Processing scan data

This article explains how to process raw scan data captured with Emesent scanners into a point cloud in Emesent Aura.

This article covers standard SLAM processing. For other processing workflows, see:

• Process scan data with GCPs

• Process scan data with RTK

• Process scan data with PPK

For post-processing techniques, see:

• Merge scan data

• Colorizing scan data

• Extract 360 images

• Convergence monitoring

What you will need

• Scan data from an Emesent scanner, offloaded and copied to a local drive. For capture, see Hovermap Workflow or Scanning with GX1.

• The latest version of Emesent Aura. See Supported Devices & Compatibility.

Processing is resource-intensive, so mains power is recommended for laptops.

Procedure

The basic process for generating a point cloud is as follows.

Step 1: Create new scan job

1. Open Emesent Aura.

2. Click + Process Scan. The Configure New Scan Job panel opens.

3. Select the Process workflow, then choose SLAM/RTK/PPK for SLAM processing.

For other workflows, see the articles linked at the top of this article.

Step 2: Select a dataset

1. Click Add Dataset.

2. In the file browser, select the folder that contains the raw scan dataset.

3. If prompted, select the Scan Environment that most closely matches where the scan was captured. For more information, see Setting a scan environment.

Step 3: Configure processing options

1. In the Location field, enter a name for the output folder. Aura creates this folder inside the raw scan folder and saves all processed results there.

The raw scan folder contains the following key files:

<raw scan folder>/
├── <ScanName>.bag.zst   ← compressed scan data
├── *.yaml               ← calibration files
└── <Location>/          ← output folder named above
    ├── IntermediateFiles/
    └── Output/
        ├── Output_laz1_4.laz   ← full point cloud
        ├── Output_subsampled   ← subsampled point cloud (if enabled)
        └── trajectory file

2. Select the processing profile. Use [Built-in] Standard, or the built-in profile that matches the scanner, such as [Built-in] ST-X or [Built-in] GX1. See Selecting a processing profile for guidance and creating custom profiles.

Step 4: Process the scan

1. Click Start to begin processing.

2. Processing runs and generates the required output files. Other point clouds can be loaded and viewed while the job continues in the background.

The Retry button becomes available if a failure occurs during processing. Click Retry to process the current job from the last successful stage.

Step 5: View and share output

When processing finishes, the resulting point cloud is added to the output folder inside the raw scan folder.

1. Once processing is complete, the bottom panel displays the generated files.

2. Click View beside a generated file to load it into the Viewport for analysis or further editing. The following main files are generated:

Outcome

The point cloud is available in the Viewport for analysis, export, or further editing.

Additional information

• For where the generated files are stored, see Output Files.

• For processing and reprojecting a georeferenced scan, see Reprojecting point clouds.

• For the full GX1 processing overview and supported features, see Process GX1 scan data.