Reading *.LAS format of LiDAR data In R

Dear Researchers,

is there some library to read *.LAS file format in R  to import LiDAR data?

Do you really need the data within R or is it more important to process 
them with R? For the second, one way is using package RSAGA, if SAGA GIS 
is installed on your system, see http://www.saga-gis.org .

RSAGA is some kind of a wrapper (and much more) for using the modules of 
SAGA GIS. With 'rsaga.get.libraries()' you will get a list of available 
SAGA GIS module libraries. In this list you should find 'io_shapes_las'. 
If not, you have to reconfigure and rebuild your SAGA GIS installation.

If module library "io_shapes_las" exists, you can ask this library for 
its modules:


#rsaga.get.modules(c("io_shapes_las"))
error: module
$io_shapes_las
   code             name interactive
1    0 Export LAS Files       FALSE
2    1 Import LAS Files       FALSE
3    2         LAS Info       FALSE


This module library contains three modules. The one with code 1 should 
be the right in your case. The error message is nonrelevant like in the 
subsequent items.
In a next step you can ask this module (Import LAS Files) for its 
parameters and options:


#rsaga.get.usage("io_shapes_las",1)
Unknown option 'h'
Usage: saga_cmd [-POINTS <str>] [-FILE <str>] [-T] [-i] [-a] [-r] [-c] 
[-u] [-n] [-R] [-G] [-B] [-e] [-d] [-p] [-C] [-VALID] [-RGB_RANGE <str>]
   -POINTS:<str>         Point Cloud
         Data Object (optional output)
   -FILE:<str>           Input File
         File path
   -T                    gps-time
         Boolean
   -i                    intensity
         Boolean
   -a                    scan angle
         Boolean
   -r                    number of the return
         Boolean
   -c                    classification
         Boolean
   -u                    user data
         Boolean
   -n                    number of returns of given pulse
         Boolean
   -R                    red channel color
         Boolean
   -G                    green channel color
         Boolean
   -B                    blue channel color
         Boolean
   -e                    edge of flight line flag
         Boolean
   -d                    direction of scan flag
         Boolean
   -p                    point source ID
         Boolean
   -C                    rgb color
         Boolean
   -VALID                Check Point Validity
         Boolean
   -RGB_RANGE:<str>      R,G,B value range
         Choice
         Available Choices:
         [0] 16 bit
         [1] 8 bit

error: executing module [Import LAS Files]
library path:   /usr/local/lib/saga
library name:   libio_shapes_las
module name :   Import LAS Files


 From here on it depends on your data how to proceed. You will find nice 
example in the help pages of RSAGA.

Hope this helps,
Rainer

Thanks for all suggestions
Gianni