Complete Guide to AWS Registry of Open Data
What is AWS Registry of Open Data?
The AWS Registry of Open Data hosts publicly available datasets in the cloud, making large geospatial files accessible without costly downloads. For LiDAR users, this means direct access to terabytes of point cloud and elevation data from government agencies worldwide.
βοΈ
Cloud-Hosted
Stream data directly from S3
π
Free Access
No AWS account needed*
π
Global Coverage
US, UK, NZ & more
β‘
Fast Downloads
AWS global infrastructure
Available LiDAR Datasets
Major Open LiDAR Collections on AWS
Several government agencies host their LiDAR data on AWS for public access. Here are the key datasets for elevation and terrain analysis.
πΊπΈ USGS 3DEP LiDAR Point Clouds
β¦ Coverage: Entire United States + territories
β¦ Format: EPT (Entwine Point Tiles) + LAZ
β¦ Resolution: QL0-QL3 (0.35mβ1.4m NPS)
β¦ License: Public Domain
π΄σ §σ ’σ ³σ £σ ΄σ Ώ Scottish Public Sector LiDAR
β¦ Coverage: ~45,000 kmΒ² of Scotland
β¦ Format: LAZ + COG (DTM/DSM)
β¦ Resolution: 4β10 points/mΒ²
β¦ License: OGL v3
π³πΏ New Zealand Elevation
β¦ Coverage: New Zealand (multiple regions)
β¦ Format: Cloud Optimized GeoTIFF (COG)
β¦ Resolution: 1m DEM/DSM
β¦ License: CC-BY-4.0
πΊπΈ Indiana Statewide Elevation
β¦ Coverage: Entire Indiana (2011β2020)
β¦ Format: LAS (uncompressed)
β¦ Update: 2025β2028 collection planned
β¦ License: CC0 (Public Domain)
How to Access AWS LiDAR Data
Multiple Access Methods
AWS Open Data can be accessed through web browsers, command-line tools, or programmatically. Choose the method that best fits your workflow.
# List USGS LiDAR projects
aws s3 ls s3://usgs-lidar-public/ --no-sign-request
# Download specific project
aws s3 cp s3://usgs-lidar-public/USGS_LPC_CA_LosAngeles_2016_LAS_2018/ . --recursive --no-sign-request
# Browse Scottish LiDAR
aws s3 ls s3://scotland-gov-gi/lidar-1/ --no-sign-request
AWS CLI commands for accessing public LiDAR buckets
01
AWS CLI Access
The most flexible way to access AWS Open Data is through the AWS Command Line Interface (CLI):
Installation:
- Install AWS CLI (free, no account required for public data)
- Use
--no-sign-requestflag for public buckets - Browse bucket contents with
aws s3 ls - Download with
aws s3 cporaws s3 sync
Key S3 Buckets:
s3://usgs-lidar-public/β USGS 3DEP EPT tiless3://usgs-lidar/β USGS raw LAZ (Requester Pays)s3://scotland-gov-gi/β Scottish LiDARs3://nz-elevation/β New Zealand COGs
02
Web Browser Access
Many AWS LiDAR datasets have web interfaces for easy browsing:
USGS 3DEP Options:
- usgs.entwine.io β WebGL visualization of point clouds
- Equator LiDAR Viewer β View, process, and download
- OpenTopography β Access 3DEP with clipping tools
Scottish LiDAR:
- Scottish Remote Sensing Portal β Interactive map interface
New Zealand:
- LINZ Data Service β Browse and download NZ elevation
π Popular Web Viewers
No installation required β works in any modern browser
# Python with boto3
import boto3
from botocore import UNSIGNED
from botocore.config import Config
s3 = boto3.client('s3', config=Config(signature_version=UNSIGNED))
response = s3.list_objects_v2(
Bucket='usgs-lidar-public',
Prefix='USGS_LPC_CA_',
MaxKeys=10
)
# Or use PDAL for direct point cloud access
pdal pipeline my_pipeline.json
Python and PDAL access to AWS LiDAR data
03
Programmatic Access
For automated workflows, use programming libraries to access AWS data:
Python Options:
- boto3: AWS SDK for Python β browse and download files
- PDAL: Point Data Abstraction Library β direct LAZ/EPT access
- rasterio: Read COGs directly from S3
- laspy: Read/write LAS/LAZ files
PDAL with EPT:
The PDAL library can read Entwine Point Tiles directly from AWS without downloading entire files β perfect for extracting small areas from large datasets.
STAC Catalogs:
Many datasets publish STAC metadata for easy discovery. Query by location, date, or attributes.
Understanding File Formats
π¦
EPT (Entwine Point Tiles)
Cloud-optimized octree format
Stream subsets without downloading entire files
Used by: USGS 3DEP public bucket
π
LAZ (Compressed LAS)
Industry-standard point cloud format
80-90% smaller than uncompressed LAS
Used by: All datasets
πΊοΈ
COG (Cloud Optimized GeoTIFF)
Streamable raster elevation data
DTM/DSM without full download
Used by: NZ, Scotland
Tips for Using AWS LiDAR Data
Processing Your Downloaded Data
Once you have downloaded LiDAR data from AWS, you’ll need tools to visualize and process it. Lidarvisor provides a streamlined workflow for point cloud analysis.
Frequently Asked Questions
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[us_accordion_item title=”Do I need an AWS account to access this data?”]
For most public datasets, no AWS account is required. You can browse and download using the --no-sign-request flag with AWS CLI, or use web interfaces like the USGS Entwine Viewer. However, some buckets (like the raw USGS LAZ files in s3://usgs-lidar) are “Requester Pays” and require an AWS account to cover data transfer costs.
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[us_accordion_item title=”What is the difference between public and Requester Pays buckets?”]
Public buckets (like s3://usgs-lidar-public) are completely free to access β AWS pays for data egress. Requester Pays buckets (like s3://usgs-lidar) require you to have an AWS account and pay for data transfer out of AWS, typically around $0.09/GB. The public bucket contains EPT-formatted data; the Requester Pays bucket has the original LAZ files.
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[us_accordion_item title=”What is EPT (Entwine Point Tiles)?”]
EPT is a cloud-optimized format that organizes point cloud data in an octree structure. This allows you to stream just the portion you need without downloading entire files. For example, you can extract a 1 kmΒ² area from a dataset covering an entire state, downloading only a few MB instead of hundreds of GB. Tools like PDAL, Potree, and Cesium support EPT natively.
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[us_accordion_item title=”How do I find data for a specific location?”]
For USGS 3DEP, use the LidarExplorer to search by location. For Scottish data, use the Remote Sensing Portal map interface. For programmatic access, many datasets publish STAC catalogs that let you query by bounding box or coordinates.
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[us_accordion_item title=”Can I use this data commercially?”]
Check the license for each dataset. USGS 3DEP is public domain (no restrictions). Scottish LiDAR is mostly OGL v3 (commercial OK with attribution), though some subsets are non-commercial only. New Zealand data is CC-BY-4.0 (commercial OK with attribution). Indiana is CC0 (public domain). Always check the registry page for current licensing terms.
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[us_accordion_item title=”How current is the data?”]
Coverage dates vary by region and dataset. USGS 3DEP is collected over 8-year cycles with ongoing updates β use LidarExplorer to see collection dates for specific areas. Scottish data ranges from 2011-present with the NLP programme adding coverage through 2027. New Zealand and Indiana are updated as new surveys are completed. Check each dataset’s documentation for update schedules.
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Additional Resources
π AWS Open Data Resources
π οΈ Processing Tools
β PDAL (Point Data Abstraction Library)
β OpenTopography
β CloudCompare