PDAL is a BSD licensed library for translating and manipulating point cloud data of various formats. It is a library that is analogous to the GDAL raster library. PDAL is focussed on reading, writing, and translating point cloud data from the ever-growing constellation of data formats that are being developed for working with multi-dimensional emitted-pulse scanning systems. While PDAL is not explicitly limited to working with LiDAR data formats, its initial rollout is focused in that area.