A 3D scanner can work effectively with drones to capture aerial and hard-to-reach surfaces for high-precision modeling in industries like construction, environmental monitoring, and historical preservation. Drones fitted with lightweight LiDAR or photogrammetry-based 3D scanners are able to map large areas with incredible accuracy. For example, LiDAR-mounted drones can acquire up to 300,000 data points per second and reach accuracies within 2 cm, even from altitudes over 50 meters.
In 2022, a drone fitted with a 3D scanner mapped an archaeological site of over 5 hectares. It took less than two hours to complete, with the data having over 10 million points, which is a resolution of 5 mm. This approach not only saved significant time compared to traditional surveying methods but also minimized physical disruption to the site.
Drones that can perform 3D scanning are very important both in terrain mapping and the monitoring of the environment. In 2021, a drone-based system fitted with a LiDAR scanner created a detailed 3D model of the riverbank over a 10 km stretch in just four hours during a flood risk assessment. The model identified areas of erosion with 95% accuracy, thus allowing authorities to prioritize repair efforts.
Lightweight 3D scanners, such as those from RevoPoint, are finding their way into drone systems for smaller-scale applications. A RevoPoint 3D scanner, weighing less than 1 kg and providing resolution up to 0.1 mm, was mounted on a drone to scan a church steeple in a restoration project. The portability and precision of the scanner enabled a full 360-degree scan of the structure without scaffolding, reducing project costs by 30%.
It also finds wide application in systems using drones, especially in city planning and structural analysis. A drone with a high-resolution camera captured more than 1,000 overlapping images of a city block, from which a 3D model comprising several millions of polygons was processed. Such a model allowed planners to simulate new building designs while ensuring minimal disruption to the existing structures.
Using drones with 3D scanning in agriculture comes with several advantages. In the year 2020, a vineyard mapped its terrain with drone-mounted scanners to locate the best planting zones considering elevation and soil slope. The method resulted in the improvement of planting efficiency by 25% and enhanced crop yield predictions.
For users in more advanced surveying or modeling applications, a drone-equipped 3d scanner offers flexibility and an unprecedented degree of precision. The applications keep improving with time, covering larger roles across many sectors and revolutionizing the documentation and analysis of complex environments.