A First Look at What’s Coming to 3Dsurvey 4.2

This INTERGEO, get a first look at the next generation of 3Dsurvey.

The way we capture reality is changing quickly. Surveyors are no longer working with just one type of data. A single project might combine drone imagery, terrestrial laser scanning, SLAM data, and increasingly large datasets. The challenge is no longer simply capturing more information, it is bringing all that information together and turning it into a useful, accurate result.

That is exactly where the next version of 3Dsurvey is heading.

Later this year, we will release a major new version of 3Dsurvey with improvements across processing, CAD workflows, scanning, and 3D reconstruction.

But before the release goes live, INTERGEO visitors will get a first look.

From exterior to interior — one complete 3D mesh

3Dsurvey already gives users the ability to bring different reality-capture datasets together. With the Scan module, point clouds generated from drone imagery can be combined with data from SLAM or terrestrial laser scanners, making it possible to work with multiple sources in a single project. The next version takes this workflow a step further.

You will be able to use these combined datasets to calculate a complete 3D mesh.

Consider a building survey: a drone captures the exterior, while a SLAM scanner or terrestrial laser scanner captures the interior. Today, these datasets can already be brought together as point clouds. With the new release, 3Dsurvey will be able to use that combined data to generate a single 3D mesh covering both the exterior and interior.

The result is a more complete representation of the surveyed environment, created from the different datasets within one workflow. This opens up exciting possibilities for buildings, heritage sites, complex structures, construction projects, and other environments where capturing both exterior and interior geometry is essential.

At INTERGEO, visitors will get an early look at this new capability and see how different reality-capture datasets can come together to create one complete 3D model.

Processing large datasets with less waiting

More data means more possibilities, but it can also mean longer processing times. The upcoming release introduces improvements to bundle adjustment designed to make processing faster, particularly when working with large image datasets and high-resolution cameras.

The goal is simple: spend less time waiting for calculations and more time working with the results.

The improvements are especially important as high-resolution cameras become increasingly common across surveying and reality-capture workflows. Cameras with very high megapixel counts can produce enormous datasets, putting additional demands on processing and memory.

A more capable CAD workflow

The v4.2 release also brings a new set of CAD improvements designed around the everyday needs of surveyors. Among them is a new three-point arc tool, making it easier to create curved geometry such as road alignments directly in 3Dsurvey.

Several additional CAD functions are also being introduced, including Join, Break, and Explode. These may sound like small additions, but they can make a significant difference when working with complex linework, polylines, floor plans, boundaries, and volume calculations.

These improvements are part of a broader goal to make 3Dsurvey not only a powerful photogrammetry and scanning platform, but also a more complete environment for the workflows that happen after the data has been processed.

Built for the reality of modern surveying

The upcoming version is ultimately about more than individual features. It reflects how surveying itself is evolving.

Projects are getting larger. Cameras are capturing more detail. Scanners are becoming more accessible. Drone and terrestrial data are increasingly being used together. The software needs to keep up. The new 3Dsurvey release is a step in that direction.

See the future of 3Dsurvey at INTERGEO

The full release is coming in October 2026. But if you're attending INTERGEO this September, you won't have to wait until then to see what's coming.

Come and meet the 3Dsurvey team for an early look at the new capabilities, including the combined exterior-and-interior mesh workflow, faster processing for large datasets, and the latest CAD improvements.

This is your first chance to see what the next generation of 3Dsurvey can do.

Visit us at booth C6D115!