Registration of multiple unstructured photogrammetry scans

[jshulters]

After trying the pro version of Recap and then speaking with Autodesk support, it appears that Recap cannot align unstructured point clouds on their own...rather, there needs to be at least one structured scan in the project. I'm not a software engineer, but it puzzles me why unstructured data could automatically (or with manual assistance) be aligned to structured data but not to other unstructured point clouds. I'd love to see this capability added. 

Our current workflow is for scanning trees and surrounding exterior natural environments for treehouse designers & builders, bringing a level of accuracy far beyond their typical process and allowing them to design confidently in CAD. We started with a combination of 123D Catch (for proper alignment and scaling) and Agisoft Photoscan (for very detailed point clouds and meshes that could process locally on a machine in a few hours). The resulting redundant data sets had to be aligned manually in 3ds max then output as an obj mesh file for SketchUp or DWG for Autocad/Revit. Results were spotty, and meshes were hard to deal with. We'd like to transition to only using point clouds in all Autodesk tools...Recap, Revit, & 3ds max. Currently I can get close with Recap photo if I have one scan for the entire site (though often we have more and need to align them)...I can manually create survey points with reference distances, but proper vertical orientation is still unattainable directly in Recap (but was easy in 123D Catch). We'd love to see a solid photogrammetry workflow possible in Recap!

[jf.monod]

I'd like to add to this as a user of a Paracosm PX-80 handheld SLAM scanner that outputs unstructured pointclouds. (see sample images below) I also combine these with PTS files exported from Recap Photo from drone images. Currently my only option is Cloud Compare which is slow and unsupported being open source. All we need in Recap is to be able to import an unstructured base scan, define an origin point and level by picking 3 points on the floor, and then tack on the following scans by using the manual registration method. SLAM scanning isn't particularly precise anyway. Accuracy is not the issue here, speed is. I can capture a 25000 sqft, 2 story building with 80+ rooms in 10 - 12 scans in a morning including prep time with the handheld. The same with a tripod scanner would take 350+ scans and 2 days. Outside I can capture tree locations over 2 acres in at most 2 scans.  It makes no sense that I couldn't then use Recap to piece the clouds together seeing as it's the tool with the best, simplest UI available. And the end goal is to import the points to Revit anyway.

Consider the growth of the handheld scanner market. Paracosm PX-80, GeoSLAM Revo & Horizons, Leica BLK2Go, and Navvis... Major facilities management companies like www.Akitabox.com use the handheld scan to Revit workflow.  This is a large and growing marketshare you don't want to give up. 

This is a big deal and a quick fix.  It requires nothing new, just unlocking the tools already available. Thank you for your understanding. 

Best regards,

Jean-Frederic Monod

Carbon Design & Architecture

Sarasota, FL

2 GB scan take by a single 5 minute pass walking around the building.2.6 GB, 6 minute scan taken inside walking in a loop through rooms and hallways.