Comparison of the parameters of TLS, MLS, and ALS
| Parameter | Static TLS | Mobile LS | Airborne LS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Range | 70–350 m | 100 m | up to 920 m |
| 3D scanning capacity | 800–1500 m²/h | 1500–3000 m²/h | >10,000 m²/h (airborne) |
| Distance measurement error | ±1 mm | ±6 mm | ±10 mm |
| Resolution | up to 266 Mpix RGB | up to 34 Mpix RGB | N/A (LiDAR only) |
| Scanning speed | up to 976,000 points/s | up to 1,200,000 points/s | up to 550,000 points/s |
| Field of View (FoV) | 300° × 360° | 360° × 360° | 330° × 100° |
| Weight | ~4.2 kg | ~9.0 kg | ~3.5 kg |
| Ideal work in Architecture | Building interiors & facades | Indoor navigation & BIM | Limited (not ideal) |
| Ideal work in Construction | Structural monitoring, as-built docs | Large site documentation | Infrastructure corridors (bridges, roads) |
| Ideal work in Forestry | Tree plot surveys (small areas) | Limited (dense canopy issues) | Excellent (canopy penetration, biomass) |
| Ideal work in Mapping | Urban blocks, heritage sites | City-scale & indoor mapping | Large-scale topography, aerial surveys |
| Ideal work in Archaeology & Heritage | Precise documentation of monuments, heritage sites | Fast indoor/outdoor scanning for heritage sites | Limited use (aerial not needed) |
| Ideal work in Mining & Geology | Tunnel & open-pit mapping | Limited to accessible corridors | Large-scale terrain mapping, quarry & geology |
| Ideal work in Autonomous navigation / robotics | Not practical | Suitable for mobile robotics & indoor SLAM | Possible in UAV/autonomous platforms, less common |
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