skannatut

Skannatut is a standardized field protocol for capturing three-dimensional spatial data using portable scanning devices, designed to produce accurate digital representations of outdoors and built environments. It encompasses procedures for data collection, processing, and quality assurance, with the goal of creating repeatable, geo-referenced models that can be used for analysis, visualization, and archival purposes.

Origin and scope: The concept arose in professional practice as a way to harmonize 3D data capture across teams in surveying, archaeology, and cultural heritage. Skannatut emphasizes explicit calibration, documented scan patterns, and transparent data provenance, enabling comparisons between projects and sustained data reuse.

Workflow: The protocol typically begins with calibration against known reference targets; field data capture using ground-based TLS, handheld scanners, or drone-mounted systems following a predefined scanning plan; subsequent data processing includes registration of multiple scans, fusion into a single point cloud, and generation of a textured mesh with geo-referencing through GNSS or control points. Quality control checks are performed at each stage.

Variants and applications: Ground-skannatut focuses on terrestrial environments, while aerial-skannatut uses unmanned aerial systems to extend coverage. The method is applied in archaeology for site documentation, in architectural conservation, in urban planning for as-built models, and in environmental monitoring. Advantages include improved accuracy, repeatability, and long-term data preservation; limitations include equipment cost, data volume, and the need for trained personnel.

See also: photogrammetry, LiDAR, 3D scanning, point cloud. References and standards: various professional guidelines exist but there is no single universal standard; practitioners often adapt the protocol to project goals.