DOT3D TIPS & TRICKS

Mind Your Default Settings

As more advanced options continue to be made available in Dot3D, it is important to remember that the defaults are chosen for a reason and in most cases should be left alone. Experimenting with capture or processing settings without understanding their effects is one of the most common causes of unexpectedly poor results. If something starts going wrong after a settings change, reset to defaults first before troubleshooting anything else.

Always Optimize

Never deliver raw scan data. Optimization is a critical post-processing step that automatically applies loop closure, geometric alignment, noise reduction, color leveling, AprilTag matching, and more. Always optimize — it takes only moments and dramatically improves the accuracy and quality of your final output. This step can be run in the field immediately after capture or later on any compatible device.

Use AprilTags for Loop Closure

AprilTags are one of the most powerful tools available to Dot3D users. When Dot3D recognizes the same tag from multiple passes, it uses that information to intelligently close loops and correct accumulated drift. You do not need expensive survey equipment to benefit — simply download the free printable targets from dotproduct3d.com/targets and attach them to walls with painter's tape. Make sure no tape occludes the printed black border area.

Place Tags Strategically

Spacing your AprilTags roughly every 5 to 8 meters throughout a space gives Dot3D reliable reference points for loop closure throughout the entire scan. Place tags at varying heights and on perpendicular walls where possible so the scanner can detect them from multiple angles and directions. Avoid placing tags in corners or areas that may be obstructed by furniture, equipment, or people.

Add Reference Dimensions for Best Accuracy

For the highest possible accuracy, combine AprilTags with known reference dimensions entered into the app. Use a laser measure — ideally one with an end piece that allows precise center-to-center measurements — to capture distances between tags and input them as reference measurements before optimizing. This gives the optimizer hard constraints to work with and significantly tightens your results. Alternatively, ins some cases (i.e. indoor building scans) you may also know add reference measurements even without tags, using the wall-to-wall feature.

Watch Your Speed

Moving too quickly is one of the most common causes of tracking loss and poor data quality. Dot3D now includes an optional speed feedback warning (available in Settings → Scene Capture) that will alert you in real time if you are moving too fast. Enable this feature, especially on your first few scans in a new environment, until consistent pacing becomes second nature. Don’t go too slow, but also don’t go too fast!

Scan Floor-First in Interior Spaces

When scanning interiors, prioritize capturing the floor area of each room before moving to walls and features. The floor contains consistent geometric information across a space and gives Dot3D a reliable base to track from. Scanning room by room in a logical sequence — rather than wandering freely — also helps the optimizer understand the spatial structure of the scene.

Leverage the Append Feature

If a scan session needs to be paused, or if you realize you missed an area after finishing, do not start over. Use the Append feature to add new data directly into an existing Dot3D scene (before optimization). This is particularly useful when returning to a site for a second visit, or when you realize you missed something the first time around. It should also be noted, however, that completing your entire scan in one go is almost always preferable, so Append should only really be leveraged as an option when deemed necessary (not typically as part of the original scan plan).

Ceiling Scans: Only If You Need Them

You may have heard to skip ceilings — and in most cases that is still good advice. Flat, featureless ceilings contribute very little geometric information and can actually introduce noise. However, if your deliverable specifically requires ceiling data, by all means capture it. The guidance is not a hard rule: it is simply that if you do not particularly need the ceiling, there is no benefit to spending the time on it.

Use GNSS for Georeferenced Scans

Dot3D supports real-time integration with GNSS location signals, including high-accuracy external hardware (i.e. FLX100 Plus, DA2, Reach RX, etc.) and lower accuracy internal hardware (i.e. iPhone GPS). For scans that could benefit from approximate referencing to global coordinates, we recommend utilizing the internal GPS option (included in Dot3D Pro). For scans that could benefit from high accuracy referencing and drift correction over long/large outdoor areas, we recommend utilizing an external received (requires Dot3D Prime) or survey control targeting.

Export Format: Match the Downstream Workflow

Dot3D supports direct export to DP, E57, LAS, LAZ, PTS, PTX, PLY, PTG, RCS (Windows only), and POD (Windows only) color point cloud formats. Choose your export format based on what your downstream software requires — E57 is widely supported across CAD and BIM platforms, while LAS and LAZ are often preferred for GIS and geospatial tools. DP is also increasingly supported as a direct import option across many applications, but make sure to use “DP compatibility mode” for any software that still requires that. For NeRF, Gaussian splatting, or photogrammetry pipelines, use the frame-based export option to send individual capture frames directly to third-party software. For GIS, floor planning, diagramming, and other 2D mapping scenarios that don’t actually require 3D data, you may also export scaled orthophotos (geoTIFF) with built-in georeferencing. CSV/TXT files are also available for simple export of 3D annotation locations, trajectories, measurements, etc. And DXF export is available for simple line drawings created inside Dot3D.