Comparative Accuracy Analysis of Lidar Systems

The use of high-precision and sufficiently collected point clouds for 3D data modeling is very important for geomatics and other branches of engineering (such as mechanical and construction), and architectural applications. For this reason, various filtering and interpolation methods are improved for 3D modeling. However, if the point cloud is collected inaccurate or missing, the 3D data modeling is always an issue. Therefore, before the 3D modeling process, the point positioning accuracy and resolution of the point cloud should be investigated. For this purpose, accuracy assessment can be performed by comparing with data obtained from a measurement system that is considered to be more accurate. This comparison is used for the accuracy assessment of the maps produced by different Lidar (Light Detection and Ranging) point clouds. In this study, the accuracy of the point clouds obtained using Terrestrial Lidar Systems (TLS) and Mobile Lidar Systems (MLS) were determined. The reference measurements were obtained by Total Station (TS) surveys. Yilmaz Akdoruk Student Dormitory located in Ayazaga Campus of Istanbul Technical University was selected as a test-area in order to evaluate the TLS and MLS performance for applications in urban areas. The results showed that the accuracy of the TLS system was better than the MLS system. In addition, while TLS should be preferred in studies requiring high accuracy, such as 3D cultural heritage documentation, MLS may be preferred in applications such as various topographic maps and 3D city models.