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South-Central Section - 59th Annual Meeting - 2025

Paper No. 22-4
Presentation Time: 8:30 AM-5:00 PM

TESTING THE ACCURACY OF POLYCAM 3D SCANNING SOFTWARE ON LIDAR AND OPTICAL PHOTOGRAMMETRY DEVICES IN FIELD RESEARCH


VAN HOOK, Matt1, ROMERO, Perla1, KELLY, Abby1, LARSON, Erik2 and TESTA, Maurice1, (1)Geoscience, University of Arkansas - Fort Smith, 5210 Grand Ave, Fort Smith, AR 72904-7362, (2)PO Box 1164, Portsmouth, OH 45662-1164

Polycam is a mobile application that creates 3D models of objects using high-resolution photogrammetry or LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging). LiDAR scanning is available on Apple devices ending in "Pro," such as the iPhone 12 Pro or the iPad Pro. This project investigates the accuracy of photogrammetry scans versus LiDAR scans. Testing was conducted on measured geologic outcrops in the Hiawatha National Forest, located in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, and at an abandoned quarry in Fort Smith, Arkansas. Photogrammetry and LiDAR scans were taken every meter from the outcrops up to a total distance of five meters. The internal measuring system within Polycam was used to measure the geologic sections at each scan. These Polycam measurements were then compared to physical measurements to identify the accuracy at varying scanning distances.

LiDAR scans were conducted with an iPad Pro, 12.9-inch (5th generation). An iPhone 12 was used for the optical camera photogrammetry scans. Field testing showed that LiDAR-equipped devices captured more accurate images. Optical cameras were most efficient in producing detailed scans at the micro-scale. The accuracy for LiDAR at the one-meter scanning distance was within 2.5-centimeter resolution, comparable to more expensive, standalone LiDAR systems. However, the accuracy rapidly declined as the scanning distance from the outcrop increased.

Session No. 22--Booth# 22

T12. Advancing Geosciences through Geospatial Innovations (Posters)
Tuesday, 11 March 2025: 8:30 AM-5:00 PM
Lower Level Lobby (Reynolds Performance Hall)
Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 57, No. 1
doi: 10.1130/abs/2025SC-407920
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