LP360

Overview

LP360 Drone is a desktop toolkit for turning drone LiDAR and imagery into analyzed data and project deliverables. It suits geospatial operators who need processing and analysis alongside visualization, rather than a viewer alone. Its one-device floating license and 10km² project ceiling put a firm boundary around that capability.

Key features

LP360 brings synchronized 2D, 3D, and profile views together with 3D Gaussian Splat viewing. Its processing tools cover LiDAR quality control and repair, filtering, 3D editing, automated ground classification, terrain modeling, and volume calculations. That breadth makes it useful for projects that move from point-cloud cleanup to measurable outputs; teams that only need to inspect point clouds may find the paid desktop suite more than they need.

Optional AI add-ons classify ground and above-ground features, produce forestry outputs, and identify utility-corridor features. Support for sensors from DJI, Microdrones, Phoenix LiDAR, Riegl, TrueView, Wingtra, and YellowScan, plus the ability to combine data with other geospatial sources, gives it a place in mixed-source workflows. It supports registration, classification, geospatial analysis, E57 and LAS/LAZ, and point-cloud-to-mesh work. Exports include CAD formats and LANDXML; LPLAS files follow the ASPRS LAS specification, making them usable in software that reads LAS.

Cloud Collaborate adds online storage, sharing, geographic search, web viewing, and streaming between LP360 Cloud and desktop software. Core processing is local, while cloud workflows are optional and user-initiated; transfers use HTTPS/TLS encryption. LP360 supports offline or air-gapped operation with local processing and no external data transmission in that mode. Online services are hosted on AWS in the United States, though some workflows may temporarily send data to third-party processors, including servers in France. Buyers with strict data-handling requirements should account for that distinction.

Pricing

LP360 is freemium, with a free plan and paid plans billed annually. The LP360 Drone base license costs $1,675 USD per year and includes a one-device floating license, with projects capped at 10km². It is the core choice for operators who need the desktop processing suite and can work within those limits.

Optional plans require LP360 Drone unless noted otherwise:

• DJI L1/L2 Cloud batch processing: $620 a year; 20 flights per month and one user included.
• Cloud Collaborate: $930 a year; 200GB storage, one user, and streaming up to 50GB per month.
• 3D Accuracy: $1,115 a year.
• AI Ground Classification: $1,360 a year; five regular jobs per month for 0–10GB projects, one user included.
• Strip Align for Drone: $1,675 a year.
• 3D Photo Engine: $2,475 a year.
• AI Ground+ Classification: $2,640 a year; five regular jobs per month for 0–10GB projects and one user included. Standalone AI Ground Classification is not included.
• AI Forestry Classification: $5,280 a year; five regular jobs per month for 0–10GB projects and one user included.

The lower-cost cloud and AI add-ons narrow their scope with monthly flight or job quotas, storage and streaming caps, or limited included users. They are sensible when that specific workflow is needed, but they do not replace the base desktop license. The higher-priced AI Forestry plan is aimed at forestry work, while Ground+ costs more than Ground Classification and does not include the standalone Ground Classification add-on. The free plan is an entry point, but the paid license is where the described desktop suite and its project limit apply.

Platforms

LP360 is available on web and Windows, with LP360 Drone as a desktop application. Its local processing and offline or air-gapped mode favor teams that need work to remain on-device; cloud collaboration is optional rather than required.

Who it's for

LP360 is best suited to drone LiDAR and imagery teams that need repair, classification, terrain or volume analysis, and deliverable exports in one workflow. It is a weaker fit for multi-device teams, projects exceeding 10km², or users who need a free viewer rather than a processing suite. Teams relying on cloud collaboration should also match the included storage, streaming, user, and job quotas to their workload.

Pros and cons

• Pros: A broad path from LiDAR repair and classification to terrain models, volume calculations, and CAD or LANDXML exports reduces the need to split those tasks across separate tools.
• Pros: Local processing, optional cloud workflows, and offline or air-gapped support accommodate workflows that cannot depend on continuous cloud transfer.
• Pros: Sensor support across several named manufacturers and LAS-compatible LPLAS exports make it practical for mixed-source data and downstream LAS software.
• Cons: The one-device license and 10km² project cap constrain teams with multiple workstations or larger project areas.
• Cons: Several add-ons have narrow monthly quotas, and some require the $1,675-per-year base license, so their headline prices are not the whole cost of a working setup.
• Cons: Cloud services use U.S.-hosted AWS infrastructure, and some workflows may temporarily transfer data to third-party processors, including in France.

Alternatives

If the project needs a free tool rather than LP360's paid desktop workflow, Open3D is free and spans API, Linux, macOS, self-hosted, web, and Windows platforms. LidarView is another free option, with Linux and Windows support and no licensing fees under Apache 2.0. For a free library that permits commercial and research use under the BSD license, consider Point Cloud Library, available on Android, Linux, macOS, and Windows.

Leica Cyclone 3DR is a paid Windows option with a free plan. CloudCompare is free on Linux, macOS, and Windows. Autodesk ReCap Pro is paid, has no free plan, and supports web and Windows.

For a usage-based approach, Pointly has a free plan and charges from €0.03 per million points for its Pointly Box usage-based plan, with volume booked in advance and unlimited parallel jobs. WhiteboxTools combines free open tools with a paid LiDAR and forest analytics option; its free open-core offering includes 700+ tools for Python, R, or QGIS.

Browse the Point Cloud Software category for more options.

Verdict

Choose LP360 if your drone-data workflow needs substantial point-cloud processing, analysis, and export tools, and your projects fit a one-device, 10km² license. Its local-first approach and optional collaboration broaden its usefulness, but the base license cost and add-on quotas make it a poor fit for casual viewing, multi-device use, or projects beyond that cap.