Precision estimation of the angular resolution of terrestrial laser scanners

Abstract Angular resolution is the key factor governing the level of identifiable detail within a terrestrial laser scanner ( TLS ) point cloud; its uncertainty is related to the sensitivity of distinguishing fine details. The angular resolution was evaluated using the precision of the sampling angle and laser‐spot diameter of 14 commercially available TLS systems (both pulse‐ and phase‐based). To verify the effectiveness of the developed angular‐resolution precision assessment method, a Riegl VZ ‐400 and a Surphaser 25 HSX TLS were used to scan a sculptured Chinese character. The results show that a Riegl VZ ‐400 can identify detail better than a Surphaser 25 HSX . The proposed assessment method is useful for determining the sensitivity of a TLS when recording finely detailed object features.