The Bee 
Handbook 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
   

 
 

Table of Contents 
 
The Bee Handbook 1 
Table of Contents 2 
Recent Updates & Changelog 4 
April 2019 4 
March 2019 4 
February 2019 4 
March Instructions Update 5 
(work in progress) 5 
New Label Changes 5 
March Instructions Update (Cont.) 7 
No Label Zone Changes 7 
House Driveway Changes 7 
Remotasks University Bee Courses 8 
Understanding Bee Attributes 8 
Understanding Bee Labels 8 
Understanding Bee Permanent Street and Traffic Signs 8 
Quickstart Guide 9 
Rules for Edge Cases 10 
Labels Changing Mid-scene 10 
Annotating Specific Areas 11 
Fast Food Drive-Thrus 11 
Buildings with Pedestrians Inside & On Top 12 
Auto-Repair Shops 13 
When the SDC is in a parking lot 14 
Parking Garages 15 
Annotating Apartment Parking Spaces 17 
Annotating Specific Objects 18 

2 
 

Static Road Object - Permanent Street and Traffic Signs 18 

Yellow Highway Barrels or Impact Attenuators 19 
Semi-Trucks 20 
Vehicles with Large Objects on the Roof 21 
Vehicles with Hoods or Car Doors Open 22 
Forklifts 23 
Mail Truck, Mail Van, or Mail Lorry 24 
Wood Chippers 25 
Mobile Traffic Control and Construction Zone Signs and Sign Boards 26 
Common Places to Look For Missing Vehicles 27 
Behind rows of stopped cars at intersections 27 
Behind gas station pumps 28 
Frequent and Common Errors 29 
Weekly Error Reports 29 
Camper Trailers vs Recreational Vehicles 30 
‘Stopped’ vehicles that are mislabeled as ‘Braking’ 31 
Headlights and Turn Signals ARE NOT ‘Active Signalling’ 32 
Minivans mislabeled as Vans 33 
Incorrect No Label Zones 34 
Including Echo with Stationary Objects 35 
Over-annotating reflections 36 
Over-annotating reflections (cont.) 37 
Examples: 38 

   

3 
 

Recent Updates & 

Changelog 
April 2019 
- Added more clarification about street and traffic signs 
- Added Bee courses to the quickstart guide 

March 2019 
- March Instructions Update [3.15] 
- Annotating parking garages [3.11] 
- Added Weekly Error Report section to reference all docs. [3.20] 
- Added ​Yellow Highway Barrels or Impact Attenuators​ [3.21] 
- Added ​Labels Changing Mid-scene​ [3.25] 
- Added images to ​Minivans mislabeled as Vans​ [3.25] 
- Added ​Static Road Object - Permanent Street and Traffic Signs​ [3.25]  

   

4 
 

March Instructions Update  

(work in progress) 

New Label Changes 

1. Static Road Object - Permanent 
Street and Traffic Signs: 
a. Annotate  any  informational  signs 
while  that  assist  drivers  while 
driving.  This  includes  direct  traffic 
signs  (stop,  yield,  lane  ending  etc.) 
and  indirect,  informational  signs 
(mileage  markers,  city  distances, 
welcome to town signs, etc.)  
b. Do  not  include  the  pole  when 
annotating the traffic sign. 
c. Do  not  annotate  stop  lights  or 
traffic signals as traffic signs. 
d. If you can’t see the front of the sign, still annotate it with the label. 
e. If there are multiple signs on one pole, annotate each sign individually. 
 

 
 

5 
 

 
2. Construction Object - Temporary Fence: 
 
a. Annotate  any  fencing used 
to  block  off  pedestrians 
and  traffic  from 
construction  areas.  These 
are  typically  2m  -  3m  tall, 
and  are  made  out  of  wood 
or metal. 
 
 

   

6 
 

March Instructions Update 

(Cont.) 
No Label Zone Changes 
1. No longer annotate driveways leading into a ​No Label Zone  
2. Annotate all cars waiting to exit a ​No Label Zone  
3. Annotate the entire path of cars that enter a ​No Label Zone 
4. Remember, cars parked on the street should be annotated individually and 
shouldn’t be covered with a No Label Zone 

House Driveway Changes 

1. Annotate all temporary objects on house driveways (ie. Shipping containers, 
garbage bags, gardening supplies etc.) 

 
 
 
   

7 
 

Remotasks University Bee Courses 

There are several Bee courses on the Remotasks LiDAR University that can help 
teach you about Bee, and help to improve your quality! 
 

Understanding Bee Attributes 

Understanding Bee Labels 

Understanding Bee Permanent Street and Traffic Signs    

8 
 

Quickstart Guide 
 
★ DO NOT​ include echo points   
★ Leave ‘​No Label Zone’​ cuboids at the default 2.0m height. Make sure the 
Z-index is sitting on the ground. 
★ Overlapping cuboids of Semi truck and Trailer is okay 
★ Annotate ​all garbage bins​ on the road, driveway, and sidewalk as “Static Road 
Object - Pushable or Pullable” 
★ Label any target object containing at least 1 LIDAR or RADAR point​, as long as 
you can see it in street view you want to annotate it (including the 0 points 
frames). Be reasonably sure you know the location and shape of the object. Use 
your best judgment on correct cuboid position, sizing, and heading 
 
 

   

9 
 

Rules for Edge Cases 

Labels Changing Mid-scene 
Occasionally, a label will have to change in the middle of the scene. This is 
usually due to a change in the label’s physical action. For example: 
 
This ​Pedestrian with Object - Adult​ was 
pulling this metal cart. The cuboid is correct 
and includes both the pedestrian and the cart. 

 
 
 
Once they let go of the cart, however, the 
Pedestrian with Object - Adult ​cuboid stops, 
and two new cuboids are created - one 
Pedestrian - Adult​ and one ​Static Road Object 
Other​.    

10 
 

Annotating Specific Areas 

Fast Food 
Drive-Thrus  
Fast  food  drive  thrus  are not 
part  of  the  parking  lot,  and 
need to be annotated.  
 
Even  if  the  restaurant  is  in 
the  corner  of  a  parking  lot, 
all  objects  in  the  drive-thru 
area  (e.g.  cars  and 
pedestrians)  need  to  be 
annotated.   

11 
 

Buildings with Pedestrians Inside & On Top 

Do not​ annotate pedestrians or objects 

inside or on top of buildings, even if 
they have clear lidar points or are in 
camera view. 

   

12 
 

Auto-Repair Shops 
Auto repair areas should be treated just like gas stations. All objects - eg. cars 
and pedestrians - should be annotated individually.  

   

13 
 

When the SDC is in a parking lot 

If  the  SDC  is  driving  in,  exiting,  or  entering  a  parking  lot,  then  ​all  cars, 
pedestrians,  and  other  objects  need  to  be  annotated​.  If  there  are  any  other 
parking  lots  in  the  scene  that  aren’t  connected  to  the  parking  lot  the  SDC  is in, 
then annotate it as a no label zone. 

Here,  all  of  the  cars  in  the  parking  lot  the  SDC  is  driving  in  are 
annotated  individually.  The  far  away,  unconnected  parking  lot  is 
correctly annotated with a no label zone.    

14 
 

Parking Garages 
If  you  can  see  LiDAR  points  of  vehicles  inside  of  a  parking  garage,  annotate 
the first floor of the parking garage with a ​No Label Zone​.  

 
 

 
   

15 
 

When the SDC is in a parking lot (con’t) 

Here, all of the cars in the parking lot the SDC is driving in are annotated 
individually. Even though there is a small divider between the rows of cars, all 
of the cars in the directly connected parking lot are annotated individually.    

16 
 

Annotating Apartment Parking Spaces 

These  parking  spaces  meant  for  the  apartment  buildings  should 
be  considered  a  parking  lot,  and  be  annotated  with  a  ‘​no  label 
zone​’.  

 
   

17 
 

Annotating Specific Objects 

Static Road Object - Permanent Street and 
Traffic Signs 
- Annotate any informational signs while that assist drivers while driving. 
This includes direct traffic signs (stop, yield, lane ending etc.) and 
indirect, informational signs (mileage markers, city distances, welcome to 
town signs, etc.)  
- Do not​ include the pole when annotating the traffic sign. 
- Do not​ annotate stop lights or traffic signals as traffic signs. 

   

18 
 

Yellow Highway Barrels or 

Impact Attenuators 
Annotate all yellow highway barrels (also called 
Big Sandy​, ​Impact Attenuators​, ​crash cushion​, 
crash attenuator,​ or ​cowboy cushion​.  
 
These are generally found on the ends of 
highway barricades to prevent cars from 
crashing directly into the cement blockade.   

19 
 

Semi-Trucks 
Annotate semi-trucks with two separate cuboids: 

 
 
Label  the  first  cuboid  ‘​Vehicle  -  Truck​’  with  the  attribute 
‘​Towing​’.  Label  the  second  cuboid  ‘​Vehicle  -  Trailer​’  with 
the attribute ‘​Being towed​’. 
 
If  the  truck  and  the  trailer  are  currently  ‘​Parked​’  or 
‘Stopped​’,  they  should  still  have  the  same  attribute  ‘​Towed’ 
and ‘​Being towed​’.   

20 
 

Vehicles with Large Objects on the Roof 

Any  and  all  objects  on  top  of  a  vehicles  roof  should  be  included  with 
the  cuboid.  This  includes  trucks  hauling  lumber,  passenger  vehicles 
with  luggage  bins  on  top,  other  self  driving  vehicles  with  LIDAR 
devices, etc.    

21 
 

Vehicles  with  Hoods  or  Car  Doors 

Open 
Any  vehicle  with  the  hood,  or 
car  door  open,  should have the 
hood/door  included  within the 
cuboid.  
   

22 
 

Forklifts 
Forklifts  should  be  labeled  as  ‘​Vehicle  -  Other’​.  Include  all 
parts  of  the  vehicle into the cuboid when annotating (e.g. the 
forks, or the hydraulics). 

     

23 
 

Mail Truck, Mail Van, or Mail Lorry 

Mail  trucks,  like  the  one  pictured  below,  should  be 
labeled  as  ‘​Vehicle  -  car’​.  If  they  are  larger  trucks  or 
semi-trucks, annotate them that way.   

24 
 

Wood Chippers 
Wood  Chippers  or  mulchers  mounted  on  trailers 
should  be  annotated  as ‘​Vehicle - Trailer​’. If it is being 
towed,  make  sure  to  have  give  the  object  the  attribute 
‘​Being towed​’.  

 
Remember!  If  there  are  any  tree  branches  or  other 
debris,  it  needs  to  be  annotated  with  ‘​Static  Road 
Object - Other​’.    

25 
 

Mobile  Traffic  Control  and 

Construction  Zone  Signs  and  Sign 
Boards 
 
If  a  construction  sign  board  is  on  a 
trailer, it should be annotated ‘​Vehicle 
-  Mobile  Traffic Control’​. ​If it is being 
towed,  it  needs  to  have  the  ‘​Being 
towed​’ attribute. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
If  a  construction  sign  board  is 
mounted  on  a  truck,  the  vehicle 
should  be  annotated  as  ‘​Vehicle  - 
Mobile  Traffic  Control’​.  Be  sure  to 
include  the  sign  board  in  the  cuboid 
with the vehicle.   

26 
 

Common Places to Look For 

Missing Vehicles 
Behind rows of stopped cars at intersections 

 
Look for gaps and spacing between cars stopped at stop lights. These cars are heavily occluded, but 
there may be enough points to annotate these cars. (Source: https://cl.ly/e83479b8de07) 

27 
 

Behind gas station pumps 

 
Watch out for other vehicles that are occluded by gas pumps. Check for the normal areas that cars may 
be pumping gas as well. (Source: https://cl.ly/059d37aeeeb6) 

   

28 
 

Frequent and Common 

Errors 
Weekly Error Reports 
Take a look at our weekly error reports! Every week on ​Discord​ we release a 
document with errors that are trending this week. Use these documents to 
increase your accuracy! 
 
1. Weekly Error Report - Week of 3/4/19 
2. Weekly Error Report - Week of 3/11/19 
3. Weekly Error Report - Week of 3/18/19 
4. Weekly Error Report - Week of 3/25/19 
5. Weekly Error Report - Week of 4/1/2019 
6. Weekly Error Report - Week of 4/8/2019 
7. Weekly Error Report - Week of 4/22/2019 
8. Weekly Error Report - Week of 4/29/2019 
9. Weekly Error Report - Week of 5/6/2019 
   

29 
 

Camper Trailers vs Recreational Vehicles 

Recreational  Vehicles  (RVs)  and  Recreational  Campers  look  similar.  The 
difference  is  that  RVs  are  able  to  drive  themselves,  and  should  be  labeled  as 
‘​Vehicle  -  Truck​’.  Recreational  Campers  cannot  drive  on  their  own,  and  are 
towed on a trailer; these should be labeled ‘​Vehicle - Trailer​’.    

30 
 

‘Stopped’ vehicles that are mislabeled as 

‘Braking’ 
The ​‘Braking’ ​attribute should be used for vehicles that are slowing down using 
their brakes. If you see a vehicle that is stopped at a stoplight, and you can see 
the brake lights, the vehicle should have the ‘​Stopped​’ attribute. 
https://cl.ly/af6abddc10a8​ The four vehicles on the right marked with the red 
arrow have their brake-lights on but are stopped. These should have the 
‘​Stopped​’ attribute 
 
The one vehicle in front of the minivan marked with the yellow arrow is 
currently moving, and has its brake-lights on. This vehicle should have the 
‘​Braking​’ attribute. 
 
   

31 
 

Headlights and Turn Signals ARE NOT ‘Active 

Signalling’ 
Vehicles with their headlights on ​are not​ using 
‘​Active Signalling​’. Active signalling is used for 
Emergency Vehicles or other vehicles with 
dedicated signals. 
   

32 
 

Minivans mislabeled as Vans 

Small passenger vans, that carry <9 people should be annotated as ​Vehicle - 
Car​.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Vans that are meant to carry more than 8 people, or delivery vans, news vans 
should be annotated as ​Vehicle - Van 
 
 

   

33 
 

Incorrect No Label Zones 

Be  careful  when  placing  ‘​No Label Zones​’. Use as few cuboids 
as  possible  to  cover  the  parking  lot.  Try  to  avoid  having 
overlap  between  cuboids  as  much  as  possible. Do not include 
any buildings or sidewalks within the cuboid.   

34 
 

Including Echo with Stationary Objects 

Stationary objects in Bee tasks 
are  prone  to  echoed  data. Flat 
objects,  like  large 
construction signs, will reflect 
lots  of  echo  causing  them  to 
appear  larger  than  they 
actually are: 
​https://cl.ly/19fa93a774be 
 
 
 

 
 
These  signs appear to be much larger when the 
SDC  is  far  away,  but  once  the  SDC  approaches 
thm,  the  noise  disappears  revealing  the  true 
dimensions  of  the  object;  the  cuboids  need  to 
be much smaller. 
 
 
   

35 
 

Over-annotating reflections 
When the SDC is near a building, it will pick up the lidar points reflecting off of 
objects in front of it. Be careful not to over-annotate these false lidar points. 
https://cl.ly/194bdbc55b76​ The pedestrians on the left of the orange line are 
reflections of pedestrians on the right.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

https://cl.ly/194bdbc55b76​ The building is causing a reflection, 

picking up additional lidar points of the objects between the 

building and the SDC.    

36 
 

Over-annotating reflections (cont.)   

37 
 

Examples:  
Signs that need to be annotated - pink arrows

 
 
Parking lot in front and behind buildings 

38