LIDAR for Metal detecting with QGIS - get started in under 15 mins - increase your finds rate.

This tutorial is aimed at Metal Detectorists in the UK and around the world.
The aim is to improve metal detectorists understanding of the land and provide a clearer picture of permissions, plus lots of other tricks to come which push it way beyond any online free resources.
Already got your lidar or know where to grab it? Skip to: 03:20
What you'll need:
QGIS - tested back as far as 3.10. In this video I'm primarily using 3.22:
QGIS official (slow): qgis.org/downloads/QGIS-OSGeo...
QGIS mirror (fast) www.norbit.de/~jef/
Environment agency LIDAR data (UK): environment.data.gov.uk/Defra...
CARIS Easy View: www.teledynecaris.com/en/prod...
National Library of Scotland side by side maps: maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/side-...
DEFRA Environment Agency LIDAR data: environment.data.gov.uk/Defra...

[@GreatDataVideos]

Great video. QGIS can be confusing, but you've taken that confusion factor out in this video.

[@unearthers]

Thanks Paul, it can definitely be a minefield and there's a lot to it. A couple of things have changed since I did this video, but for the better.

[@sUASNews]

Well, this is just flipping brilliant, I am certainly going to recommend your channel for folks that need to know this sort of thing! I am a long-time QGISaphobe, I have been downloading and fiddling with different versions for years and have never managed instant great results like this before! Thanks very much for the time you took to make this.

[@unearthers]

Thanks so much! I've run out of time to dedicate to the channel.at the mo, but have follow up ideas and a couple of bits of info have changed. I'm currently using drones to create my own digital surface models which is fun 🙂

[@user-no7ez2zk8l]

​@@unearthers شكرٍ لك سيدي هل الذهب يضهر على الخريطه ممكن شرح

[@HolzHammerSagas]

absolutley brilliant video and extremely well explained and presented - bring on the map overlaying/geo-referencing pronto please!!!! many thanks, Alexander

[@unearthers]

Thanks Alexander, it's coming.in the next couple if weeks 👍

[@BrassMedic]

Very informative and useful information, glad I found it, will sub and watch your others. Thanks! 🤠

[@unearthers]

Thanks very much 🙂

[@unearthers]

I should add there's a new video coming today and another next week in plan 👍

[@BrassMedic]

@@unearthers I already set a reminder for it!

[@DiggingBuddy]

wow that's amazing

[@unearthers]

Thanks very much. It's just a quick start guide if you like. I've got more to build and add layers to later on 🙂

[@stefkuna]

Excellent, thanks. I wish I'd seen that before I worked out most but not all of it the hard way! I'm sticking with OASIS for now as it's so easy to import an Excel list of my finds and display as symbols. The list includes GPS coordinates but also attributes such as metal, century, object type, which I use for instance to display only medieval silver coins with a scripted filter. I'm sure a lot of detectorists would like to be able to do that so if you find a good way of doing it in QGIS we'd be interested!

[@unearthers]

Thanks Stefan, yeah it's all possible, but like all things QGIS, a bit of time has to be invested initially to get everything setup if you like. I'll take a look and see how I can simplify it for a vid in the future 🙂

[@stefkuna]

@@unearthers I uninstalled QGIS recently as I wasn't using it but I live in fear of the company wanting its OASIS license back so perhaps I should give it another go. These videos of yours are encouraging, thanks!

[@unearthers]

@@stefkuna I've not used oasis but think it's something I may be asked to use at some point (I currently have access to global mapper for my work and typically use that). QGIS can be a bit infuriating at times with longer steps for what I think should be easier, plus understanding what bits are relevant to you can be a learning curve, but for free, it's one hell of a package. I'm still in awe that I've had an earlier version of QGIS running and running well on a raspberry pi zero w 2. That is incredible really.

[@Genegenedtb]

how can you identify what's there on your final map? this is amazing and I will watch more of your videos... thanks

[@unearthers]

Now that I can't teach in a few minutes. Lidar will always be interpretive until you get a shovel in the ground to find out, however how I learned was to use our local definitive map (you should have one) and ours lists known features - medieval field systems, burrows, forts, rounds, Roman structures etc, so I have spent a lot of hours studying existing lidar of known features which helps inform my lidar work in the discovery of new features. Don't get me wrong, there's plenty that still catches me out (like an 18th century track recently I could've sworn was medieval) but I can take an educated guess on period. The size/measurements of things are very handy as a base to work from, but also, don't forget, if you're not sure what it is and the farmer doesn't have any knowledge, then it's likely going back a fair while. Worth putting a detector nearby. I helped a lovely gent recently who had a new permission. He was lucky enough to have the actual fosse way running through one of the fields and wouldn't have known if it wasn't for lidar.

[@unearthers]

I've said all that, I take it you mean what I'm actually looking at, or do you mean how to record things of interest? If it's how to mark things of interest, take a look at my other videos. It's the last one I did on adding shapefile layers 🙂

[@Genegenedtb]

@@unearthers I mean like structures and other shapes that now appear after you have worked your magic...

[@unearthers]

@@Genegenedtb well I can mark them by drawing over the map in the software (check out my latest video) however in terms of knowing exactly what they are, that's all research based - see my other reply on the comments here 🙂

[@unearthers]

You started with the right one originally I think Gene. There is a playlist on the channel.which should help you

[@markjohnnojohnson5352]

Hiya! I’m struggling with this I’ve downloaded the app I’ve circled the area but on my app I don’t have the the box on the bottom left to drop the files into?

[@unearthers]

Hey Michael, if you head to view - panels (I think) - layers then it should pop up. You can also load view - panels - browser as well which is also visible in the left panel 🙂

[@markjohnnojohnson5352]

@@unearthers hiya I’ll give that a bash mate i did message you on fb too thanks buddy

[@unearthers]

@@markjohnnojohnson5352 I'll check. Apologies I've been away on a dog for the past week or so 🙂

[@markjohnnojohnson5352]

@@unearthers no problem mate! Well I’ve got that box back lol 😂 I’ve messaged you again on messenger with the problem I have adding the files to the app if you get a min

[@davidbarnes1158]

Ive downloaded the files on my mac, ive unzipped then and dragged them over, i get the map of Britain where you press OK but then the files dont down in the main panel as they do with yours. mine are in the layers panel and i dont seem to be able to do anything with them, they show as narrow strips of dark grey. you havent any suggestions for a mac user have you? thank you

[@davidbarnes1158]

ive sussed that bit out, now i cant get two panels to display side by side, only individually.

[@unearthers]

Hi David, you should be able to drag the panels and arrange the workspace how you want. Sorry, I'm out on the fields today, but I'll try to reply later if you're still struggling.

[@diggingwesttexas3342]

Is there data available for the US? If so, where can I find it.

[@unearthers]

Hi, I'm not 100% sure but I have been led to believe there is some data available, however it's not quite as good as the UK coverage. You might have to do a little searching around.