Terrestrial Laser Scanner Self-Calibration: Quantitative Evaluation of Minimum Network Configuration

Two approaches available for performing self-calibration are: 1) point-based and 2) feature-based. The reliance on planes in the feature-based approach is a restriction to the aim of finding a suitable approach for on-site calibration. Also, the requirement for a strong network configuration in point-based self-calibration has made it difficult to implement on-site. The aim of this study was to investigate the suitability of lowering the network configuration requirements. Investigations of minimum network configurations were carried out by analysing minimum dimension of real-world plane on which targets are distributed. Through network analysis, standard deviation and plotted error ellipses will be used to determine the reliability of each configuration during minimising network experiment. The outcomes of this study will benefit to TLS practitioner to ensure that the employed instrument reliable to yield quality data.