From Old-School to High-tech: 3D Scanning a Multi-storey Building with Everything We’ve Got

Abstract. Modern trends in geospatial data acquisition are increasingly focused on efficiency, automation, and cost-effectiveness while maintaining sufficient accuracy for a wide range of applications. This paper evaluates the performance of several modern scanning devices, including terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) systems and SLAM-based or photogrammetry-LiDAR based solutions. Measurements were carried out in interior and exterior environments to assess not only positional accuracy but also practical aspects such as acquisition time, post-processing requirements, and overall costs. Results show that while SLAM-based scanners significantly reduce acquisition time and required manpower, their accuracy is lower compared to static TLS methods. Hybrid approaches offer a compromise, balancing speed with improved precision. Cloud-based solutions, such as the Matterport Pro3, provide user-friendly workflows but exhibit significant noise and registration errors, making them unsuitable for high-accuracy surveying tasks.
This study confirms that no single scanning technology is universally optimal; instead, the balance between accuracy, efficiency, cost, and operator expertise must guide the choice of device for each specific application.