Module 2 Quick Field Guide
Device specs at a glance, the two output pipelines, software pairings, and the SLAM concepts that govern every scan decision.
Device Quick Reference
L2 Pro
K1
PortalCam
L2 Pro Model Variants
The Two Output Pipelines
Every XGRIDS project produces one output type or both. This decision must be made before the scan. The two pipelines cannot be converted between each other after processing.
Point Cloud
Processed in: LixelStudio (free with hardware)
Devices: L2 Pro and K1 only
Use for: BIM, measured deliverables, Revit/AutoCAD/Navisworks, survey, as-built documentation
Export formats: E57, LAS/LAZ, RCP, PLY
Can take dimensions: Yes
3D Gaussian Splat (3DGS)
Processed in: LCC Studio ($2,500/year premium subscription)
Devices: L2 Pro, K1, and PortalCam
Use for: Client walkthroughs, stakeholder presentations, virtual tours, visual documentation
Export formats: LCC, PLY, USDZ, 3D Tiles
Can take dimensions: No
PortalCam produces 3DGS only. It has no connection to LixelStudio and cannot produce point clouds under any settings or workflow. If your project requires measured deliverables, PortalCam data cannot serve that need. You need an L2 Pro or K1.
Running both pipelines from one scan. If you scan with an L2 Pro or K1, the same raw data can be processed through both LixelStudio and LCC Studio. You get a point cloud and a 3DGS model from a single field session. Plan for both before you scan. The decision cannot be made after the fact.
Software Pairings at a Glance
SLAM Concepts That Affect Every Scan
Drift
SLAM builds its position estimate by accumulating small movements. Every movement introduces the potential for a tiny error. Over time those errors compound into drift, meaning the scanner's estimated position diverges from its true position. Drift is the reason initialization position matters. Drift is the reason loop closure matters. Drift is the reason control points exist. Every technique decision in this guide traces back to managing drift.
Loop Closure
When you return to an area you have already scanned, SLAM can compare the current view to its existing map and correct the accumulated drift. This is a loop closure. Without loop closures on long scans, drift grows unchecked and the resulting point cloud will not align correctly.
Loop closure has two hard requirements. First, you must physically return to an area you have already scanned. Second, your viewing angle when you return must be within 40 degrees of your original viewing angle in that area. Walking back through a room facing the opposite direction does not satisfy the angular requirement and may fail to trigger a closure.
Relative vs. Absolute Accuracy
Decisions You Cannot Undo After the Scan
Most scanning mistakes are recoverable. These are not. Make them correctly in the field.
- Georeferencing strategy. RTK must be configured and active before scanning begins. GCPs must be placed and marked during the scan. There is no way to add georeferencing to a completed scan. If a client requires absolute coordinates and you scan without georeferencing, the site must be re-scanned.
- Output pipeline. The raw data from an L2 Pro or K1 can be processed through LixelStudio or LCC Studio or both, but this must be planned for before scanning. PortalCam raw data can only go to LCC Studio. You cannot switch pipelines after processing begins.
- Camera coloring (capture). Whether the scanner records camera data during the scan is configured in LixelGO before scanning starts and cannot be changed after. If camera data was not captured, color cannot be applied in post-processing. However, in LixelStudio you can change the color representation of an existing scan at any time: switching from RGB to elevation coloring, intensity, or other display modes does not require re-scanning. The irreversible decision is whether to capture camera data at all, not which color mode to display it in.
- Project naming convention. Inconsistent names across sessions cause fusion failures in post-processing. Decide and apply the convention before the first session of a multi-segment project.
Before You Leave Site
A five-minute review at the site prevents hours of recovery work at the office.
- Scan stopped cleanly. The LED reached solid green before the device was powered off.
- The project appears in LixelGO or LCC Scan with a reasonable duration and file size for the area covered.
- The real-time point cloud preview shows no large gaps in areas you walked through.
- If RTK was used, the session included more than 100 RTK-fixed points and more than 10 minutes of Fixed status. Verify in the LixelGO session summary.
- If GCPs were used, all control point names were confirmed as entered exactly as they appear in the coordinate CSV file.
- If this is a multi-segment project, the overlap zone with the next segment was fully covered and includes at least two loop closures.
- A quick walkaround of the site confirms no area was missed that cannot be captured in a follow-up session.
Critical Warnings
- No recovery Scanning without georeferencing when the client requires absolute coordinates means re-scanning the site. There is no post-processing workaround. RTK and GCPs must be in place before the first recording starts.
- No recovery PortalCam data cannot produce point clouds. If your project requires BIM-ready measured output and you scanned exclusively with a PortalCam, the site must be re-scanned with an L2 Pro or K1.
- Warning Loop closure requires returning within 40 degrees of your original viewing angle. Returning to a scanned room facing the opposite wall is not a loop closure. SLAM will not recognize the overlap and drift will continue accumulating.
- Warning AMD GPUs are not supported by LCC Studio or LixelStudio. NVIDIA with CUDA is required. Verify GPU compatibility before installing either application on a new machine.
- Warning LCC Studio requires a paid subscription. A lapsed license means you cannot process 3DGS output. Confirm license status before accepting a project that requires 3DGS deliverables.
- Warning The K1's 40-meter LiDAR range makes it unsuitable for large outdoor spaces or tall structures. Open outdoor areas and buildings above 40 m require an L2 Pro. Using a K1 in these environments produces sparse, incomplete point clouds.
- Warning The 3DGS output cannot be used for dimensional measurements. Do not extract wall-to-wall dimensions, floor-to-ceiling heights, or any other measurements from a 3DGS model. Those figures are not reliable for engineering or construction use.
©2026 Alpine Reality Capture LLC • XGRIDS Pro Guide™