We are currently using this technology for the Fire Department and the Special Unit of the Police. If buildings do not have design documentation or are in danger of collapse, we scan the current state of the building and use the resulting view to decide whether or not the building can be entered. If it is safe to enter, this gives us up-to-date information on closed doors, windows, barricades and other possible obstructions or damage. Other applications are also in the construction and planning fields.

LiDAR is a method of measuring distance based on the reflection time of a laser beam from the object being scanned. The laser transmitter is mounted on a rotating device and can therefore scan the surrounding environment and various objects around it.

We use the Flyability Elios 3 drone for indoor mapping. It is designed specifically for these spaces and is equipped with a fixed LiDAR sensor capable of showing a simplified view of the environment in real time. For exterior spaces, our most used machine is the DJI Matrice 350 RTK equipped with the DJI Zenmuse L1, which combines an RGB camera with a LiDAR sensor so we can get a point cloud that includes real object colors. The last alternative is to use cameras and use photogrammetry to create a point cloud. Unfortunately, these are not as accurate as LiDAR sensors.

The application offers a total of three main model display modes:

• 2D
• Measuring
• Free

The first 2D mode provides a view of the entire model from perpendicular, side and 30° views. The ability to change perspective helps with orienting the model and exploring different details.

In this mode, you can also adjust the bottom and top levels at which the model is sectioned. With this feature, it is possible to easily view the interior spaces, filter a specific floor or part of the building for insight and view the floor plan of the model. For a better view of the floor plan at the selected height, the application can create a plan of the currently selected space and save it as black points on a white background for better contrast.

There is also a button to add points of interest (POI) to the project, which allows them to be displayed in the model and shows a preview of the photos taken at the POI location. These photos can also be displayed directly in the application, which saves them directly to the project directory for later evaluation of the action. Individual points of interest can be turned off, on, or permanently deleted as needed.

Measurement mode allows you to move the model from a first-person perspective and use the measuring pointer to measure the distance between two points.

Free mode provides fast and untethered movement and is ideal for easy exploration and inspection.