Point clouds have become a core tool for surveyors: they capture reality precisely, speed up fieldwork, and open new deliverables. But the software landscape is wide, from capture to processing to delivery. This hub gives surveyors a clear map: what tools you need, the workflow from field to client, and the resources to go deeper on each step.
What surveyors need from point cloud software
A surveyor's needs are specific: precision, the right formats, and a way to deliver to clients who do not own specialist software.
- Accuracy: reliable measurements for legal and technical deliverables.
- Format support: read E57, LAS, LAZ, and vendor formats without friction.
- Scanner freedom: work with any manufacturer, not just one brand.
- Client delivery: share scans and plans without the client installing anything.
- Data sovereignty: essential for public contracts and cadastral work.
The surveyor's point cloud workflow
- Capture the site with a laser scanner or photogrammetry.
- Process the scans: register, clean, and georeference.
- Produce deliverables: plans, sections, volumes, as-built.
- Share the scan and outputs with the client by link.
- Archive the point cloud in an open format for the record.
Good to know
The step surveyors underestimate is delivery. A precise scan is worth little if the client cannot open it. Sharing by link, with nothing to install, often decides which platform a firm adopts.
Deliver your scans to clients by link
ATIS.cloud lets your client open the scan in a browser, measure and annotate, with nothing to install.
Which tools for each step
No single tool covers the whole workflow. Most surveyors combine a processing tool with a cloud platform for delivery. Our point cloud software alternatives cover the main options in detail.
| Step | Typical tools |
|---|---|
| Processing (register, clean) | CloudCompare, Leica Cyclone, Autodesk ReCap, Trimble RealWorks |
| Deliverables (plans, sections) | ATIS.cad (early access), CAD tools and BIM software |
| Sharing and delivery | ATIS.cloud and other cloud platforms |
Swipe the table horizontally to see all columns.
Compare the main platforms
- ATIS.cloud vs CloudCompare (free processing vs cloud sharing).
- ATIS.cloud vs Leica Cyclone (Leica processing vs multi-scanner sharing).
- ATIS.cloud vs Autodesk ReCap (RCS/RCP conversion vs sharing without a license).
- ATIS.cloud vs PointSharePlus (two cloud sharing platforms).
Delivering to clients
What clients actually want
Clients rarely want the raw point cloud alone; they need a usable answer. Depending on the assignment, deliver survey access, a drawing or a model. In ATIS.cad, Scan-to-Plan prepares the 2D drawing and Scan-to-BIM proposes building objects: review and complete the work before PDF/DWG/DXF or IFC export. ATIS.cad is in early access until the end of November 2026, on request and activated by the team. This is separate from the ATIS.cloud trial. Explore the surveyor workflow or request early access.
- Share the scan by link, the client views it in the browser.
- Let them measure and annotate, so questions resolve on the spot.
- Control access per project, with a link you can revoke.
- Deliver plans alongside the scan for full context.
- Keep sovereignty, with data hosted across 22+ countries.
Turn your survey data into a service
Contact us to discuss the ATIS.cloud Enterprise Partner offer and the services you can build around your point clouds.
Resources for surveyors
Guides to go further
- How to choose a 3D scanner.
- LiDAR scanning guide.
- Photogrammetry vs laser scanning.
- Point cloud file formats.
- Scan-to-BIM hub for as-built deliverables.
For a surveyor, the point cloud is the new baseline. The firms that win are the ones that also make it effortless for the client to see.
Put your survey scans online
Upload, view, measure, and share your point clouds with clients, up to 1 TB per file, with data sovereignty.
Surveyors need accuracy, format freedom, and easy client delivery. The workflow runs from capture to processing to deliverables to sharing, and no single tool covers it all: most firms pair a processing tool with a cloud platform. The differentiator is often delivery, sharing the scan by link, with data sovereignty, so clients can see the work without installing anything.
Frequently asked questions
Separate three operations:
- 1Register and clean the survey in suitable processing software.
- 2Prepare drawings or a model in ATIS.cad or external CAD/BIM software, then check the deliverable.
- 3Share the survey and result with the client in ATIS.cloud.
ATIS.cad includes Scan-to-Plan and Scan-to-BIM. ATIS.cad is in early access until the end of November 2026, on request and activated by the team. This is separate from the ATIS.cloud trial.
Upload the scan to a cloud platform and share it by link. The client opens it in a browser, with nothing to install, and can measure and annotate. ATIS.cloud supports files up to 1 TB and hosts data across 22+ countries.
It depends on the work: static laser scanners for precision, mobile scanners for speed, drones for large sites. Since ATIS.cloud is compatible with all manufacturers, you are not locked into one brand. See our guide on choosing a 3D scanner.
Yes, especially for public contracts, cadastral work, and sensitive sites. ATIS.cloud hosts data across 22+ countries, closest to you, with GDPR and CCPA compliance, which is often a decisive criterion for public clients.
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