Understanding reality capture and its function within civil projects

Let’s begin with an understanding of reality capture. The term reality capture seems a bit ethereal when you first encounter it, but it is meant to cover many applications of capturing existing conditions. Another term for reality capture is remote sensing, the practice of sensing or measuring an object or place of interest remotely. The industry has essentially broadened to include many methods of measuring projects, whether measuring a road, arena, cave system, buildings, or mines, you name it.

There are many methods for reality capture, including laser scanning, photogrammetry, and even surveying. We will not dive into all of them as we could write several books on the differences, nuances, and applications. In this book, we will focus primarily on laser scanning, also known as LiDAR.

Understanding LiDAR

LiDAR is an acronym for Light Detection and Ranging. LiDAR uses light to measure an object remotely...