PIX4Dcatch: Mobile 3D Scanning App for Ground-Level Forensics

Ground-Level and Indoor 3D Scene Capture Turn a Compatible Mobile Device into a Powerful 3D Scene-Capture Tool PIX4Dcatch brings professional photogrammetry to the places drones cannot easily reach. Walk around a vehicle, through a room, beneath a tree canopy, along a trench, or across a ground-level incident scene while the app automatically records overlapping imagery and guides capture coverage in real time. For law enforcement, public safety, emergency management, defense, and technical investigation teams, this creates a practical way to document evidence-rich environments from a human perspective. Process the data in PIX4Dcloud for a streamlined online workflow or export it to PIX4Dmatic for greater local control, advanced analysis, and integration with drone and LiDAR datasets. Complete the scene from every perspective. Use PIX4Dcatch to capture interiors, vertical surfaces, vehicle damage, confined areas, objects beneath obstructions, and other details that may be incomplete or invisible in an aerial-only model. Why PIX4Dcatch What Makes PIX4Dcatch a Strong Public-Safety Solution? Easy field capture, visual quality guidance, flexible processing, and professional positioning tools help teams build a more complete and measurable record of the scene. Georeferenced 3D Scanning Create detailed ground-level datasets with a compatible smartphone or tablet using photogrammetry and, on supported devices, integrated LiDAR-assisted capture. Device position, orientation, imagery, and scene geometry are organized into a spatially aware project that can become a measurable 3D model after processing. Versatile Processing Options Choose the workflow that fits the mission and data policy. Upload to PIX4Dcloud for online processing, visualization, and controlled collaboration, or export a complete project for local processing in PIX4Dmatic. PIX4Dmatic can also help combine terrestrial PIX4Dcatch imagery with compatible drone data for a more complete reconstruction. Innovative Augmented-Reality Features Use real-time visual feedback to understand where the scene has been captured and where additional coverage may be needed. Professional workflows can also display points or supported PIX4Dcloud project layers in augmented reality, helping teams relocate control points, revisit documented positions, or compare field conditions with mapped information. RTK Compatibility Connect PIX4Dcatch Pro to a supported RTK GNSS receiver to record high-accuracy image geotags and strengthen the model’s absolute position. This is especially useful when the ground-level capture must align with an agency coordinate system, drone map, survey control, GIS layer, or larger outdoor scene. Final accuracy depends on the mobile device, receiver, correction service, satellite conditions, capture technique, control, processing settings, and the environment. Ease of Use in the Field Start a project, walk the scene at a controlled pace, and let the app capture overlapping imagery automatically. Live mesh and point-cloud feedback, image-overlap guidance, pause-and-resume controls, and a post-capture quality review help operators obtain usable coverage without managing a traditional camera station at every position. Applications Built for the Parts of the Scene a Drone Cannot See PIX4Dcatch complements aerial photogrammetry, terrestrial LiDAR, conventional photography, and evidence documentation. It does not replace agency evidence procedures or qualified forensic analysis. Indoor Crime and Incident Scenes Capture rooms, corridors, stairways, evidence relationships, wall and floor surfaces, and paths through a structure. A processed model gives investigators and reviewers a navigable spatial record after the physical scene has changed or been released. Accident and Vehicle Documentation Walk around damaged vehicles, roadway evidence, impact areas, and complex ground geometry. Terrestrial imagery can document side panels, undercuts, vertical deformation, and close-range detail that an overhead drone survey may not fully reconstruct. Ground Search and Outdoor Evidence Scenes Document evidence under tree canopies, beside structures, within alleys, around drainage features, or in other GPS- or flight-constrained locations. Use targets, measured control, or RTK where appropriate to connect the capture to the larger scene. Technical Investigations and Site Intelligence Create a measurable representation of access points, rooms, equipment areas, likely sensor positions, obstructions, and line-of-sight constraints. The resulting model can support lawful pre-operation familiarization, technical-surveillance planning, and multi-team briefings. Emergency and Damage Assessment Capture damaged interiors, confined infrastructure, debris, shelters, temporary facilities, and areas inaccessible to conventional aerial mapping. Detailed annotations can preserve observations and supporting photographs with the project. Field Workflow From Scene Walkthrough to Measurable 3D Model A guided workflow helps the operator capture, check, pause, export, and process the scene without breaking concentration on the environment. Your browser does not support embedded video. 1 Capture Ground Data Walk along or around the area of interest. PIX4Dcatch automatically records overlapping frames with available position and orientation information while the operator concentrates on safe, methodical scene coverage. 2 Ensure Completeness Before Leaving Use the live reconstruction, mesh, camera views, feature points, and image-overlap guidance to identify gaps while personnel still control the scene. A quality report at the end of capture helps the operator assess the dataset before demobilizing. 3 Pause and Resume as the Scene Requires Pause when personnel pass through, lighting changes, an area becomes temporarily restricted, or another evidentiary task takes priority. The live viewer preserves the captured coverage so the operator can continue the same project when ready. 4 Export and Process Send the project to PIX4Dcloud for online processing and controlled sharing or export it in the recommended project format for PIX4Dmatic. Generate outputs such as point clouds, textured meshes, orthomosaics, DSMs, measurements, or photorealistic visualizations according to the selected processing product and license. Operational Features More Control When the Scene Demands It The available toolset extends from straightforward guided scanning to high-accuracy positioning and structured project management. Open each section for details. Guided Image and Scene Capture Automatic image capture with available geolocation and device pose Pause, resume, save, or abort controls Live point-cloud and reconstruction-mesh preview Adjustable image overlap and capture behavior Image-quality filtering and autofocus controls Camera views, feature points, and mesh-display options End-of-capture quality report Targets, GCPs, Tie Points, and Scene Control PIX4Dcatch can detect supported Pix4D Autotags during capture and optimize their detection afterward. Teams can import a point collection, use known points as GCPs, mark GCPs in images, convert selected control to checkpoints, and export marks and coordinates for processing. This can accelerate the connection of indoor, ground, drone, and other spatial datasets while providing a repeatable control workflow. RTK and Coordinate-System Workflows Bluetooth connection to supported RTK receivers NTRIP credentials, mountpoint selection, and reusable RTK profiles Camera-offset configuration for supported mounts and cases RTK accuracy indicators and per-image accuracy classifications Coordinate reference system selection and export Point measurement using a compatible GNSS pole workflow Augmented Reality and Field Revisit Tools Display imported points in augmented reality, show or hide connecting lines and labels, and add annotations during capture. With the appropriate PIX4Dcloud workflow, teams can display supported project layers and Autotags in AR, adjust their opacity, and revisit mapped information within the physical environment. Project Review, Annotations, and Quality Control Search, filter, organize, rename, and delete projects Review imagery, cameras, point clouds, mesh, and available accuracy tags Inspect geolocation source, image CRS, storage, and average accuracy Add named scene annotations with descriptions and supporting images Upload annotations with the captured dataset to PIX4Dcloud Compute texture or a dense point cloud where supported Field Measurements and Volume Analysis Measure points and, where supported, define a base surface and compute cut-and-fill volumes directly within PIX4Dcatch. Results can include estimated values, geometry, accuracy information, naming, and a PDF export. This can provide rapid field insight while a more complete project is prepared for final analysis. Export and Processing Options Export project imagery and associated data for PIX4Dmatic processing Export captured point clouds, meshes, logs, GCP marks, and measured-point data Upload one or multiple projects into an organization, site, or folder in PIX4Dcloud Select supported PIX4Dcloud processing outputs and coordinate systems Generate supported online outputs such as point clouds, orthophotos, DSMs, or Gaussian splats Continue into CAD, GIS, mapping, measurement, and secure collaboration workflows through the broader PIX4D ecosystem Choose the Right Access Level PIX4Dcatch License Levels The correct access level depends on whether your team is exploring mobile scanning, exporting data into a professional processing workflow, or using RTK, automatic target detection, and augmented reality. Explore Discovery Use the free access level to learn the capture workflow and experiment with compatible-device 3D scanning, GPS georeferencing, point measurement, GCP creation, and marks. This is a useful evaluation path before designing a production workflow. Download Now Capture and Export Standard Add project data export and import to the Discovery feature set. Standard access is available to qualifying PIX4Dcloud, PIX4Dmatic, or PIX4Dmapper license holders and enables a practical path from mobile capture to professional processing. Download Now High-Accuracy Field Workflow Pro Add professional capabilities including supported RTK connections, automatic GCP and tie-point detection with Pix4D Autotags, AR points, and supported PIX4Dcloud project visualization in augmented reality. Buy Now Important: Feature availability can vary by operating system, mobile-device sensors, hardware compatibility, PIX4Dcatch release, and related PIX4D license. PIX4Dcloud processing requires the appropriate cloud subscription or credits. MAXSUR can help verify the current configuration before purchase or deployment. See the Workflow Mobile Mapping in a Ground-Level Environment This outdoor trench example demonstrates how a user can capture detailed geometry while walking the site. The same guided-capture principles apply to many indoor, forensic, investigative, infrastructure, and emergency-response scenes. Build the Complete Workflow Related Mapping Technologies Connect mobile capture with spatial control, advanced desktop processing, secure online collaboration, drone data, and LiDAR. Mapping Targets Strengthen spatial control, cover larger scenes, and connect multiple captures—such as indoor, outdoor, drone, and LiDAR models—more efficiently. Explore mapping targets → Process and Securely Share with PIX4Dcloud Upload field captures for online processing, project organization, visualization, measurements, and controlled collaboration with authorized stakeholders. Explore PIX4Dcloud → Process and Combine Data in PIX4Dmatic Use a powerful desktop workflow to process PIX4Dcatch projects and, with the appropriate license, merge ground imagery with drone captures or integrate other spatial data for advanced analysis. Explore PIX4Dmatic → See All PIX4D Products Build an end-to-end mapping capability with capture, local processing, cloud collaboration, rapid response, training, targets, drones, and LiDAR. View the PIX4D collection → Frequently Asked Questions PIX4Dcatch Questions Can PIX4Dcatch capture indoor crime scenes? Yes. PIX4Dcatch is especially useful for rooms, hallways, stairways, vehicles, and other ground-level environments where aerial capture is impossible or incomplete. Successful reconstruction still requires adequate lighting, sufficient visual texture, controlled movement, good overlap, and a deliberate capture path. Does PIX4Dcatch work without LiDAR? Yes. PIX4Dcatch uses overlapping imagery and photogrammetry to capture scene data. Supported mobile LiDAR can improve real-time guidance and acquisition in compatible workflows, but the final deliverable and performance depend on the device, scene, processing method, and selected outputs. Can PIX4Dcatch produce centimeter-accurate models? PIX4D states that absolute centimeter-level accuracy is achievable with PIX4Dcatch and a supported RTK workflow. It should not be assumed for every capture. Accuracy must be evaluated against the mission requirement and depends on the receiver, correction source, satellite geometry, camera offset, environment, control, capture quality, and processing. Can we combine an indoor model with a drone model? Yes, with compatible datasets, sufficient overlap or common control, and the appropriate PIX4Dmatic workflow. Mapping targets, GCPs, Autotags, and accurately measured common points can make alignment more efficient and defensible. Can we keep processing local instead of uploading a sensitive scene? PIX4Dcatch data can be exported and processed locally in PIX4Dmatic with the appropriate licenses. This provides an alternative to cloud processing for agencies whose policy, case sensitivity, bandwidth, or workflow calls for local control. The agency remains responsible for device security, file handling, access control, evidence policy, and chain-of-custody procedures. Is PIX4Dcatch difficult to learn? The basic capture workflow is approachable: start the project, walk the scene, monitor coverage, and review quality. Professional forensic mapping requires more than operating the app, however. Teams should understand photogrammetry, scene control, accuracy validation, capture planning, data management, and the requirements of their investigative or evidentiary workflow. Does MAXSUR offer PIX4Dcatch training and workflow development? Yes. MAXSUR can support online learning, in-person training, field workflow development, device and RTK selection, target strategy, drone and LiDAR integration, processing configuration, and train-the-trainer programs. For a new mapping team, onsite instruction can help establish a repeatable operational and quality-control process from the beginning. MAXSUR Mapping Support Build a Complete Ground, Indoor, Drone, and LiDAR Workflow MAXSUR can help your team select the right PIX4Dcatch access level, compatible mobile and RTK hardware, processing software, mapping targets, training, and data workflow for your operational and accuracy requirements. Request a PIX4D Consultation Call 314-270-2150