1 Geodetic Measurement Technology

This year, a strong trend toward sensor and data fusion can be observed in the field of geodetic surveying technology. The integration of GNSS/RTK, LiDAR, and optical sensor systems into hybrid, often SLAM-enabled platforms, represents one of the key developments in the industry. Such platforms are capable of simultaneously determining their own position and capturing the surrounding environment using sensor data—particularly in GNSS-challenged or GNSS-denied environments. Thanks to the diversity of data sources, centimeter-level accuracies can be achieved even in areas with poor GNSS reception.

The integration of artificial intelligence applications represents another significant aspect in the development of the next generation of total stations. Key applications include AI-assisted target acquisition, AI-based recognition and identification of prism types, and automated AI-driven target tracking. To ensure robust tracking even when the line of sight is temporarily interrupted, AI methods for trajectory prediction of the tracked prism are employed.

In the field of terrestrial laser scanning, as in previous years, development is characterized primarily by incremental improvements to existing products. Noteworthy is the specialization of certain systems for particularly challenging environmental conditions, such as operation in icy and snow-covered environments. These adaptations include, for example, the use of specialized wavelengths that are uncommon in conventional systems (e.g., 1064 nm). As a result, ranges of up to 6,000 m can be achieved, with an accuracy of 100 mm at a distance of 100 m.

Another emerging trend is the integration of 3D Gaussian Splatting (3DGS) into SLAM systems in the low to mid-price segment. This technology enables highly realistic visual representations with an exceptionally high level of visual detail compared to traditional meshes, while maintaining high geometric accuracy. To enable 3DGS, existing handheld solutions are often expanded with additional optical panoramic cameras, as illustrated in Figure 2. The already integrated cameras continue to serve primarily to enrich point clouds with RGB information. Overall, the range of handheld mobile mapping sensors in the low to mid-price segment has expanded significantly compared to previous years.

With video-based visual SLAM, a new field is emerging this year. The system in question, shown in Figure 3, achieves a point cloud accuracy of 3 mm at a distance of 1 m and 2 cm at a distance of 20 m, and is capable of maintaining an accuracy of approximately 7 mm in tunnel environments without loop closure.

From Sensor Fusion to Gaussian Splatting

The INTERGEO 2025 Trend Analysis

This year’s INTERGEO clearly demonstrated that sensor and data fusion are among the key drivers of current and future developments in the geospatial domain. Across all application areas—from geodetic surveying and unmanned systems to Earth observation—hybrid platforms can be observed that integrate a wide variety of sensors within unified systems.

We would like to thank the authors of the trend analysis for their technical expertise and their thorough evaluation of the insights gathered at INTERGEO. Their contributions form the foundation for the assessment of key technological developments in the geospatial sector.