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How to create a RGB elevation from a DSM produce with Birdi in QGIS
How to create a RGB elevation from a DSM produce with Birdi in QGIS
Sebastian Robertson avatar
Written by Sebastian Robertson
Updated over a week ago

To create a RGB elevation from a Digital Surface Model (DSM) from Birdi in QGIS, you can follow these steps:

  1. Login into your Birdi account and navigate to the mission you have processed

  2. Navigate to the media tab from the Map View

  3. Filter your outputs to orthophotos

  4. Select the DSM and download the file

  5. Next, Launch QGIS and load your DSM data into the project.

  6. Make sure the DSM layer is selected in the Layers Panel.

  7. In the main menu, go to "Raster" -> "Analysis" -> "Hillshade" to open the Hillshade tool.

  8. In the Hillshade tool dialog, select your DSM layer as the "Input layer."

  9. Specify an output file name and location for the hillshade layer.

  10. Adjust the parameters in the Hillshade dialog as needed. The Azimuth and Altitude control the direction and angle of the simulated light source illuminating the terrain. Experiment with different values to achieve the desired effect. You can also adjust the Z Factor to scale the vertical exaggeration of the hillshade.

  11. Click "OK" to run the Hillshade tool. This will create a new hillshade layer in your project.

  12. Next, we will create the RGB elevation representation using the DSM and the hillshade layer. In the main menu, go to "Raster" -> "Miscellaneous" -> "Build Virtual Raster (Catalog)."

  13. In the Build Virtual Raster dialog, click the "..." button next to the "Input layers" field to open the Input Layers dialog.

  14. In the Input Layers dialog, select both the DSM layer and the hillshade layer by holding down the Ctrl key and clicking on each layer. Then click "Add."

  15. In the Build Virtual Raster dialog, specify an output file name and location for the RGB elevation layer.

  16. Leave the default settings in the dialog or adjust as needed. You can change the "Resampling method" and "No Data Value" if necessary.

  17. Click "OK" to create the RGB elevation layer.

  18. Once the process is complete, you will have a new layer representing the RGB elevation based on the DSM and the hillshade layer.

  19. You can adjust the styling of the RGB elevation layer to further enhance its visual appearance by right-clicking on the layer in the Layers Panel, selecting "Properties," and modifying the styling options.

  20. You can then export your amended file as a tiff and upload it into your Birdi mission.

Examples:

Remember to save your project to preserve the settings and the RGB elevation layer for future use.

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