services
3D SCANNING OF OBJECTS AND TERRITORIES
What is 3D GeoScan
Mobile 3D scanning is becoming a standard tool for building surveys, earthworks, renovations, new developments, as-built documentation, and other specialist activities. Laser scanning can capture the geometry of a building, façade, technical equipment, or terrain in a short time and with a very high level of accuracy, down to millimetres. This allows designers and investors to work with objective, verifiable data, significantly reducing errors and the risk of additional costs during both design and construction.
What happens during mobile 3D scanning
A laser scanner equipped with LiDAR technology, in the form of a mobile handheld device, emits beams that measure the distance to all accessible surrounding surfaces while simultaneously capturing photographs of the scanned space. The entire process takes place while walking, without the need to stop, level the device, or continuously readjust it. Device calibration and connection to the Czech national coordinate system, S-JTSK, are completed before the scanning itself begins. The result of each scan is a point cloud — a highly accurate digital record of the actual condition of a building or site. Each point represents an exact coordinate in space. Millions to billions of points create a detailed description of the geometry of the building, structures, and terrain. The scan can also capture hard-to-access areas that were previously time-consuming or technically difficult to measure and inspect, such as various types of shafts, technical spaces, or underground parts of buildings.
How We Work with Mobile Scanning at ABMV
Mobile 3D scanners make it possible to capture interiors and exteriors, small objects, and very large areas efficiently. As part of our 3D GeoScan service, we work with a wide range of buildings and sites, including:
- family houses and apartment buildings,
- commercial buildings such as offices, retail spaces, and hotels,
- industrial halls, including technology installations,
- historical buildings,
- earthworks and excavations.
In practice, this means there are very few situations where we need to return to the site because of missing documentation. A single comprehensive scan provides multiple types of outputs that can be used throughout the entire building lifecycle — from design and construction through to facility management, renovations, or as-built verification.
Key Benefits
Mobile 3D scanning has a clear role in modern design and building management because:
- It responds to real problems faced by investors, designers, and facility managers today. Many buildings have outdated or incomplete documentation that does not reflect the actual as-built condition. This complicates design work, discipline coordination, and the subsequent management of the building.
- At the same time, the demand for precise coordination between individual disciplines is increasing — not only in 2D drawings, but especially in spatial representation and BIM models. Accurate as-built data is becoming a key input for design, clash detection, and decision-making during construction.
- Another important factor is the pressure to minimise additional costs during construction. Working with inaccurate or outdated documentation often leads to changes, additional works and disputes. Mobile 3D scanning helps significantly reduce these risks by providing an objective and verifiable record of reality.
- The value of scanning data does not end with building handover. It is increasingly used for facility management, maintenance planning, renovations, and layout changes throughout the building’s lifecycle.
What to Expect from the Service
- Accuracy up to 1 cm – suitable for control measurements and BIM models.
- Fast execution – mobile laser scanning can reduce survey time by up to 70%.
- Complete coverage – we capture complex spaces, façades, and structures.
- Fewer errors and additional costs – accurate data means fewer uncertainties during design.
- Practical outputs ready for use – CAD, BIM, building passport, visualisations, volumes, and reports.
How the Collaboration Works
Brief and scope definition
Together, we define the purpose of the survey, required accuracy, output formats, and intended use, such as design, building surveys, or work inspection.
On-site scanning
Using FARO Orbis, we carry out mobile 3D scanning of interiors, exteriors, and terrain. SLAM technology enables fast and accurate capture of large spaces as well as complex structures.
Data processing and digitalisation
The point clouds are then registered, cleaned, and georeferenced. We create spatial data from which drawings, models, and reports can be generated.
Outputs and consultation
We deliver the final data in the selected format, such as CAD, BIM, IFC, or E57. We also provide consultation on the outputs, explain their structure, layers, and units, and recommend the most suitable way to use them.
Technology
We use FARO Orbis, a next-generation mobile laser scanner that combines SLAM and Flash technologies to deliver maximum speed, accuracy, and flexibility.
- Mobile SLAM mode: captures a building by walking through or driving around it, with accuracy of up to approx. 5 mm.
- Range of up to 120 m and up to 640,000 points per second during scanning.
- Colour point clouds and 360° panoramic images, enabling clear visualisations and easy integration into CAD/BIM workflows.
- Workflow: device → mobile scanning → software processing, for example in FARO Connect, FARO Scene, or FARO Sphere XG → outputs in formats such as E57, LAS, DWG, and IFC.
Thanks to this technology, we can offer your project:
- Fast capture of an entire building or site, including interiors, exteriors, and terrain.
- Accurate source data for design, comparison of the as-built condition with project documentation, and terrain digitalisation, such as excavations or embankments.
- Outputs prepared for architects, designers, and facility managers in a digital environment that supports BIM, building surveys, and facility management.
Our Advantages
- Experience from design and construction practice – we know what data designers and investors actually need.
- End-to-end service – from on-site surveying to final data outputs.
- Speed and transparency – clearly defined scope, price, and delivery date agreed in advance.
- Connection to other ABMV services – Architecture, Project Management, and Construction Management.
Contact Us
Do you need to survey a building accurately before renovation, prepare data for design, or verify the as-built condition?
Book a consultation for your project with our specialists today.
FAQ
Accuracy is typically within 1 cm, depending on the type of building, the environment, and the intended use of the data. The specific tolerance is always defined before the project begins.