Adds capability to autonomous flying laser scanner to scan indoor spaces safely and accurately

(Heerbrugg, Switzerland — August 29, 2023) Leica Geosystems, part of Hexagon, today announced a new capability for the Leica BLK2FLY: the ability to scan indoors, providing expanded coverage for complex scanning projects. The BLK2FLY now unlocks a new level of autonomy to build digital twins of entire structures, inside and outside.

3D reality capture of building exteriors and interiors is necessary to create complete digital twins The BLK2FLY’s new indoor scanning capability expands users’ abilities to do this. Hexagon enhanced the autonomous UAV scanning system to allow for safe, effective indoor navigation and capturing. This capability also expands the BLK2FLY’s ability to capture various environments outdoors.

The BLK2FLY can scan in areas without GNSS availability, opening reality capture opportunities in new settings and with new applications, including hazardous indoor areas like nuclear power plants. Increased performance of the autonomous navigation system heightens the sensor’s spatial awareness, allowing for obstacle avoidance in more confined spaces. This new capability relies upon advancements to Hexagon’s visual SLAM system, providing real-time spherical imaging that improves the BLK2FLY’s operating range to a radius of 1.5 meters.

“The BLK2FLY, with its advanced autonomous UAV-based scanning, redefined reality capture workflows for multiple industries, especially digital construction, architecture, historic preservation and utilities,” says Pascal Strupler, Business Director Autonomous Reality Capture at Hexagon’s Geosystems division. “Digital realities are a crucial component of those workflows, and now that the BLK2FLY is able to scan indoors, users can create complete, comprehensive digital twins of buildings and structures.”

The BLK2FLY complements Hexagon’s terrestrial and autonomous sensor portfolio, and when combined, they create complete coverage for any scanning project. Users can also take advantage of Reality Cloud Studio, powered by HxDR, Hexagon’s cloud application that enables uploading of data to the cloud from the field using a tablet or smartphone to register, mesh and create 3D models of their data from the field automatically.

The BLK2FLY’s new indoor scanning capabilities are a significant advancement in reality capture technology and are provided at no extra cost to all current and future BLK2FLY users.They are available via firmware update today.

About Hexagon

Hexagon is the global leader in digital reality solutions, combining sensor, software and autonomous technologies. We are putting data to work to boost efficiency, productivity, quality and safety across industrial, manufacturing, infrastructure, public sector, and mobility applications. Our technologies are shaping production and people related ecosystems to become increasingly connected and autonomous – ensuring a scalable, sustainable future.

Hexagon’s Geosystems division provides a comprehensive portfolio of digital solutions that capture, measure, and visualise the physical world and enable data-driven transformation across industry ecosystems.

Hexagon (Nasdaq Stockholm: HEXA B) has approximately 24,000 employees in 50 countries and net sales of approximately 5.2bn EUR. Learn more at hexagon.com and follow usa @HexagonAB.

For further information, please contact: 
Leica Geosystems AG, part of Hexagon
Haike Finch-Schattka
Email Contact media.geo@leica-geosystems.com
https://leica-geosystems.com/