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. ...
5 Ways a Point Cloud Can Lie (and How to Read One Critically)
Aug 20
A point cloud looks like objective reality, but occlusion gaps, noise, edge bleed, registration drift and reflective surfaces can all mislead. How to read one critically. ...
Registration Error: The Hidden Cost of a Cheap Laser Scan
Aug 20
Registration aligns dozens of scan setups into one coordinate system. Small errors compound across a building, so a cheap scan can look fine up close and be off at the […] ...
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 by timing laser pulses to build precise 3D data. It is the technology behind 3D laser scanning, explained in plain English. ...
Georeferencing & Coordinate Systems in Laser Scanning
Jul 5
Georeferencing ties a laser scan to real-world coordinates, which matters for site, civil and multi-building projects. How it works and when to specify it. ...
What Is Autodesk ReCap? A Beginner’s Guide
Jul 5
Autodesk ReCap turns raw laser scans into registered point clouds you can use in Revit and AutoCAD. ...