With the speed at which technology is taking over every industry, real estate can not be lagging. Hence, 3D property scanning has become the most effective tool that allows agents and clients to remotely access the property without having to visit it multiple times. LiDAR scanning is the latest, most accurate way of capturing the 3D image of your property. It is a technique that uses pulsations of light- not visible to the human eye and illuminates the target. It measures the milli- and nanoseconds that the object takes to get back to the device's sensor.

Suggested reading: If you want to learn more about how LiDAR scanning works, check out this article.

Retail real estate LiDAR scanning collects all the major architectural points, including walls, corners, roofs, doors, and windows. This collected data, called the point cloud, is eventually converted into a 3D image of the property.

What are some of the advantages of using LiDAR in retail real estate?

1. High Accuracy

LiDAR is a highly accurate technique that uses laser technology to capture images. It measures how long it takes to come back to the scanner after hitting nearby objects. This measurement reflects a distance from each object precisely, based on the speed of light. It can detect walls even if it is showing partially, and it can detect corners even if they are hidden by a piece of furniture or potted plants. Please note furniture is not modeled when using Robotic Imaging's Scan-to-BIM services. 3D scanning for retail is the new big thing. It is easy to order and is far more accurate than traditional hand-measuring methods.

2. Reduces Labor Costs and Errors

LiDAR scanning in real estate uses laser beams for accuracy. LiDAR scanning in real estate ensures highly accurate and precise measurements that simply cannot be achieved by hand. On the other hand, if you are following the traditional way of manually hiring labor to give your technician the measurements to chalk out the 2D diagram of the property, there is a high chance of errors. This requires multiple return site visits to verify missed dimensions and/or inaccurate dimensions. But, with LiDAR you are able to get the most accurate and correct dimensions the first time, therefore reducing labor costs and potential errors.

3. Always Available

You don't have to be bothered about having your own staff at a site visit, all taking and verifying multiple dimensions. In worst case scenarios, architects, real estate developers, and other professionals lose clients in worst-case scenarios just because your 2D image was not ready. It is better to use a retail LiDAR scanning service. At Robotic Imaging, we scan 7 days a week and promise a quick turnaround on projects, so our clients can spend more time doing their jobs better and work more efficiently.

4. Remote Accessibility Saves Your Time and Expenses

The most important benefit of laser scanning for real estate is the easy accessibility of the 3D or 2D image on your laptop, tablet or phone. You do not need to keep revisiting the site. Some clients might want to see the 3D property scanning before visiting it. They can see multiple properties on the screen without going there physically. Robotic Imaging has recently designed a state-of-the-art platform that enables our clients to get access to all their requested files in one place. From Matterport data, to pointcloud files, everything can be downloaded and viewed from anywhere!

Laser scanning for retail real estate done via LiDAR is not only extremely accurate but an enormous time saver and extremely convenient. The data extracted and processed by Robotic Imaging is shared on an intuitive platform, granting you access to the data no matter where you are. It saves you time and costs of revisiting the property and gives you a much better understanding and comparison. You can make better decisions in terms of where to invest your hard-earned income.