SLAM scanning: where it is useful
What a portable SLAM 3D scanner is, what tasks it solves, what the manufacturer states for the MS80 and SuperRTK and what the limits of the method are.
A classic terrestrial laser scanner is set up on a tripod and scans from one point. For complex spaces with many rooms or obstacles, that means dozens of setups and a lot of time. A portable SLAM scanner works differently: you carry it in your hand or on a pole and walk through the object, and the point cloud is built as you go.
What SLAM is
SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping) is a method by which a device determines its position and builds a map of its surroundings at the same time. The scanner uses LiDAR and, in some models, cameras, and the software continuously compares successive scans and calculates the trajectory. The result is a 3D point cloud of the object.
Where it is useful
- Inside buildings: rooms, corridors, basements, where a tripod scanner would need many setups
- Facades and complex structures
- Surveys for reconstruction projects and documenting the existing condition
- Roads, utility networks and industrial sites
- Hard-to-access objects: bridges, tunnels, quarries, forests, subject to local conditions
- Checking as-built work against the design
Meridian models
The catalog has two SLAM scanners. The values below come from the manufacturer's data.
- MS80: a 1.38 kg portable scanner, 360°×59° LiDAR with 200,000 points/s, three color cameras, dual RTK (NTRIP CORS and a 2 W radio) for absolute coordinates, real-time color cloud preview on a phone, 256 GB SSD, IP54 protection. Absolute accuracy ≤5 cm, relative ≤1 cm
- SuperRTK: a 2138 g SLAM-RTK scanner combining GNSS, LiDAR and cameras. It keeps 5 cm accuracy for up to 10 minutes after losing the GNSS signal. It can work in the hand or on a pole, without loop closure
The SuperRTK is also a GNSS receiver, so it can work in radio, CORS and PPP modes.
What RTK gives a scanner
Without coordinate referencing, a point cloud lives in a local coordinate system. A scanner with built-in RTK gives the cloud absolute coordinates: all scans are tied directly to the project coordinate system, without previously placed control points. This is useful outdoors: on roads, sites and next to buildings. Indoors, where there is no GNSS signal, SLAM does the work, and absolute coordinates appear when you step out into an open area.
Workflow
- Plan the route: cover the object completely, with check passes
- Scan while moving continuously, without sudden movements
- Check the cloud on a phone in real time, if the model allows it
- Download the data and process it in the manufacturer's software (Meridian Lidar Studio)
- Export the result in a format for CAD or other programs
For the MS80 the manufacturer states a scan-to-processing time ratio of up to 1:1.
Limits of the method
- The accuracy of a handheld SLAM scanner is generally lower than that of a terrestrial scanner on a tripod. For work with very strict requirements, check whether the stated accuracy is sufficient
- The result depends on the route, the environment and the walking speed
- In feature-poor environments (long uniform corridors) quality may drop; for the MS80 the manufacturer states visual-aided SLAM for such cases
- For results used in official documentation, check the requirements in force
How to choose
If you work mostly outdoors and always need absolute coordinates, consider the SuperRTK. If you scan a lot indoors and want a lighter instrument, the MS80 is an option. Configuration and availability are confirmed when you request a quote.
Add the models to the quote cart or write to us on the Contacts page. For field work with receivers see the GNSS receivers section.