Scanning Tips
Best practices for capturing high-quality scans with the Lixel K2
Lixel K2 Scanning Tips
The Lixel K2 is built for fast, reliable capture in real-world conditions β but following these best practices ensures the highest quality point clouds and Gaussian Splats.
General Scanning Technique
Initialization
- Keep the device stationary on the ground or a stable surface until initialization completes
- Start in a feature-rich area β avoid initializing in a featureless corridor, against a blank wall, or surrounded by moving objects
- Move more than 1 meter after initialization before settling into your scan path
Walking Speed and Movement
- Walk at a steady, deliberate pace β no faster than about 1.2 m/s
- Move smoothly β avoid sudden stops, sharp turns, severe shaking, or abruptly entering a different space
- Complete closed loops when possible β returning to your starting point lets the SLAM algorithm self-correct accumulated drift
Coverage Pattern
- Overlap your paths when scanning large open areas
- Scan surfaces from multiple angles to fill in occlusions
- Look up and down occasionally to capture ceilings and floors
- For tall spaces, use the optional extension pole
Scan Duration
- Each scan must run longer than 1 minute (3+ minutes if you plan LixelStudio post-processing)
- For large sites, prefer several shorter scans merged with map fusion over one very long scan β keep individual segments under about 20 minutes
RTK Configuration
The K2's RTK is built in β no external module to mount.
- Configure your NTRIP/CORS account in LixelGO before heading to the site
- Wait for a fixed solution before starting your scan path
- Keep the device tilt within 20Β° while moving, and walk at least 10 meters after fixing so the trajectory registers RTK as valid
- For indoor scanning, RTK is typically not used β SLAM with visual-aided positioning provides 3 cm accuracy without GNSS
Environment-Specific Tips
Indoor Spaces
| Room Type | Tip |
|---|---|
| Small rooms | Make at least one complete circuit around the periphery |
| Large open floors | Use a grid or zigzag pattern; close the loop |
| Hallways | Walk down the center; make a return pass if long |
| Staircases | Slow down; capture landing to landing with deliberate steps |
| High ceilings | Use the optional extension pole |
Challenging Surfaces
| Surface | Strategy |
|---|---|
| Reflective glass / mirrors | Scan from multiple angles; expect some artifacts |
| Transparent surfaces | Scan what's visible; transparent materials produce incomplete geometry |
| Repetitive or featureless areas | Slow down; ensure floor and ceiling features are captured |
| Very open spaces | Avoid extremely open, uniform terrain β there is little for SLAM to lock onto |
Degraded Scenes β "Record-Only Mode"
In degraded environments (tunnels, pipelines, extremely narrow passages, large featureless areas), the app may warn that it has switched to record-only mode β the live point cloud stops displaying but data is still saved.
- Stop recording soon after the warning appears β do not continue more than 20 minutes in this mode
- Process the data with Robust Mode enabled in LixelStudio
- The longer you record after the warning, the harder post-processing becomes
Long Corridors and Tunnels
- Use Narrow Mode for mine galleries, tunnels, and long indoor corridors (effective within 500 m)
- For longer runs, capture several shorter segments with shared control points at the segment boundaries, then merge with multi-map fusion
- Place shared control points at least 5 m apart, and shoot each shared point with a consistent device position and orientation between takes
Multi-Scan Map Fusion
For sites too large for a single scan:
- Maximum 10 maps per fusion, each under 20 minutes
- Ensure 15β30 m of overlapping trajectory between adjacent maps
- Overlap in feature-rich areas β avoid overlapping in open spaces, long corridors, or smooth tunnels
- Fusion methods: consistent RTK fixed solutions, absolute-coordinate control points (3+ per map), or relative connection points placed with the control point base
Weather
- IP54 protects against dust and splashes, but do not scan in the rain β raindrops cause laser refraction and noisy data, and water ingress is not covered under warranty
- In humid conditions, watch for water vapor on the LiDAR cover β it causes excessive noise and drift
Battery and Data Management
- Battery life: 1.5 hours per battery; the standard package includes two (~3 hours total)
- Monitor storage in LixelGO β the K2 has 512 GB of internal storage
- Transfer data after each session via USB to avoid accumulating unprocessed projects on the device
Quality Verification in the Field
Use LixelGO to verify scan quality in real-time:
- Check the live point cloud preview β gaps or thin areas indicate coverage issues
- Watch for record-only mode warnings β stop and re-plan if they appear
- Verify colorization at key areas using the camera feeds
- Review the preview before leaving the site
Pre-Scan Checklist
- Both batteries charged
- LixelGO connected and showing device status
- RTK configured and fixed (if scanning outdoors)
- Storage space verified
- Scan path planned (closed loops, feature-rich start point)
- Control point base packed (if georeferencing or fusing)
After Your Scan
- Review the preview in LixelGO before leaving the site
- Transfer data to your workstation via USB
- Post-process in LixelStudio to produce the survey-grade
.LAS - Generate Gaussian Splats with LCC 2 for visualization
- Upload to Splat Labs for hosting, sharing, measurement, and AI features
For the complete processing workflow, see First Scan. For hardware issues, see Troubleshooting.