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The geospatial analytics market is on the rise, projected to grow by 11.1% annually between 2024 and 2029, reaching
(Geospatial Analytics Market, 2025).
This growth is fueled by increasing demand for geospatial data to support innovations like digital twins, smart cities, and even metaverse applications. For surveying companies, this presents a clear opportunity: by integrating advanced 3D surveying technologies, they can position themselves as indispensable geospatial data providers.
Reality capture solutions, such as 3D laser scanners and mobile mapping systems, are transforming how data is collected, delivering faster, more comprehensive results in diverse environments. But to fully capitalise on this potential, surveyors must go beyond traditional roles. They need to embrace the role of data managers responsible for capturing, processing, and delivering precise geospatial data tailored to their clients’ needs.
Surveying businesses that successfully adopt these technologies and workflows stand to gain a competitive edge in this rapidly evolving industry. But how can you integrate 3D technologies into your operations effectively? Here are three practical tips to get started:
1. Showcase the technology to clients
Educating your clients about the benefits of 3D surveying technology is key to driving adoption. Use tangible examples to demonstrate its value, such as showcasing clash detection, precise area and volume measurements, and design validation with 3D models or interactive GIS maps. These examples can help challenge outdated methods and highlight how advanced solutions can deliver better results.
2. Establish new data flows
Adopting 3D technologies requires rethinking workflows for streamlined data integration, starting with understanding your clients’ goals. For instance, a civil engineering firm designing a new road can benefit from high-resolution, georeferenced point clouds or 3D terrain models instead of traditional CAD files. This shift enables fewer site visits, faster project cycles, improved safety, and a permanent digital record.
In this workflow, surveyors register raw scans from multiple setups into a unified coordinate system and use advanced and AI-powered processing tools to replace manual CAD drafting. They can also optimise deliverables by converting them into lightweight formats, ensuring compatibility with industry tools and aligning with BIM standards.
3. Embrace automation
Automation is a game changer for improving efficiency and reducing manual labor. Tools like the Leica TRK mobile mapping series combine advanced LiDAR, imaging, and positioning sensors with AI-enabled software that select the most efficient routes for data collection and automatically starts data capture along predefined routes. AI can also streamline post-processing by classifying scan data into categories – such as roads, vegetation, or structural elements – saving countless hours and speeding up project delivery.
