8.2 Single Scan Processing

Project Setup

A single-scan project processes one continuous scan session into a point cloud. This is the standard workflow for any scan that fits within your workstation's RAM capacity. For scans that exceed your RAM ceiling, split into segments and use 8.3 Map Fusion.

1. Transfer the raw scan folder from the device to your workstation's NVMe SSD. Copy the entire folder structure. Do not rename, move, or delete individual files within the folder. Verify the transfer completed by comparing folder sizes.
2. Open LixelStudio and create a new project from the Home Page. The Home Page is integrated into the main application, enabling seamless switching between projects without repeatedly browsing local files. From the Home Page, select Create New Project and point it at the transferred scan folder. Save the project file to a non-system drive (D: or similar). Saving project files to C: may cause disk space bottlenecks or file access conflicts during processing.
3. Verify Windows Power and Sleep settings. Go to Settings > System > Power & Sleep. Set both Screen and Sleep to Never. A sleep interruption during SLAM optimization corrupts the project and requires restarting from import.
4. Confirm LixelStudio is installed and current. LixelStudio supports current device firmware including L2 Pro Drone Mode. If processing fails after a recent firmware update, verify your LixelStudio version is current before troubleshooting further.

The Processing Dialog: Project Settings

Open Project Processing and the settings appear in four panels listed in the left sidebar: Project Settings, Basic Parameters, Coordinate Transformation, and Colorization and Mesh. Each panel has its own checkbox in the sidebar. That checkbox turns the entire processing module on or off for the run; the settings inside a panel apply only while its module checkbox is checked. This matters most for Coordinate Transformation, whose checkbox also controls whether High-Precision Optimization can be enabled (Section 3). All settings must be configured before starting the run. They cannot be changed after processing begins without starting over.

Mode

The Mode dropdown sets the processing profile for the scene. Choose the one that matches how and where the data was captured.

Camera Mount

Set the Camera mount dropdown to how the device was actually carried during capture: Handheld, Backpack, Vehicle, or UAV. This is a separate setting from Mode, and both must match the capture.

SLAM Mapping End Time

The timeline at the top of the panel sets the time range that gets processed. Drag the timeline or choose a custom range to discard data after a selected point. This is useful when the end of a scan contains a drift event or was recorded while the device was being packed up. If you trim the range on a positioned scan, re-open the positioning settings afterward: verify sufficient satellite data remains in the trimmed window for RTK or PPK, and confirm all control points still fall inside the range for GCP scans.

Output Path and Output Options

Set the output path for processing results on a non-system drive. Check the automatic import option to load the point cloud into the viewer when processing finishes. Point Cloud Segmentation splits the output into files of a set size (1 GB by default when enabled, adjustable). Leave it unchecked for typical single-building scans; enable it when downstream software has file size limits or the full cloud would exceed viewer memory.

Basic Parameters

The Basic Parameters panel controls point cloud quality during processing: dynamic object removal, filtering, density enhancement, and High-Precision Optimization.

Dynamic Object Removal

Removes objects that were moving during the scan, such as people, vehicles, or equipment, improving the stability and cleanliness of the result. Effectiveness depends on the original capture quality. Following the field technique guidelines in Module 3 produces cleaner results than relying on this filter to compensate for a crowded scan environment.

Filter Level and Filtering Enhancement

Filter Level sets the noise removal intensity used during dynamic object removal and point cloud processing: Strong, Normal, or Weak. Higher levels remove more noise but also more structure. Normal is the balanced setting for most environments. For high-density detailed scans where thin structures matter (railings, pipes), use Normal or Weak. On low-density scans, Strong can remove legitimate detail along with the noise. The upgraded AI-powered filtering preserves fine structures better than earlier releases, but the trade-off between denoising and structure still applies. The separate Filtering Enhancement toggle further strengthens filtering to reduce the impact of noise and outliers on results.

Point Cloud Enhancement

Generates a denser, more uniform point cloud at the cost of processing time, using the LixelUpSample algorithm. Available on L2 Pro at 5 mm and 1 mm point spacing. The 1 mm mode requires 128 GB of RAM and substantial free disk space; 5 mm is the practical choice for most building documentation work, and the denser, more even cloud pays off in downstream modeling.

High-Precision Optimization

Further optimizes point cloud quality, improving overall display and detail clarity. It also auto-corrects the cloud to a well-aligned horizontal and vertical structure, reducing manual leveling work after processing. It is designed for indoor structured scenes processed in relative coordinates: no RTK, no PPK, no GCP.

High-Precision Optimization is mutually exclusive with Coordinate Transformation. A processing run either produces georeferenced output or runs High-Precision Optimization, never both. If the deliverable needs absolute coordinates, keep Coordinate Transformation enabled and skip this toggle; leveling then comes from the georeferencing pipeline.

Colorization and Mesh

The fourth panel configures the visual output of the run. Optimize Visual Pose improves coloring quality in texture-rich areas and can stay enabled for typical work. Output Panoramic Images writes panoramas alongside the results at the resolution you select.

Generate Mesh produces a textured mesh model in .obj or .osgb format. Enable it only when the deliverable calls for a mesh; point cloud workflows into Revit, AutoCAD, and ReCap do not require it, and skipping it shortens the run.

Running the Process

After configuring all four panels, start the run. Processing time is approximately 20 to 30 times the scan duration on Recommended-tier hardware with NVMe SSD. A 10-minute scan takes 3 to 5 hours. A 20-minute scan takes 7 to 10 hours.

1. Confirm Power and Sleep settings are set to Never. This is worth checking twice.
2. Close all other applications that consume significant RAM or CPU. Web browsers, Revit, and other processing software compete for memory and can trigger out-of-memory crashes mid-run.
3. Start processing. LixelStudio displays an estimated processing time. This estimate is a reference only and varies based on scene complexity, hardware, and concurrent system activity.
4. Do not use the workstation for other intensive work during processing. Memory-intensive tasks launched during the run can cause the process to crash. Light tasks (email, file management) are generally safe.
5. Review the colorized result when the run completes. Coloring quality is strongest in well-lit, texture-rich scenes and has been substantially improved for low-light environments. Coloring requires CUDA 11.6+ and an NVIDIA GPU from the 20-series or newer. The Basic GPU (RTX 2060) satisfies this requirement. See 8.1 Pipeline Overview for full requirements.

Failure Modes and Recovery

When processing fails, the error message and context narrow down the cause. This table covers the failures most commonly encountered in single-scan processing.

Coordinate Transformation

If the scan includes RTK, PPK, or GCP positioning data and the deliverable needs absolute coordinates, enable the Coordinate Transformation module checkbox in the left sidebar and configure the panel. It contains a GCP section for control point files and a GNSS section with the data source (auto-detect from the RTK module, or a GNSS file), quality thresholds, and the source and target coordinate systems. This configuration must be set before starting the run. Changing the target coordinate system after processing requires a complete reprocess from raw data. Remember that enabling this module locks out High-Precision Optimization (Section 3); the run georeferences or it runs the optimization, not both.

RTK

RTK data is applied automatically when present and valid. The RTK status during the scan must have achieved Fixed status with 10 or more satellites, at least 33 ft (10 m) of movement while Fixed, and antenna tilt within 20 degrees of vertical. K2 RTK is built-in and standard; L2 Pro RTK uses the optional add-on module. Validation requirements are covered in Module 4: Positioning.

PPK

PPK requires importing RINEX observation files (RINEX 3.0 or later) and configuring the base station parameters. After adjusting any settings, including SLAM Mapping End Time, re-enter the PPK settings to verify sufficient satellite data remains. Full PPK workflow details are in the LixelStudio user manual.

GCP (Ground Control Points)

GCP-based georeferencing requires at minimum 3 control points within the scan, not arranged in a straight line. Control point names are case-sensitive and must exactly match the names assigned during field collection. If the SLAM Mapping End Time has been adjusted, confirm all control points still fall within the selected time range.