The Hidden Cost of Traditional Scan Control (And How Surveyors Are Solving It)

Anyone who regularly carries out laser scanning, SLAM surveys, or high-precision control work knows that collecting the data is often the easy part.

The real challenge is establishing reliable control.

For years, surveyors have relied on a combination of nails, prism poles, tribrachs, adhesive targets, and reflectorless observations to create scan control networks. While these methods have become industry standard, they introduce a surprising amount of inefficiency, inconsistency, and avoidable error.

As scanning technology continues to advance, many surveyors are starting to ask a simple question:

Why are we still using control methods that haven't evolved at the same pace as the scanners themselves?

The Problem Nobody Talks About

Modern laser scanners can capture millions of points per second with astonishing levels of detail.

Yet the quality of the final deliverable still depends heavily on how accurately control points are established and maintained throughout the project.

Traditional workflows often require surveyors to:

• Set permanent marks or nails

• Position a prism over the point

• Take observations

• Remove the prism

• Install a scan target

• Repeat the process dozens of times across a site

Every step introduces opportunities for error.

Even highly experienced surveyors can encounter issues with:

• Pole plumbing

• Centring inaccuracies

• Target movement

• Instrument setup variability

• Reflectorless measurement limitations

Individually, these errors may seem insignificant. Across an entire project, however, they can compound into registration issues, rework, and lost productivity.

The Real Cost Is Time

Accuracy is only half the equation. The other cost is labour. Consider a typical scanning project requiring 40–50 control points.

If each point takes several minutes to establish, observe, and convert into a usable scan target, surveyors can spend hours simply managing control before meaningful data capture even begins.That time adds up quickly.

For businesses operating multiple field crews, even small improvements in efficiency can translate into substantial annual savings.

This is precisely why systems designed specifically for modern scanning workflows are attracting attention across the industry.

A Different Approach to Survey Control

Rather than treating prisms, targets, and control points as separate components, the RS One Point Fits All System takes a different approach. The concept is surprisingly simple.

A permanent or temporary mounting disc is fixed to a chosen location. Prisms, scan targets, monitoring accessories, and other survey equipment can then be attached and removed from that exact same point within seconds.

The result is a single, repeatable reference position that can serve multiple purposes throughout the project lifecycle.

Need to observe a control point with a total station? - Attach the prism.

Need a scanning target? - Swap the prism for a target.

Need to revisit the site six months later? - Return to the same mounting location.

The reference point remains unchanged. - Simple in theory. Powerful in practice.

Why Repeatability Matters

One of the biggest challenges in surveying is not achieving accuracy once. It's achieving it repeatedly. Traditional methods often rely on an operator recreating the same setup over and over again. Even the best equipment is limited by human factors. A prism pole positioned slightly differently. A target mounted a few millimetres off centre. A tribrach not seated exactly the same way. Small discrepancies become unavoidable. The RS approach largely removes these variables.

Because accessories share a common mounting position, the system dramatically reduces centring uncertainty and eliminates many of the errors associated with repeatedly setting up equipment over a point.

For applications such as terrestrial laser scanning, SLAM workflows, deformation monitoring, and industrial metrology, that repeatability can make a significant difference.

Why Laser Scanning Workflows Benefit Most

Surveyors carrying out scanning projects often face a unique challenge. Targets need to be visible to both the scanner and the total station while remaining protected from site activity.

Traditional floor-based targets can become vulnerable to:

• Vehicle traffic

• Site personnel

• Construction activities

• Environmental conditions

Adhesive targets solve some of these issues but introduce others. Many require reflectorless observations, which are highly dependent on surface conditions and angle of incidence. Research has consistently shown that reflectorless measurements become less reliable as observation angles increase.

In congested indoor environments, obtaining ideal observation geometry is rarely straightforward. This is where flexible mounting options become valuable.

Instead of placing targets directly on the floor, surveyors can utilise:

• Windows

• Walls

• Steel columns

• Electrical outlets

• Machinery

• Existing infrastructure

By moving control points out of harm's way while maintaining accessibility, surveyors gain both accuracy and efficiency.

Turning Everyday Features Into Permanent Control Points

One of the most interesting developments in modern survey control is the ability to utilise existing site features as repeatable reference locations. Imagine carrying out an interior scan of a manufacturing facility.

Instead of drilling holes or leaving permanent marks throughout the building, electrical outlets become highly repeatable control points.

Need to return next month? - The reference location is still there.

Need to revisit next year? - The reference location is still there.

The ability to establish permanent control without permanently altering a site can be particularly valuable in:

• Operational facilities

• Commercial buildings

• Heritage environments

• Public infrastructure

• High-end residential projects

For many clients, minimising site impact is almost as important as the survey itself.

Accuracy Without Complexity

When surveyors hear words like "faster" and "simpler", the natural concern is accuracy. Historically, convenience has often come at the expense of precision. The encouraging aspect of modern mounting systems is that they are proving this trade-off doesn't have to exist.

Independent testing has demonstrated sub-millimetre repeatability across multiple prism models, while field testing has shown exceptional consistency when prisms and targets are repeatedly removed, rotated, and replaced.

More importantly, the system achieves this without requiring specialist setup procedures. The workflow becomes simpler rather than more complicated. For field crews, that's often where the greatest value lies.

The Bigger Picture

The surveying profession is changing rapidly.Laser scanners are faster. SLAM systems are becoming more common. Reality capture is moving into mainstream workflows.

Yet many surveyors are still establishing control using methods that have remained largely unchanged for decades. The next generation of survey equipment won't just be defined by better sensors and more powerful software.

It will also be shaped by smarter field workflows. Systems that reduce setup time, improve repeatability, and minimise opportunities for human error are becoming increasingly important.

The firms that adopt these efficiencies early are likely to gain a significant competitive advantage.

Final Thoughts

Survey control rarely receives the attention given to scanners, total stations, or software platforms. Yet it remains one of the most important foundations of any successful project.

Whether you're carrying out terrestrial laser scanning, SLAM mapping, industrial surveys, monitoring work, or construction verification, the quality of your results ultimately depends on the quality of your control network.

Modern mounting systems such as the RS One Point Fits All System demonstrate that surveyors no longer need to choose between speed and accuracy.

By creating repeatable, versatile, and highly accurate control points in seconds, they offer a practical solution to one of the industry's longest-standing inefficiencies.

And as reality capture continues to evolve, smarter control workflows may prove just as valuable as the scanners themselves.

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