the Cross Section
Section Width
Control how thick the slice is using the Width slider in the settings panel:
- Narrow width (e.g., 2m) - Shows only points very close to the line
- Wider width (e.g., 10m) - Includes more points for a fuller picture
Start with a narrow width to see a clear profile, then increase if needed to capture more features.
Moving the Section Line
To reposition the cross section:
- Click Reset to clear the current line
- Draw a new line at the desired location
Undo
If you make a mistake while drawing:
- Click Undo to remove the last point
- Start drawing again from the remaining point
Working with the Profile View
Secondary Viewer
The cross-section profile appears in a secondary viewer with:
- Orthographic projection - No perspective distortion
- Side view - Looking along the section line
- True vertical scale - Heights are accurate
Navigation
In the profile viewer:
- Pan - Click and drag to move
- Zoom - Scroll to zoom in/out
- No rotation (orthographic view is fixed)
View Options
Customize the profile display:
- Change color mode (Classification is often most useful)
- Adjust point size for clarity
- Filter by classification to focus on specific features
Use Cases
Clearance Analysis
- Draw sections across power lines to see wire heights
- Verify clearance above roads, rails, or waterways
- Check vegetation clearance along spans
Terrain Profiling
- Analyze slope and elevation changes
- Identify drainage patterns
- Plan construction grades
Infrastructure Review
- View pole heights relative to terrain
- Check wire sag between poles
- Analyze building heights
Quality Control
- Verify classification accuracy
- Identify noise or errors
- Check data coverage
Reading the Profile
Interpreting the View
In the cross-section view:
- Horizontal axis - Distance along the section line
- Vertical axis - Elevation (height)
- Colors - Based on your selected color mode
Common Features
Look for:
- Ground surface - Usually a continuous lower boundary
- Vegetation - Irregular, organic shapes above ground
- Structures - Angular, geometric shapes
- Wires - Thin horizontal lines with characteristic sag
Using Classification color mode makes it easy to distinguish between ground, vegetation, wires, and structures in the profile view.
Tips for Effective Cross Sections
Line Placement
- Perpendicular to features - For poles, draw the line perpendicular to the span direction
- Along spans - To see wire sag, draw parallel to the span
- Across terrain - Draw from high to low points to see the full profile
Width Selection
| Scenario | Recommended Width |
|---|---|
| Single pole analysis | 2-5 meters |
| Span wire sag | 3-5 meters |
| Terrain profile | 5-10 meters |
| Broad overview | 10-20 meters |
Performance
- Narrower widths process faster
- Dense point clouds may benefit from reduced point budget
- Complex scenes may need a moment to render
Closing the Cross Section
To exit cross-section mode:
- Click Reset in the settings panel
- The secondary viewer closes
- Return to normal 3D viewing
Next Steps
After analyzing your cross section:
- Measure specific heights in the main viewer
- Add comments to document findings
- Create a clipping area to export the region