Correcting Point Cloud Scale in Drone Scans

Introduction

When working with drone scans, you may encounter discrepancies in the point cloud's scale. This article aims to guide you through the steps to correct the scale from feet to meters.

Problem Statement

The problem can arise when you import drone scans into Cintoo, and it doesn't appear correctly. This issue may be due to the point cloud being in feet rather than meters, resulting in a discrepancy in the scale.

Symptoms

• Objects appearing too large or too small within the visualized data.

• Misalignment of data due to incorrect scaling.

Solution

Follow these steps to correct the scale of your point cloud data:

1. Identify the problem and ensure that the issue is related to the scale by checking the measurements within the point cloud data.

As you can see in this screenshot the car is too big:

2. Open the point cloud file in CloudCompare, and select the point cloud file.

3. Click Edit > Multiply/Scale

4. Apply the factor 0.3048 in all dimensions to scale the data from feet to meters

5. Save the point cloud as an e57 file, and upload the scans to Cintoo following the steps in this article: Uploading Drone Data

Conclusion

Correcting the scale from feet to meters in point cloud data is essential for accurate representation and visualization in Cintoo. Following the steps above will help ensure that your drone scan data is presented correctly. If you encounter any issues or need further assistance, don't hesitate to reach out to the support team.