# readers.mbio

The mbio reader allows sonar bathymetry data to be read into PDAL and treated as data collected using LIDAR sources. PDAL uses the MB-System library to read the data and therefore supports all formats supported by that library. Some common sonar systems are NOT supported by MB-System, notably Kongsberg, Reson and Norbit. The mbio reader reads each “beam” of data after averaging and processing by the MB-System software and stores the values for the dimensions ‘X’, ‘Y’, ‘Z’ and ‘Amplitude’. X and Y use longitude and latitude for units and the Z values are in meters (negative, being below the surface). Units for ‘Amplitude’ is not specified and may vary.

Dynamic Plugin

This stage requires a dynamic plugin to operate

Streamable Stage

This stage supports streaming operations

## Example

This reads beams from a sonar data file and writes points to a LAS file.

    [
        {
            "type" : "readers.mbio",
            "filename" : "shipdata.m57",
            "format" : "MBF_EM3000RAW"
        },
        {
            "type":"writers.las",
            "filename":"outputfile.las"
        }
    ]

## Options

filename

  Filename to read from [Required]

count

  Maximum number of points to read. [Default: unlimited]

override_srs

  Spatial reference to apply to the data. Overrides any SRS in the input itself. Can be specified as a WKT, proj.4 or EPSG string. Can’t use with ‘default_srs’ [Default: none]

default_srs

  Spatial reference to apply to the data if the input does not specify one. Can be specified as a WKT, proj.4 or EPSG string. Can’t use with ‘override_srs’ [Default: none]

format

  Name of number of format of file being read. See MB-System documentation for a list of all formats. [Required]

datatype

  Type of data to read. Either ‘multibeam’ or ‘sidescan’. [Default: ‘multibeam’]

timegap

  The maximum number of seconds that can elapse between pings before the end of the data stream is assumed. [Default: 1.0]

speedmin

  The minimum speed that the ship can be moving to before the end of the data stream is assumed. [Default: 0]