2 Dec 2022

How do you scan multiple floors of a building?

How do you scan multiple floors of a building?

COGNICA have a successful history of producing Point Cloud scans in both the internal and external environments. Using the NavVis VLX, COGNICA can quickly capture high-definition photogrammetry and a highly accurate Point Cloud, by using this mobile mapping technology, large spaces can be captured at speed. In fact, the technology allows capture of a single floor or multiple floors in a single scanning session.

The method of capture will depend on the customers’ requirements as the technology enables multiple ways of completing the task. In the first example, COGNICA were commissioned to capture the communal areas of three residential blocks, Block A was two floors, Block B was three floors and Block C was four floors with a roof garden. The NavVis VLX has a recommended maximum scan time of 60 minutes per capture, primarily since the volume of data is so significant, this ensures the post-processing stitching is most efficient. COGNICA’s scanning team split this scan project into three instances, one for each block, starting on the ground floor and working up.

In a second example, COGNICA were tasked with scanning the internals of a four-floor building of around 600sqm per floor, which was separated into several rooms. In this example, COGNICA captured each floor in separate scans ending each instance by scanning the stairs to the next floor.

Once back in the office, and with the use of NavVis Cloud Processing, several site scans could be processed in parallel overnight allowing the team to stitch and quality check the work the next day. The stitching process enabled COGNICA to view scans in both a horizontal and vertical plane , whilst also viewing the Point Cloud. Figure 1 is taken from the second example and shows the scan of the Ground and First floors being stitched together. The post-scan stitching process is fast, accurate and efficient thanks to the range of zoom, alignment and integrity checking features available, minimising the time from scan to delivery.

Reality capture scanning

Figure 1 - Dataset alignment tool that enables the team to align scans on the vertical and horizontal plane


Once stitching is complete, maps of each floor can be produced to aid navigation in Insite360 through the floor changer.

COGNICA deliver completed scans to their Insite360 platform, a secure cloud hosted web application that enables authorised users to navigate through both the photogrammetry and Point Cloud elements of the scan, without adding additional software to their device. A role-based access rights system ensures users are granted the right level of content and features for their needs. For example, Viewer users may just explore certain scans, whereas Designer users may have access to more advanced features such as Mark & Measure of objects, or Crop & Download of the laser point cloud.

Figure 2 shows a photograph from Insite360 taken from the stairs, viewing the ground floor. The arrow circle is one of the route markers that the user can manoeuvre with, or they can use the Floor Changer to the right of the screen to move to a floor automatically.

Figure 2 - Image taken from the stairs as part of a scan.

Contact Us now to discuss our laser scanning and reality capture services for your site or buildings,and request a free no obligation quote.