Dai Rilievi Dinamici al Controllo Cartografico: il Contributo della Tecnologia SLAM al Collaudo dei Database Geo-Topografici

Abstract

This article explores the use of SLAM-based portable laser scanning systems as a metric reference for validating Geo-Topographic Databases (GTDB). As the demand for accurate and reliable geospatial data grows — driven by applications such as 3D urban models and digital twins — the need for efficient and comprehensive quality checks of official cartography is increasingly critical. Traditional GTDB verification relies on point-based topographic surveys, accurate but limited in geometric representativeness and often time-consuming.

The study evaluates three comparison methodologies between GTDB geometries and SLAM point clouds —point-to-cloud, line-to-cloud, and line-to-line — tested on 19 buildings in two urban areas in Udine (Italy). Results demonstrate that geometry-based approaches, particularly line-to-line, provide more robust assessments aligned with the target scale (1:2000), reducing the impact of local errors and irrelevant architectural details. SLAM acquisitions proved highly efficient, enabling full-area surveys in about 20 minutes.

The findings confirm that SLAM technology offers a viable solution for metric certification of GTDB and a promising tool for future cartographic updating and change detection. With advances in automated point-cloud processing and AI-driven feature extraction, SLAM could become a key component in official cartographic workflows.