diff --git a/VERSION b/VERSION
index 9cec7165..23887f6e 100644
--- a/VERSION
+++ b/VERSION
@@ -1 +1 @@
-3.1.6
+3.1.7
diff --git a/opendm/entwine.py b/opendm/entwine.py
index e430d867..fbfddbf9 100644
--- a/opendm/entwine.py
+++ b/opendm/entwine.py
@@ -62,17 +62,48 @@ def build_untwine(input_point_cloud_files, tmpdir, output_path, max_concurrency=
     # Run untwine
     system.run('untwine --temp_dir "{tmpdir}" {files} --output_dir "{outputdir}"'.format(**kwargs))
 
-def build_copc(input_point_cloud_files, output_file):
+def build_copc(input_point_cloud_files, output_file, convert_rgb_8_to_16=False):
     if len(input_point_cloud_files) == 0:
         logger.ODM_WARNING("Cannot build COPC, no input files")
         return
 
     base_path, ext = os.path.splitext(output_file)
+    
     tmpdir = io.related_file_path(base_path, postfix="-tmp")
     if os.path.exists(tmpdir):
         log.ODM_WARNING("Removing previous directory %s" % tmpdir)
         shutil.rmtree(tmpdir)
+    cleanup = [tmpdir]
 
+    if convert_rgb_8_to_16:
+        tmpdir16 = io.related_file_path(base_path, postfix="-tmp16")
+        if os.path.exists(tmpdir16):
+            log.ODM_WARNING("Removing previous directory %s" % tmpdir16)
+            shutil.rmtree(tmpdir16)
+        os.makedirs(tmpdir16, exist_ok=True)
+        cleanup.append(tmpdir16)
+
+        converted = []
+        ok = True
+        for f in input_point_cloud_files:
+            # Convert 8bit RGB to 16bit RGB (per COPC spec)
+            base = os.path.basename(f)
+            filename, ext = os.path.splitext(base)
+            out_16 = os.path.join(tmpdir16, "%s_16%s" % (filename, ext))
+            try:
+                system.run('pdal translate -i "{input}" -o "{output}" assign '
+                '--filters.assign.value="Red = Red / 255 * 65535" '
+                '--filters.assign.value="Green = Green / 255 * 65535" '
+                '--filters.assign.value="Blue = Blue / 255 * 65535" '.format(input=f, output=out_16))
+                
+                converted.append(out_16)
+            except Exception as e:
+                log.ODM_WARNING("Cannot convert point cloud to 16bit RGB, COPC is not going to follow the official spec: %s" % str(e))
+                ok = False
+                break
+        if ok:
+            input_point_cloud_files = converted
+        
     kwargs = {
         'tmpdir': tmpdir,
         'files': "--files " + " ".join(map(double_quote, input_point_cloud_files)),
@@ -82,5 +113,6 @@ def build_copc(input_point_cloud_files, output_file):
     # Run untwine
     system.run('untwine --temp_dir "{tmpdir}" {files} -o "{output}" --single_file'.format(**kwargs))
 
-    if os.path.exists(tmpdir):
-        shutil.rmtree(tmpdir)
\ No newline at end of file
+    for d in cleanup:
+        if os.path.exists(d):
+            shutil.rmtree(d)
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/opendm/point_cloud.py b/opendm/point_cloud.py
index f178c08c..abe7ee91 100644
--- a/opendm/point_cloud.py
+++ b/opendm/point_cloud.py
@@ -311,4 +311,4 @@ def post_point_cloud_steps(args, tree, rerun=False):
         log.ODM_INFO("Creating Cloud Optimized Point Cloud (COPC)")
 
         copc_output = io.related_file_path(tree.odm_georeferencing_model_laz, postfix=".copc")
-        entwine.build_copc([tree.odm_georeferencing_model_laz], copc_output)
\ No newline at end of file
+        entwine.build_copc([tree.odm_georeferencing_model_laz], copc_output, convert_rgb_8_to_16=True)
\ No newline at end of file