A public works team has one scheduled window to document a pump station before design begins. The drawings predate several equipment upgrades, and the consultant needs to know where new equipment can fit. If the field crew misses a key area, a return visit may mean coordinating access all over again.
That’s where reality capture can help. A terrestrial laser scanner records visible surfaces as a point cloud, giving project teams a measured record they can use to check dimensions and develop drawings or models. The new Leica RTC Series gives state and local agencies three options for collecting that data, depending on the size of the site, the time available in the field, and the detail the project requires.
Where faster capture can help public agencies
- Document public buildings before renovation. Facilities teams can capture accessible rooms, corridors, and mechanical spaces in a library, civic center, or county courthouse. That gives staff and consultants a common record to reference when existing drawings are incomplete or several renovations have changed the layout.
- Plan upgrades to public works and utility facilities. At a pump station or water treatment facility, the design team may need to understand how visible piping, equipment, and structural elements fit together before evaluating a retrofit. Scanning gives the team a record of those conditions to consult as design questions arise.
Capture large or complex infrastructure sites. Transportation and engineering teams can use laser scanning to document visible bridge elements, retaining structures, or other assets from planned positions. Longer range can be useful when teams have limited options for scanner placement. The capture plan should still account for sightlines, required coverage, and any areas that need separate verification.
Which Leica RTC scanner fits the work?
Start with the projects your crews will scan most often. A facilities team documenting occupied buildings may value a different combination of range and speed than a transportation team capturing large structures.
|
Leica Scanner |
Maximum range |
Maximum capture rate |
Where it may fit |
|
RTC300 |
85 m |
1 million points per second |
Building interiors, mechanical spaces, and smaller sites where extended range is less important. |
|
RTC500 |
130 m |
2 million points per second |
Agencies scanning a mix of buildings and larger sites, especially when field access is limited. |
|
RTC700 |
270 m |
2 million points per second |
Larger infrastructure sites or projects that need longer reach, higher-resolution capture in selected areas, or additional survey-control workflows. |
These are manufacturer maximums. Usable range depends on surface reflectivity and site conditions.
Check coverage while crews still have access
Capturing data quickly matters most when the crew can confirm it collected what the project team needs. The RTC Series uses Leica’s Visual Inertial System to track scanner movement between setups and help align scans in the field. With Livelink in Leica Cyclone FIELD 360 and Hexagon GeoCloud, field and office teams can also coordinate during capture when connectivity and agency data requirements allow. That can help teams spot coverage gaps while crews are still on site.
Agree on the handoff before fieldwork begins. A point cloud may be enough for a consultant who can work directly with scan data. A facilities team may need updated floor plans, while a design team may need an existing-conditions model with specific elements included. Knowing who will use the data and for what purpose helps set the capture scope and the level of detail.
See the Leica RTC Series in action
Watch Capture Reality Faster with the Leica RTC Series to see the technology in action.
Have a building or infrastructure project coming up? Talk with an IMAGINiT reality capture specialist about what your team needs to document, which RTC scanner fits the job, and how to get from field capture to a deliverable your team can use.
