1.4 Your First Scan
Hardware checked, software installed, app connected. This is the field procedure from power-on through clean shutdown for the L2 Pro and K2. Follow it on a practice site before any billable project.
This page covers the L2 Pro and K2. The PortalCam uses a different app (LCC Scan), a different processing pipeline (LCC Studio), and a different field procedure. PortalCam first scan is covered in 1.6 PortalCam Setup.
Choosing a Practice Environment
Do not run your first scan on a billable project. Spend one practice session in a controlled environment to verify the workflow end to end before any client work.
A furnished indoor space of 500 to 1,100 sq ft (50 to 100 sq m) is ideal: a large office, a residential floor, or a furnished retail space. Furniture, walls at multiple angles, and good lighting all give SLAM the feature density it needs. Empty rooms with plain walls, large open warehouses, and parking garages are feature-poor and will give you a failed first scan that teaches you nothing.
Pre-Scan Checklist
- Battery charged. L2 Pro: 90 minutes per charge. K2: approximately 1.5 hours per charge
- Storage confirmed in LixelGO. Budget 60 to 80 GB per hour of scanning
- Firmware current. Check in LixelGO before leaving the office, not on site
- LixelGO installed, signed in, and previously connected to your device successfully (covered in 1.2 LixelGO)
- Phone hotspot enabled if RTK is required
- Naming convention decided. Use ClientName_SiteName_Date_Segment format for production projects. For practice, any short ASCII name works
Startup Sequence
Power on the device, connect to LixelGO, and confirm the scanner status before configuring the scan. Do not skip the status confirmation; many first-scan failures trace back to starting a scan with the device in an unexpected state.
Power On the Scanner
Press and hold the function key for 4 seconds. The LED will change from slow-flashing blue (startup) to solid green (standby). Solid green confirms the device is ready to connect or scan.
Connect to LixelGO
Enable Bluetooth and your phone's personal hotspot, then open LixelGO. The app discovers the scanner via Bluetooth and prompts to join your hotspot. Once connected, the scanner appears with current battery, storage, and firmware. Tap "Go" to enter the scanning standby page. See 1.2 LixelGO for first-time connection setup.
Confirm Time Synchronization
LixelGO automatically synchronizes the device time with your phone on connection. The default behavior is correct for almost all projects. If you need to override the time zone manually (rare), do it before starting the scan, not during.
Confirm RTK Status If Required
If your project requires absolute georeferencing via RTK: wait for the RTK module indicator to show green (Fixed status) and confirm LixelGO displays RTK status as Fixed. Do not begin scanning with Float status. Float means the position solution is unreliable and the coordinate data embedded in the scan will not meet accuracy requirements. K2 RTK is built-in. L2 Pro requires the external Standard or Survey grade RTK module to be seated firmly.
Scan Mode Configuration
Before starting the scan, configure the mode settings to match your project. These settings cannot be changed during the scan.
Mount Type
LixelStudio reads the mount type automatically during post-processing, so the correct selection here removes a manual step later.
- Handheld: default for walking scans
- Vehicle-Mounted: for vehicle-mounted backpack or rooftop configurations
- Drone: L2 Pro mounted on a DJI M300 or M350 with the XGRIDS drone bracket (covered in Module 6: Advanced L2 Pro/K2)
GNSS Type
- Standard RTK: when the Standard RTK module is mounted (L2 Pro) or for K2 default operation
- Survey RTK: when the Survey grade RTK module is mounted on the L2 Pro
- Aerial RTK: for L2 Pro on drone with Aerial RTK configuration
Project Name
Enter the project name in the input field. The device saves the folder as ProjectName_YYYY-MM-DD-HHMMSS where the timestamp marks scan start. If no name is entered, the folder defaults to default_YYYY-MM-DD-HHMMSS. Use ASCII characters only and avoid spaces.
K2 differentiator: real-time colorized point cloud. Per XGRIDS, this is the first real-time colorized point cloud in the lightweight scanner class. You will see color in the LixelGO preview as you scan. L2 Pro applies coloring during LixelStudio post-processing; the preview during scanning is monochromatic for L2 Pro and colorized for K2.
The 15-Second Static Initialization
This is the single most important step in the entire scanning workflow. A botched initialization corrupts the starting reference frame, and the error persists for the entire session. The scan cannot be recovered through processing; you have to redo it.
Place the Scanner on the GCP Steel Base Plate
The metal base ensures stability during initialization. Place the base on a flat, stable surface in a feature-rich area: visible walls or furniture at multiple distances, no large empty space directly in front, no significant moving objects within view (people walking past, swaying plants, traffic). The LiDAR must rotate without obstruction.
Clear the Area and Tap Start Scan in LixelGO
Tap the red Record button in LixelGO and confirm the scan mode configuration. The LiDAR starts rotating and the LED flashes fast green. LixelGO prompts that static initialization has started and displays a 15-second countdown.
Do Not Move During the 15-Second Countdown
The device must remain completely still. Step back at least 6 ft (2 m) before the countdown begins so your movement does not interfere. Do not bump the base, tap the table, or close a nearby door during the countdown. Any movement corrupts the starting reference frame. The error is not detectable in the preview; it propagates silently through the entire session.
Wait an Additional 15 Seconds After the Countdown Completes
When LixelGO confirms initialization is complete, hold position for another 15 seconds before picking up the scanner. SLAM is accumulating its initial tracking data during this dwell. Picking up the device too quickly degrades early tracking and the effect persists through the scan.
Lift the Scanner and Verify Tracking
Pick up the scanner using both hands, one on the body, the other on the battery or supporting the phone mount. Bring it to chest or shoulder height. The LED transitions to slow-flashing green (scanning). Move slowly for the first 10 to 15 seconds while SLAM establishes tracking with the device in motion. If the point cloud preview jumps or collapses, stop the scan, return to the initialization point, and start over.
During the Scan
You are now the instrument platform. The quality of the scan depends on how you move, how you hold the device, and the route you walk. None of this is difficult, but all of it requires building habits before working on a project.
Walking Speed
After the initial 10 to 15 seconds of slow movement, walk at approximately 3.3 ft/s (1 m/s) in open feature-rich areas. Reduce to 1.6 ft/s (0.5 m/s) for indoor environments, doorways, corners, dim lighting, and any area with limited geometric features. Walking too fast reduces point density and degrades visual tracking; the system needs adequate dwell time at each location.
Device Posture
Hold the L2 Pro and K2 vertically along the walking direction. Per the L2 Pro User Manual V2.4, the inclination angle should generally not exceed 20 degrees from vertical; up to 30 degrees is acceptable in special cases such as scanning small spaces or ground targets. LixelGO displays a real-time posture indicator. Excessive tilt affects IMU accuracy and point cloud geometry.
Maintaining Distance from Surfaces
Maintain 1.6 to 10 ft (0.5 to 3 m) from surfaces during scanning. Too close misses surrounding context. Too far reduces detail density on the surface being captured.
Turning and Direction Changes
When changing direction, rotate your entire body rather than twisting just your arms. Arm-only rotation introduces angular inconsistency in the trajectory that appears as geometric distortion at corners and doorways in the final point cloud.
Loop Closure
Plan your route to return through areas you have already scanned, not just incidentally but deliberately. Loops give the SLAM algorithm reference comparisons it uses to correct accumulated drift. For your first practice scan, walk the perimeter, then cross through the interior, then return near your initialization point from a similar angle to your start.
L2 Pro and K2 both perform real-time loop closure optimization. Corrections appear in the LixelGO preview as you walk: the developing point cloud tightens when SLAM recognizes a return to a previously scanned area. Use this as positive feedback during your route.
Marking Ground Control Points
If your project uses GCPs, mark them during the scan, not after:
- Walk the front sharp corner of the GCP steel base plate to the physical control point on the ground
- Tap "+" in the Control Point list in LixelGO, or single-click the device function key
- Enter the control point name exactly as it appears in your CSV file, including capitalization. A name mismatch means LixelStudio cannot apply the coordinate and the GCP is effectively unused
- LixelGO confirms successful marking with a brief LED hold and an in-app message
- You can review and delete marked points in the Control Point List during the scan if needed
If You Are Using RTK
Per the L2 Pro User Manual V2.4 Section 5.2, three RTK conditions must be met for LixelStudio to successfully apply the coordinate transformation in post-processing:
- RTK status must reach Fixed (not None, Float, or Single) before you begin scanning
- The scan must contain more than 100 valid RTK-fixed points across the session
- The scanner must move more than 33 ft (10 m) while in Fixed status during the scan
For the L2 Pro, RTK with no fixed solution should not exceed 100 m of continuous distance during the scan. For the K2, the unfixed-section maximum defaults to 50 m matching the lightweight scanner convention (pending XGRIDS confirmation).
Monitoring the Preview
Glance at the LixelGO preview during the scan. The point cloud should track your movement smoothly. If it looks distorted, fragmented, or fails to register new geometry as you move, the system has lost tracking. End the session, return to a previously scanned area, and decide whether to continue or restart.
Ending the Scan Safely
How you stop the scan determines whether the data is recoverable. The save step after a scan ends is the most fragile moment in the entire workflow.
Return Near the Initialization Point
Walk back to a previously scanned area, ideally near the initialization point, before stopping. This final loop gives SLAM one last opportunity to correct accumulated drift across the session.
Place the Scanner on a Stable Surface
Set the device down on a flat surface before stopping. Stopping the scan mid-stride causes a brief motion artifact at the very end of the trajectory.
Tap the Red Record Button in LixelGO
Or double-click the device function key. The LED transitions from slow-flashing green (scanning) to fast-flashing green (saving). LixelGO displays a save in progress message.
Wait for the LED to Return to Solid Green
The save can take anywhere from 5 seconds to over a minute depending on the size of the scanned area. Do not power off, swap the battery, or disconnect the device during the fast-flashing green phase. Powering off while data is writing corrupts the project file. The data is not recoverable; the entire scan must be redone.
Verify the Project Appears in LixelGO
Once the LED returns to solid green, navigate to the project list in LixelGO. The completed scan should appear with its project name, duration, file size, and timestamp. Tap it to open the preview and verify coverage before leaving the site. Coverage gaps caught here are minutes to address; gaps caught during processing the next day are a return site visit.
Power Off Cleanly
Press and hold the function key for 4 seconds. The LED transitions to flashing white (saving final state) then turns off. Do not remove the battery while the device is powered on unless the device is completely unresponsive.
K1 Legacy Note
The K1 follows the same field procedure as documented above with one difference: the K1 does not perform real-time loop closure. K1 loop closures are applied only during post-processing in LixelStudio. K1 users see the point cloud preview during scanning but do not see the preview tighten when returning to a previously scanned area. Plan loops into K1 routes with the same discipline; the corrections happen later in the workflow rather than during scanning. The K1 remains supported in current XGRIDS firmware (Firmware v3.2.1, April 2026) for customers with prior inventory.
Common First-Time Mistakes
- Moving during the 15-second initialization countdown. Corrupts the starting reference frame. Error persists through the entire session. Cannot be corrected in processing. Restart required.
- Lifting the scanner before the additional 15-second dwell completes. SLAM has not finished accumulating initial tracking data. Early tracking quality degrades.
- Starting a scan with RTK Float status. Position data embedded in the scan is unreliable. The scan will fail accuracy requirements after processing. Wait for Fixed.
- Walking faster than 3.3 ft/s (1 m/s) in feature-rich areas, or faster than 1.6 ft/s (0.5 m/s) in feature-poor areas. Reduces point density, degrades tracking, causes drift accumulation.
- Tilting the device beyond 20 degrees from vertical for extended periods. Affects IMU accuracy and point cloud geometry. LixelGO's posture indicator shows when you have exceeded the threshold.
- Twisting the arms when turning instead of rotating the entire body. Introduces angular inconsistency that distorts corners and doorways in the final point cloud.
- Routing in a straight line without deliberate loops. Drift accumulates continuously with no correction. The final dataset can be unusable even though no warnings appeared during scanning.
- Powering off during the fast-flashing green save phase. Corrupts the project file. Data is not recoverable. Wait for solid green.
- Typing GCP names that do not exactly match the CSV file. LixelStudio cannot match the points. The control point is effectively unused. Names are case-sensitive.
- Leaving the site without reviewing the preview in LixelGO. Coverage gaps and missed areas are correctable in minutes on site, and a return site visit otherwise.
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