Icône de numérisation 3D réalisée par Topo Services

Arcad Ingénierie

3D Scanning in Reunion Island

ARCAD Ingénierie is a consulting company specialized in 3D data collecting and processing. Based in Reunion Island, we conduct surveys all across the Indian Ocean for all types of projects : architecture, construction, industry, archeology, heritage conservation etc.

Since 2017, we have been equipped with a complete LIDAR system which enables us to digitize large, inaccessible or dangerous areas, such as ravines, cliffs etc.

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Point cloud

What is 3D scanning ?

3D scanning is a process model/that allows contactless measurement of the shape and color of an object’s surface to create a digital replica. It is one of the many specializations of surveying. Different tools can be used, such as a camera, LiDAR system or 3D laser scanner.

Specifically, lasergrammetry or remote detection is the process of measuring an environment using a 3D laser scanner or LIDAR. These are laser scanning tools capable of measuring millions of points within a short time. The collected data provides virtual representation of reality as 3d point cloud, colored or uncolored.

From databases to preventive maintenance, technical expertise or structural projects integration in complex environments (such as industrial factories), 3D scanning is the technology that is revolutionizing topography.

ARCAD ingénierie uses two different tools for its surveys : the 3D laser scanner and the LiDAR system. The former is a static measurement tool that needs to be moved multiple times until we obtain a full digitization of the area. The latter is dynamic and put aboard on a vehicle, drone or helicopter : it collects data while following a specific path.

  • Concerned industry sectors

    Manufactoring, Maintenance, Energy, Public works, Civil engineering, Renovation, Consulting companies, Engineering, BIM, Archeology, Heritage conservation, Environment, Geology, Architecture, Insurance companies, Forensic, Hydraulic, Agriculture, Disaster risk management.

  • Digitization examples

    Quarry, ravine, excavation, rock formations, rockfill, levee, tunnel, road, building, infrastructure, tank, pipe, tuyauterie, framework, accident, structural damage …

What is a LiDAR system ?

Laser remote sensing or LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) is a measurement technology based on analyzing the properties of a light beam reflected back to its sensor. Our first AL3-32 LiDAR (Velodyne’s HDL-32E lidar sensor) is a cutting-edge technological tool.

It can be attached to a car, but also to our DJI M600 drone thanks to its small size. With it, we can conduct aerial laser surveys and obtain geo-referenced 3D point clouds directly.

Thanks to this system which benefits from the advantages of drone surveying, we are pioneers all across the Indian Ocean to provide LiDAR survey services by drone.

Our second LiDAR system, a VUX240 Riegl coupled with an AP60 inertial measurement unit, embarked under a helicopter or ultralight aircraft, allows us to conduct surveys on a very large urban or non-urban areas, freeing us from drone legislation constraints. This LIDAR has an acquisition speed of around 1,500,000 points per second and up to 15 echoes for better penetration through vegetation.

Those tools are used to map and create Digital Terrain Models (DTM). The benefits of the system are numerous :

  • No hindrance due to vegetation

    Unlike photogrammetry surveying, LiDAR surveying and its echo technology allows us to see through vegetation and to map accurately the terrain as it is.

  • Very fast digitization

    With up to 1.5 million points recorded per second, our LiDAR systems can measure large areas very quickly.

3D scanning of Saint Joseph's starch facility, conducted by Arcad Ingénierie

3D scanning of Saint Joseph's starch facility

Icône d'information réalisée par TOPO Services

3D scanning pros and cons

The pros of those surveying techniques are many : Time saving on the field – Measurement precision – Survey exhaustiveness – Survey error removal – Project cost reduction – Time and error savings in engineering studies – Digital validation of the project – Possibility of night survey – Survey of structures and roads under traffic (no need to stop road traffic).

The cons depend on the tool (range and precision) and on the intended use, as the tool must always be adapted to the desired result. Moreover, it is important to note the necessity of powerful and expensive professionnal softwares for processing data from scanning, as data acquisition only represents about 20% of the work !

Our technical equipment

With a large set of tools and data processing softwares at our disposal, our team will be able to adapt their equipment to your project constraints, ensuring the survey results reliability. However, as topography is not an exact science, even with such equipment, control and error detection remain our top priority, ensuring quality for our clients. You will find below our different analysis and measuring tools :

  • 2 laser scanners

    Trimble TX5, Faro Focus S350

  • 2 complete LiDAR systems

    1 Veylodine HDL32E et 1 Riegl VUX240

  • 1 DJI M600 Pro drone
  • 1 GS18 Leica GPS
  • Softwares

    Trimble Realworks, Spacial Explorer / Lighthouse / Fuser, Inertial Explorer, Autocad 2022, Autodesk ReCap, POS PAC, Riegl Softwares, Terrasolid

Trimble TX5, matériel d'Arcad Ingénierie Faro focus S 350, matériel d'Arcad Ingénierie Système LiDAR Veylodine HDL32E, matériel d'Arcad Ingénierie Système LiDAR Riegl VUX240, matériel d'Arcad Ingénierie GPS GS18, matériel d'Arcad Ingénierie Drone DJI M600 Pro, matériel d'Arcad Ingénierie Relevé LiDAR routier effectué par Arcad Ingénierie

Trimble TX5

Faro focus S 350

Système LiDAR

Système LiDAR Riegl VUX240

GPS GS18

Drone DJI M600 Pro + LiDAR

Relevé LiDAR routier

The acquisition of teledetection tools (high density LiDAR system) is co-financed by the European Union and the Reunion Island Region.

Our partners

Logo d'eBim Ingénierie, partenaire d'Arcad Ingénierie

eBim Ingénierie

Consulting firm specialized in BIM Management and digital 3D modeling. eBIM Ingénierie mainly helps us in the conception of 3D models based on point clouds.

See their website (french speakers only)

Some of our works

Numérisation du pont Numérisation du pont en équilibre sur la rembarde point cloud de l'ouvrage 3D scanning des chambres d'ancrage de l'ouvrage 3D scanning des chambres d'ancrage de l'ouvrage

Bridge digitization

... in balance ...

Structure point cloud

3D scanning of the bridge's cables anchors (1/2)

3D scanning of the bridge's cables anchors (2/2)

3D scanning

Rivière de l'Est suspended bridge

Complete 3D scanning of the bridge for monitoring purposes.

  • Area of intervention

    La Rivière de l'Est

Nuage de point du CHU de Saint Pierre à la Réunion, réalisé par Arcad Ingénierie Modèle 3D inséré dans un nuage de point du CHU de Saint Pierre à la Réunion, réalisé par Arcad Ingénierie Nuage de point du CHU de Saint Pierre à la Réunion, réalisé par Arcad Ingénierie Modèle 3D inséré dans un nuage de point du CHU de Saint Pierre à la Réunion, réalisé par Arcad Ingénierie Nuage de point du CHU de Saint Pierre à la Réunion, réalisé par Arcad Ingénierie Modèle 3D inséré dans un nuage de point du CHU de Saint Pierre à la Réunion, réalisé par Arcad Ingénierie

Point cloud 1/6

3D model inserted into a point cloud 2/6

Point cloud 3/6

3D model inserted into a point cloud 4/6

Point cloud 5/6

3D model inserted into a point cloud 6/6

3D scanning

Saint-Denis CHU covered medical catwalk

Insertion of a 3D project into a point cloud for digital implementation control prior to construction.

  • Area of intervention

    Saint-Denis, Reunion Island

Photo de la Rivière de l'Est 3D scanning en équilibre lors d'un chantier de numérisation 3D d'Arcad Ingénierie 3D scanning réalisé par Arcad Ingénierie point cloud 1 point cloud 2 point cloud 3 point cloud et tuyauterie modélisée par Arcad Ingénierie

Breathtaking site

In balance 3D scanning

3D scanning

Point cloud 1

Point cloud 2

Point cloud 3

Point cloud and pipes 3D modeling

3D scanning

Takamaka and Rivière de l’Est hydroelectric power stations

Shut-off valves digitization for replacement – Exemple of pipes 3D modeling.

  • Area of intervention

    Rivière de l'Est - Takamaka
    Reunion Island

point cloud non filtré – Echelle colorimétrique point cloud filtré – Classification sol/sursol Digital Terrain Model (DTM) réalisé par Arcad Ingénierie

Unfiltered point cloud – Colour scale

Filtered point cloud – Clutter classification

Digital Terrain Model (DTM)

3D scanning

Drone-based LiDAR survey

Creation of a Digital Terrain Model (DTM) after vegetation filtering.

  • Area of intervention

    Ravine des Cabris, Reunion Island

Drone-based LiDAR survey réalisé par Arcad Ingénierie Photo d'une zone numérisée par Arcad Ingénierie point cloud d'une zone à numériser réalisé par Arcad Ingénierie Photo d'une zone numérisée par Arcad Ingénierie point cloud d'une zone à numériser réalisé par Arcad Ingénierie

Drone-based LiDAR survey

Area 1 picture

Area 1 point cloud

Area 2 picture

Area 1 point cloud

3D scanning

NRL – Embankments geometrical monitoring

Drone-based LiDAR survey for the embankments stability monitoring of the NRL.

  • Area of intervention

    Reunion Island

Photo / numérisation 3D de la chapelle pointue à Saint Paul, Reunion Island Photo / numérisation 3D de la chapelle pointue à Saint Paul, Reunion Island Photo / numérisation 3D de la chapelle pointue à Saint Paul, Reunion Island Photo / numérisation 3D de la chapelle pointue à Saint Paul, Reunion Island

Picture / 3D scanning of the chapel

Segmented point cloud 1

Segmented point cloud 2

Segmented point cloud 3

3D scanning

La Chapelle Pointue

3D scanning of Chapelle Pointue for heritage conservation purposes and creation of a 2D plan.

  • Area of intervention

    Villèle - Saint Paul
    Reunion Island

3D scanning d'une charpente métallique réalisée par Arcad Ingénierie Extraction numérique d'une charpente pour mise en plan 3D réalisée par Arcad Ingénierie

General 3D scanning

Steel frame extraction for 3D drawing

3D scanning

Steel frame

3D scanning for steel frame extraction prior to structural analysis.

  • Area of intervention

    Saint-Pierre, Reunion Island

Porteurs de matériel pour relevé Lidar dans le radier du Ouaki à la Réunion point cloud filtré – Classification sol/sursol - Radier du Ouaki point cloud filtré – sol - Radier du Ouaki Digital Terrain Model (DTM) - Radier du Ouaki Unfiltered point cloud – Colour scale - Radier du Ouaki Digital Elevation Model (DEM) du Radier du Ouaki réalisée par Arcad Ingénierie

Our thanks to the carriers

Filtered point cloud – Clutter classification

Filtered point cloud – Land classification

Digital Terrain Model (DTM)

Unfiltered point cloud – Colour scale

Digital Elevation Model (DEM)

3D scanning

Ouaki's water apron

LiDAR survey for the study of Ouaki's water apron removal and the creation of a crossing structure.

  • Area of intervention

    Saint-Pierre, Reunion Island

Contact us

+262 2 62 59 92 28

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