Why is indoor 3D scanning harder than outdoor scanning?

Scanning indoors is often more challenging than scanning outdoors because the system has fewer external references to determine where it is.

When scanning outdoors, GNSS can provide an absolute position reference for the device. This gives the scanning system additional information about its location and can help constrain accumulated drift over longer scans. In combination with the device’s other sensors, this can make it easier to maintain a consistent reconstruction over large areas.

Indoors, underground, or in environments where GNSS signals are weak or unavailable, the scanner has to rely much more heavily on its cameras, LiDAR, motion sensors, and SLAM algorithms.

The first is known as tracking or localization. The second is closely related to loop closure, where the system has to recognize a previously captured area and using it as a reference to correct accumulated drift.

This becomes especially important during longer indoor scans. Small positioning errors can accumulate over time, causing walls to shift, rooms to misalign, or the reconstruction to gradually drift away from its true position.

A strong SLAM and drift-correction system is therefore essential for reliable indoor scanning.

MAVO 3D combines LiDAR, camera, and motion sensor data to continuously track the device and correct drift, allowing you to scan larger indoor environments while maintaining a consistent 3D reconstruction, even in spaces without GNSS available.

See how FM teams use MAVO 3D for digitizing their assets, ioLabs blog post about mobile 3D scanning solutions.

Getting started

Looking for a robust 3D scanning solution, built for reliable results? Download MAVO 3D on the App Store.

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