{"id":137922,"date":"2024-03-12T15:53:09","date_gmt":"2024-03-12T15:53:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pbctoday.co.uk\/news\/?p=137922"},"modified":"2024-03-12T15:54:09","modified_gmt":"2024-03-12T15:54:09","slug":"make-taking-site-inventory-easy-vectorworks-mobile-scanning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pbctoday.co.uk\/news\/digital-construction-news\/bim-news\/make-taking-site-inventory-easy-vectorworks-mobile-scanning\/137922\/","title":{"rendered":"Make taking site inventory easy with Vectorworks’ mobile scanning"},"content":{"rendered":"

Vectorworks’ Alex Altieri<\/a> looks at how mobile scanning with the Nomad app is an excellent alternative to drones, creating an accurate model of your site with swift and comprehensive scanning<\/h2>\n

As you know, taking site inventory is a vital step to take in a site design project. Having a digital record of existing conditions gives you a helpful basis from which to design.<\/p>\n

In this article, we\u2019ll look at how you can use your mobile device to aid this process. Keep reading to discover a convenient and practical way to take site inventory and to find a webinar presentation on this technology by our product experts.<\/p>\n

Photogrammetry and point-cloud scanning defined<\/h3>\n

First, let\u2019s make sure we\u2019re on the same page with what these two terms mean.<\/p>\n

Photogrammetry<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 A method using photographs to create 3D models of objects or spaces. It works by using multiple photographs from different angles to produce an accurate model of the subject.<\/p>\n

Point-Cloud Scanning<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 A method that produces 3D digital representations of real-world locations. They\u2019re collections of thousands or even millions of individual points, each with X, Y, and Z coordinates. Point clouds are produced by LIDAR, or Light Detection and Ranging.<\/p>\n

The Nomad app | How to scan real-world objects into your files<\/h3>\n

Nomad<\/a>\u00a0is Vectorworks\u2019 mobile application that you can download for iOS and Android devices.<\/p>\n

With Nomad-enabled mobile devices, photogrammetry can be used to capture objects that you can physically walk around. This is because you need several photos from several angles for it to work properly. Objects like boulders, tree trunks, plants, sculptures, furniture, building facades, and even people are great candidates for this kind of scanning.\"\"<\/p>\n

If your mobile device is equipped with a LIDAR scanner \u2014 which most smartphones and tablets are nowadays \u2014 then point-cloud scanning can be used for smaller sites that you can walk around in 10-20 minutes that can\u2019t be accessed by a drone.<\/p>\n

Why not use a drone instead?<\/h3>\n

More and more, drones are being used to quickly scan a site\u2019s existing conditions and generate point-cloud representations. These files can be faithfully imported into any of the Vectorworks Design Suite<\/a> products, which is an effective way to get started on your design file. But there are limitations to drone use, such as:<\/p>\n