Abstract
The increasing demand for 3D geospatial data is driving the development of new products. Laser scanners are becoming more mobile, affordable, and user-friendly. With the increased number of systems and service providers on the market, the scope of mobile laser scanning (MLS) applications has expanded dramatically in recent years. However, quality control measures are not keeping pace with the flood of data. Evaluating MLS surveys of long corridors with control points is expensive and, as a result, is frequently neglected. However, information on data quality is crucial, particularly for safety-critical tasks in infrastructure engineering. In this paper, we propose an efficient method for the quality control of MLS point clouds. Based on point cloud discrepancies, we estimate the transformation parameters profile-wise. The elegance of the approach lies in its ability to detect and correct small, high-frequency errors. To demonstrate its potential, we apply the method to real-world data collected with two high-end, car-mounted MLSs. The field study revealed tremendous systematic variations of two passes following tunnels, varied co-registration quality of two scanners, and local inhomogeneities due to poor positioning quality. In each case, the method succeeds in mitigating errors and thus in enhancing quality.
Highlights
Mobile laser scanning (MLS) established itself in the geospatial market and has become a key technology for 3D digitizing the world
Multi-pass approach: We investigate the agreement of MLS point clouds obtained with one scanner in several successive passes
Since we started researching mobile laser scanning, numerous new systems become available on the market, and many companies have begun offering 3D capture services
Summary
Mobile laser scanning (MLS) established itself in the geospatial market and has become a key technology for 3D digitizing the world. Much of what we know about mobile laser scanning technology stems from research from the 1990s and early 2000s [1,2]. The price and weight of laser scanners fell, and they began to emerge on various moving platforms such as helicopters and vehicles [3,4,5,6]. Laser scanners exist in many sizes and shapes for use on airplanes, drones, cars, and even a person’s back. Commercial products are available from many manufacturers, and numerous private companies offer data collection services. MLS has found its way into asset management, maintenance, construction, project planning, and safety [7]
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