3D Indoor Mapping System Using 2D LiDAR Sensor for Drones

Abstract

Most 3D scanners are heavy, bulky and costly. These are the major factors that make them irrelevant to be attached to a drone for autonomous navigation. With modern technologies, it is possible to design a simple 3D scanner for autonomous navigation. The objective of this study is to design a cost effective 3D indoor mapping system using a 2D light detection and ranging (LiDAR) sensor for a drone. This simple 3D scanner is realised using a LiDAR sensor together with two servo motors to create the azimuth and elevation axes. An Arduino Uno is used as the interface between the scanner and computer for the real-time communication via serial port. In addition, an open source Point-Cloud Tool software is used to test and view the 3D scanner data. To study the accuracy and efficiency of the system, the LiDAR sensor data from the scanner is obtained in real-time in point-cloud form. The experimental results proved that the proposed system can perform the 2D and 3D scans with tolerable performance.

Preservation of Cultural Heritage: A Comparison Study of 3D Modelling between Laser Scanning, Depth Image and Photogrammetry Methods

“…Figure 2: The proposed laser-based scanner setupThis method also was inspired by Pena Queralta et al[2]; where three mounted LiDARs are used to obtain a 3D visualization of a designated room. Similarly, Shahrin et al[7] generated a 3D map using an inexpensive 2D LiDAR sensor controlled by an Arduino Uno and moved by two servos. Instead of servos, the researchers use a stepper motor to boost scanning and plotting precision.…”