Free online LAZ to OBJ converter

3D applications that accept polygon meshes but not LiDAR point clouds need an OBJ version of LAZ data. The conversion usually requires reconstructing a surface from the points, so it does not preserve the original point-cloud structure.

What the LAZ format is

LAZ is a compressed form of LAS, a format for LiDAR point-cloud data. Each point can include coordinates and attributes such as intensity, return number, classification, and color. LAZ files commonly come from airborne or terrestrial laser scanners, drone mapping, and surveying workflows, and are handled by tools such as PDAL, LAStools, and CloudCompare.

What the OBJ format is

OBJ is a text-based format for 3D geometry, commonly used to exchange polygon meshes between modeling and rendering software. It stores vertices and faces; a companion MTL file can describe materials. OBJ is widely supported, but it is not a standard container for LiDAR classifications or coordinate-reference information.

How to convert LAZ to OBJ

Online on 101convert.com

1. Open the LAZ-to-OBJ converter on 101convert.com and upload the LAZ file. The page shows the per-file size limit; multiple files can be converted in one batch.
2. Choose OBJ as the output format and start the conversion.
3. Download the converted file when processing finishes.

Offline with desktop software

CloudCompare is free and runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux. It can reconstruct a mesh from a point cloud and export that mesh as OBJ:

1. Open the LAZ file in CloudCompare and select the point cloud.
2. Compute normals using Edit → Normals → Compute. Surface reconstruction needs normals; check their orientation because inconsistent normals can produce errors.
3. Run the Poisson surface reconstruction tool under Plugins → PoissonRecon, if that plugin is available in your installation. Adjust the reconstruction settings to suit the point density, then create the mesh.
4. Select the resulting mesh and use File → Save. Choose OBJ as the file type; save any accompanying MTL file with the OBJ.

Quality and limitations

A LAZ file is a set of measured points, while a typical OBJ is a connected surface. Reconstruction estimates faces between points; it can smooth small features, bridge gaps, or create unwanted surfaces in noisy or sparse areas. Review the mesh before using it. The OBJ generally will not retain LAZ-specific attributes such as classifications and return data, and OBJ does not reliably carry the source coordinate system, so record the coordinate system and units separately.