3D Laser Scanning
The hardware, formats and field methods behind reality capture. Terrestrial laser scanners, LiDAR, registration and control, scan resolution and point density, georeferencing, occlusion, and the file formats that move data between platforms. These articles are written for people specifying or buying scanning work rather than operating the equipment — what accuracy claims actually mean, how scanner choice affects a deliverable, and which technical decisions on site determine whether the resulting data is usable downstream.
State Plane Coordinates & Laser Scanning
Aug 26
How state plane coordinate systems tie your scan to real-world survey control for site and civil projects. ...
What Is SLAM Mobile Mapping?
Aug 21
How SLAM (simultaneous localization and mapping) enables fast, walk-through 3D capture of large spaces. ...
5 Ways a Point Cloud Can Lie (and How to Read One Critically)
Aug 20
Last updated: August 29, 2026 Short answer: A point cloud looks like objective reality, but it can mislead in five predictable ways: occlusion gaps (what the scanner couldn't see), noise, […] ...
Registration Error: The Hidden Cost of a Cheap Laser Scan
Aug 20
Last updated: August 29, 2026 Short answer: Registration is the process of aligning dozens or hundreds of individual scan setups into one coordinate system. Small alignment errors compound as they […] ...
Point Cloud Decimation & Noise Filtering
Aug 14
How decimation and noise filtering make massive point clouds manageable without losing the accuracy you need. ...
Colorized Point Clouds Explained
Jul 31
What colorized (RGB) point clouds are, how they’re captured, and why color helps you interpret scan data. ...
Target vs. Targetless Registration in Laser Scanning
Jul 22
How targets and targetless (cloud-to-cloud) registration differ, and when each delivers the best accuracy. ...
What Is LiDAR? A Plain-English Guide
Jul 5
LiDAR measures distance with laser light to build precise 3D data — the technology behind 3D laser scanning. ...
Georeferencing & Coordinate Systems in Laser Scanning
Jul 5
Georeferencing ties a laser scan to real-world coordinates — essential for site, civil, and multi-building projects. ...