LIDAR cutout lets you remove trees and other areas from your LIDAR shading directly in Design Mode. Use it to model a system's performance with trees removed, correct outdated LIDAR, or exclude structures and obstructions that no longer affect the site without hand-drawing every remaining tree, structure, and obstruction.
In this article:
- Before you begin
- What you can remove
- How to remove an area from LIDAR shading
- How to edit or delete a cutout
- FAQ
- Related articles
Before you begin
- LIDAR shading must be enabled and LIDAR data must be available for the project.
- You need site-editing permission. This is the same permission used for other LIDAR actions like offsets and source changes. If you can edit LIDAR today, you can use LIDAR cutout.
- You create and edit cutouts in Design Mode only.
What you can remove
A cutout can exclude any region of the LIDAR surface model, not just trees. Common uses include:
- Trees and other vegetation
- Structures that no longer exist on the site
- Temporary obstructions
- Inaccurate or outdated LIDAR data
Aurora recalculates shading as if those areas aren't there, so you don't have to hand-redraw what remains.
How to remove an area from LIDAR shading
- Open your design in Design Mode and turn on LIDAR.
- Confirm LIDAR shading is on and the LIDAR is aligned with your imagery.
- Select the Cutout tool.
- Draw a shape around the tree or area you want to remove from the LIDAR mesh.
- Adjust the shape so it covers only the area you want excluded.
- Click Run on the irradiance map or performance simulation to see results with the area removed.
Note: Repeat these steps to add as many cutouts as you need across the site.
Result: The area you outlined is excluded from the LIDAR mesh, so Aurora calculates shading and performance as if those trees or obstructions are gone while the rest of your LIDAR shading stays intact.
How to edit or delete a cutout
- Select a cutout to resize or reshape it by dragging its points to adjust the boundary.
- To remove a cutout, select it and delete it.
Important: Editing or deleting a cutout invalidates your existing irradiance and performance results. Re-run the simulation so your results reflect the current LIDAR.
Note: Cutouts are read-only outside Design Mode. They display but can't be edited in Sales Mode.
FAQ
Do I need to disable LIDAR shading to remove trees?
No. That's what LIDAR cutout is for. You keep LIDAR shading on and remove only the areas you don't want counted.
Can I only use this for trees?
No. A cutout can exclude any region of the LIDAR surface model: trees, structures that are gone, temporary obstructions, or inaccurate data.
Can I use this in Sales Mode?
No. LIDAR cutout is a Design Mode feature. Cutouts you create appear as read-only in the Sales Mode design view.
What happens to my simulation when I edit a cutout?
Editing or deleting a cutout invalidates your existing irradiance and performance results, so you'll re-simulate. This keeps results accurate to the current LIDAR.
Does removing an area permanently delete LIDAR data?
No. Cutouts are editable overlays. You can reshape or remove them at any time, and the underlying LIDAR isn't changed.
Can I edit the LIDAR point cloud directly?
No. LIDAR cutout removes areas only. It doesn't support direct point cloud editing.
Can a financier confirm whether the LIDAR was edited?
Yes. Two fields on the design summary API — lidar_shading_enabled and lidar_has_areas_removed — let financing and TPO partners confirm which shading method was used and whether the LIDAR was edited, without a manual review.