cog_copc_generate

This repository describes the use of containerized software to 1. convert geotif files to cloud-optimized geotifs (COGs) and 2. convert.laz (or .las) point clouds to cloud-optimized point clouds (COPCs). The conversion to COGs is executed using Gdal command-line tool, while the conversion to COPCs is handled by Untwine command-line tool.

Gdal and Untwine are containerized using docker. The container image is hosted on Dockerhub here.

Run the Container Image

When you run the container image, it will crawl over a user defined volume and convert all the geotifs to COGs and all .laz/.las point clouds to COPCs. The new files will be written to the same input directory.

docker run --rm -v <directory/with/cogs/copc>:/input jeffgillan/cog_copc_generate:amd64

Pair cog_copc_generate with automate-metashape

This cog_copc_generate container was designed to work direcly with automate-metashape created by Open Forest Observatory. Before using cog_copc_generate with automate-metashape, it is best to first familiarize yourself with how to use the containerized implimentation of automate-metashape here.

Automate-metashape and cog_copc_generate are both in docker containers. We can run them sequentially using docker compose. Automate-metashape will run first and output imagery products into a user-defined directory. cog_copc_generate will wait for the first container to run and then proceed to crawl throught the output directory and convert all geotifs to COGs, and all .laz/las to COPCs.

Setup with docker-compose.yml

Configuration to run automate-metashape and cog_copc_generate sequentially is controlled in the docker-compose.yml file located in this repository. Download this file to be in or near the local directory with the aerial images to be processed. You only need to change a few items in this yml.

• Specify the directory of images to be mounted in the container. This is relative to your current working directory.
• Make sure your Metashape license has already been declared in your terminal session
• Specify the directory where the output image products are being written to. This is relative to your current working directory and is specified within the automate-metashape config.yml. Please do not change the location of the mounted directory in the container (ie, /input).

services:
  automate-metashape:
    image: ghcr.io/open-forest-observatory/automate-metashape
    container_name: automate-metashape
    volumes:
      - "</host/data/dir>:/data" ### Directory of images to be mounted in the container (relative to your current working directory) 
    environment:
      - AGISOFT_FLS=${AGISOFT_FLS} ### You should have declared your Metashape license in the terminal already
    
    deploy:
      resources:
        reservations:
          devices:
            - driver: nvidia
              count: all
              capabilities: [gpu]

  untwine:
    image: jeffgillan/cog_copc_generate:amd64
    container_name: cog_copc_generate
    depends_on:
      automate-metashape:
        condition: service_completed_successfully
    volumes:
      - ../output:/input  ### Directory where image products are written to (relative to your current working directory)

Run docker compose

At the terminal, you need to be located in the directory where the docker-compose.yml is located.

docker compose up