Questions we get asked, answered without the sales gloss

LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) is a remote sensing method that uses laser light to measure distances to objects or surfaces, producing accurate three-dimensional representations of an environment.

The sensor emits laser pulses that reflect off surfaces and return. By measuring the time each pulse takes to come back, the system calculates distance precisely, and by doing this hundreds of thousands of times per second while tracking its own position and orientation it builds a detailed 3D map.

A point cloud is a dense collection of measured points in 3D space. Each point records a laser return from a real surface, with coordinates and usually an intensity or colour value. Together those points form a measurable digital replica of the scanned environment.

A laser emitter, a scanning mechanism, a receiver or sensor, a GNSS unit for absolute position, and an Inertial Measurement Unit that records orientation and motion. The last two are what turn a set of distances into correctly placed points.

Broadly, airborne systems mounted on aircraft, helicopters or drones for wide-area coverage, and terrestrial systems mounted on tripods, vehicles or carried by hand for ground-level detail. We operate walk-through, vehicle-mounted and UAV platforms and choose per site.

A multi-beam scanner rather than a single-channel profiler. Where a single-channel unit sweeps one flat plane and relies entirely on satellite and inertial positioning to turn that into three dimensions, ours fires many beams at once and rotates the sensor head as it does, capturing a near-spherical volume from every position. It also derives its own position from the scan data rather than from satellites. The practical result is complete coverage in a single pass, and the ability to work where GNSS does not reach.

Accuracy depends on the system, the capture method and the control used. Modern systems commonly achieve a few centimetres, and under controlled conditions millimetres. We state the achieved accuracy and the control network used on every deliverable rather than quoting a headline figure.

LiDAR measures distance directly with laser pulses. Photogrammetry infers 3D geometry from overlapping photographs. LiDAR performs better in low light, under vegetation and on featureless surfaces; photogrammetry can deliver richer visual texture. For measurement work we lead with LiDAR and add imagery where colour matters.

Speed, completeness and repeatability. A scan captures everything within line of sight rather than only the points the surveyor selected, covers large or hard-to-reach areas quickly, works in poor lighting, and leaves a dataset you can query again later without returning to site.

Yes. Heavy rain, fog and dust scatter or absorb the laser pulses, which reduces range and can add noise. We plan captures around conditions, and where a weather window is tight we prioritise the areas that matter most.

Yes. Our walk-through systems use SLAM, which builds position from the scan data itself rather than from satellites. That makes indoor spaces, covered sheds, tunnels and dense urban canyons practical to capture, and we tie the result to control points where absolute georeferencing is required.

Common applications include mapping and surveying, construction and civil works, building information modelling, forestry and agriculture, urban planning, environmental monitoring, asset inspection and autonomous vehicles.

Field time is usually a fraction of what people expect. A building floor plate or a stockpile shed is typically hours rather than days. Processing and deliverable production is the longer part, and we agree that timeline with you before mobilising.

That depends on the service, and each service page lists its outputs explicitly. Common formats include LAS/LAZ point clouds, E57 and RCP for CAD and BIM environments, GeoTIFF rasters, DWG/DXF drawings, IFC and Revit models, and PDF reports.

No. Alongside the working files we can provide a browser-based viewer so anyone on your team can pan, measure and inspect the data without a CAD or GIS licence.

We are based in Mauritius and that is where most of our work is, but our equipment travels. Regional projects are welcome — get in touch with the location and scope and we will tell you honestly whether we are the right fit.