What are the differences between installation-free point cloud viewing services and conventional tools?

Table of Contents

• Introduction

• Issues with conventional point cloud viewing tools

• What is an installation-free point cloud viewing service?

• Differences in accessibility (deployment/environment)

• Differences in usability (UI/operability)

• Differences in data sharing and collaboration

• Differences in field utilization

• Differences in features and performance

• Conclusion

• Recommendation: simple surveying with LRTK

• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Introduction

In recent years, high-precision point cloud data obtained by 3D laser scanners and photogrammetry has become widely used across many field sites, especially in civil engineering and construction. The range of applications keeps expanding year by year—using acquired point clouds to understand as-built conditions, verifying construction by comparing with design models, and aiding infrastructure maintenance. However, viewing point cloud data itself has long been a major challenge. Point clouds, being vast collections of points, produce very large files and typically require dedicated software installation and high-performance PCs to handle, so they were not something anyone could easily open and view.

Amid this situation, cloud-based point cloud viewing services that are usable without installation have been attracting attention. New tools are emerging that let you upload point cloud data to the cloud over the internet and display and measure it in 3D directly in a web browser. These installation-free point cloud viewing services are beginning to enable sharing and utilization of point clouds among stakeholders even without specialized software. In this article, we compare conventional desktop point cloud tools with the latest browser-compatible viewers and explain in detail the differences in accessibility, usability, data sharing, field use, and other aspects.

Issues with conventional point cloud viewing tools

First, let’s outline the situation and issues with traditionally used point cloud viewing tools. Historically, displaying and processing point clouds generally required installing dedicated software on a PC. There are various options—scanner vendors’ proprietary viewers, open-source point cloud processing software, and CAD software with point cloud support—but all of them are applications that run on a PC. This inevitably involves the hassle of installing software in advance and each application has its own system requirements. In addition, handling high-resolution point clouds often requires a high-spec PC with a graphics card, so ordinary office laptops may not run them smoothly.

Beyond these environmental hurdles, conventional point cloud software often has a steep learning curve. Because they are feature-rich, UIs can be complex and even simple viewpoint control or measurement takes practice. As a result, only surveyors or CAD specialists could operate them proficiently, making it difficult to share and utilize acquired point clouds among all stakeholders. For example, when delivering point cloud data to clients, they might ask “How should I view this data?” and one ends up explaining with static images. Large point cloud files also can’t be attached to email, so file transfer delays become another barrier.

In fact, reports from agencies responsible for national land management in Japan point out that the requirement for expensive software and high-performance PCs hinders point cloud utilization. Conventionally, point clouds had a reputation of being “hard to handle,” and improving viewing environments has been necessary to promote data use.

What is an installation-free point cloud viewing service?

The solution that has emerged is the installation-free point cloud viewing service. As the name suggests, this refers to a mechanism that allows users to display and interact with point cloud data directly in a web browser without installing dedicated software on their PC or device. Specifically, point cloud data uploaded to the cloud over the internet is displayed within the browser as a 3D viewer. You can freely change viewpoints with mouse or touch operations and observe the point cloud from various angles. Basic measurement functions such as measuring distances or cutting arbitrary cross-sections are provided, so you can grasp site conditions from the browser alone without launching traditional software.

Many cloud viewers perform rendering and data compression processing on the server side so they can smoothly render large point clouds without depending on the local device’s specifications. Therefore, even high-resolution data can be streamed by loading only the necessary portions over the network and displayed responsively. In short, browser-based point cloud viewing services make it possible for anyone with an internet connection and a browser to view point cloud data. Because they can be accessed from field laptops without special apps, as well as tablets and smartphones, it is revolutionary that point clouds can be used regardless of location or device.

So what exactly differs between this “installation-free” style and conventional software? Below we compare them across major perspectives and delve into each characteristic.

Differences in accessibility (deployment/environment)

First, the ease of getting started and required environment differ. With conventional tools, viewing point cloud data required installing compatible software on your PC. Installing software on corporate PCs may require admin privileges and internal procedures, so it’s not always possible for anyone to use it on the spot. Also, OS restrictions—such as Windows-only software not running on Mac—can be limiting. In contrast, browser-based viewing services can be used simply by accessing a link, with no special setup required. Even if collaborators don’t have the software installed, you can share the point cloud data by saying “please open this URL,” and they can view it immediately.

Another major advantage is device and OS independence. If a web browser runs, you can view the same content on desktop PCs, laptops, tablets, and smartphones. This flexibility allows access from the most appropriate device—tablets in the field, desktops in the office, and so on. Importantly, many services don’t require you to prepare a high-performance PC. With server-side rendering, standard-spec local PCs can display large point clouds smoothly by leveraging server compute power. You don’t need a workstation with a dedicated GPU and large memory as with traditional setups.

Moreover, you are freed from software updates and maintenance. Installed tools often require reinstallation or license updates with each new version, but cloud services always provide the latest version so users don’t need to manage updates. From initial deployment to daily use, browser viewing services are overwhelmingly smoother.

Differences in usability (UI/operability)

Next is usability when actually viewing data. Conventional point cloud processing software provides advanced professional features but often has complicated interfaces and controls. Even mouse operations may follow unique rules, and users can be overwhelmed by numerous buttons and settings. Browser-based point cloud viewers are often designed with relatively simple UIs for intuitive use. For example, you can rotate and move viewpoints by dragging on the screen, or switch to distance-measurement mode with a single click—features that make it easy for people without experience in specialized software to understand operations by feel.

Being easy for non-technical users to handle is a major benefit: field staff or clients without technical backgrounds can view and check point clouds themselves. This smooths explanations and opinion sharing, shortening time to consensus. In situations where a technician previously had to operate software and explain to others, browser viewers let stakeholders independently view the 3D data, greatly improving communication efficiency.

Browser-based tools also often support touch operations, allowing intuitive viewpoint control through pinching and swiping on tablets and smartphones. This makes it easy to check point clouds on-site with a tablet in hand, increasing convenience. Overall, modern web viewers differentiate themselves from conventional tools by being “easy for anyone to use without confusion.”

Differences in data sharing and collaboration

There are also major differences in how point cloud data is shared. Traditionally, to show acquired point clouds to others you needed to hand them the data file and have the recipient open it. But as noted earlier, without dedicated software they couldn’t open it, so you had to provide the viewer along with the files or convert data into static images or videos for explanatory materials—extra work that took time. Large file sizes also meant data could not be emailed, requiring USB drives or file transfer services, so data sharing was not straightforward.

With browser viewing services, you only need to have others access the uploaded point cloud via a URL. The data remains in the cloud, and when recipients open the link in a browser they can immediately inspect the 3D view. For example, branches or partner companies in remote locations can view the same point cloud online simultaneously during meetings. When changes are made, updating the cloud data ensures everyone accesses the latest information, preventing mistakes like “not everyone has the latest version” or “work was done on an outdated file.”

Some tools also offer robust access control and commenting features, functioning as collaboration platforms. Users can pin annotations to specific survey points and others can reply, enabling communication within the point cloud space. The ability for field personnel, designers, and clients to share understanding in a 3D environment and progress projects together is a cloud-specific strength. The sharing style has shifted from individually handing out files and having each person view them separately to “one shared space where everyone checks together.”

Differences in field utilization

There is a decisive difference in using point clouds in the field. Conventional point cloud software is mostly used on office desktop PCs and is impractical to bring to the field to open and verify scans on-site. While one could carry a laptop with a viewer installed, high-performance laptops tend to be heavy and have limited battery life, making extended outdoor use difficult. As a result, the typical workflow has been to bring data back to the office for detailed review after scanning. This risks missing data gaps or omissions that are only discovered later, leading to inefficient re-visits to the site.

Conversely, browser-compatible point cloud viewers allow you to check scan results immediately on-site. For example, you can open point clouds uploaded from scanners or drones on a tablet and verify whether the necessary areas were properly captured. If part of the site was missed, you can perform additional scans right away—enabling quality checks and follow-up while still in the field. Moreover, sharing data from the field to the cloud lets office staff view the point cloud in real time and provide guidance. Being able to grasp the latest on-site situation remotely in 3D reduces travel time and enables faster decision-making and instruction.

Recently, advanced use cases have appeared where acquired point clouds are displayed on mobile devices in AR (augmented reality), overlaying the data on the actual scene for on-site inspection. For instance, you can overlay a scanned structure’s point cloud on the real view via a tablet to intuitively check differences from the design. Field verification that used to rely on plans or photos can now be done on the spot with 3D data. This on-site immediacy supported by cloud-linked viewers not only offers convenience but also reduces rework and improves quality.

Differences in features and performance

Finally, consider features and processing performance. For advanced point cloud analysis and editing, desktop professional software currently still has advantages in some cases. Extracting ground surfaces, classifying and filtering objects, or performing advanced 3D modeling can be difficult without dedicated software. Browser viewers mainly focus on “viewing” and “simple measurement/comments,” and often lack extensive editing or automated analysis features. However, increasingly, browser-based services offer practical analysis functions—distance/area/volume measurement, arbitrary cross-section extraction, and differential comparison between multiple point clouds—so a fair amount of analysis can now be completed in the cloud without relying on traditional software.

Regarding performance, there used to be concerns that web-based viewing would be sluggish, but thanks to server-side optimizations and point cloud tiling technologies, examples now exist where even data on the scale of hundreds of millions of points can be viewed smoothly. In fact, cloud access can sometimes handle massive data that ordinary PCs could not open locally. However, in environments with very slow network connections, loading may be slow, so confirming communication conditions beforehand is advisable for large datasets. Also, when highly confidential data cannot be uploaded to the cloud, offline-capable traditional software remains necessary. In terms of features and performance, it’s important to use the right tool for the task.

Conclusion

We have examined the differences between installation-free point cloud viewing services and conventional tools from various angles. The long-standing hurdles for point cloud utilization—installation hassles, complex operation, difficult data sharing, and impractical field use—can be drastically eased with cloud-based viewers that enable easy visualization, sharing, and simple measurement. The key is selecting the appropriate tool for your needs. Traditional software remains powerful for advanced analysis, while browser-compatible services are ideal for easily sharing 3D data and facilitating communication both inside and outside the company. Leveraging the strengths of both approaches will be increasingly important to maximize the value of point cloud data.

In particular, installation-free cloud services provide the foundation for “anyone, anywhere, anytime” access to point clouds. Point cloud data, once limited to specialists, is becoming an everyday information resource in routine work. By taking advantage of this trend, you can improve field productivity and speed up consensus-building.

Recommendation: simple surveying with LRTK

As described above, point cloud-related technology is rapidly evolving toward installation-free, cloud-centered workflows. Against this backdrop, LRTK-enabled simple surveying has emerged. LRTK combines a smartphone with a compact GNSS receiver to allow anyone to easily acquire centimeter-level (half-inch accuracy) high-precision surveying and point cloud data—an innovative platform. Data captured on-site is synchronized to the cloud and visualized and shared immediately in a dedicated 3D viewer. Because you can check point clouds with absolute coordinates in real time and perform additional measurements or share results on the spot, LRTK realizes an environment where high-precision surveying is truly “anytime, anywhere, anyone.”

Developed with the goal of “one versatile surveying device per person,” this system’s ease of use and affordable cost have already sparked a quiet boom at many sites. Supporting everything from point cloud capture to cloud sharing and AR-based field use, LRTK strongly supports site efficiency and digital transformation (DX). If you haven’t experienced high-precision positioning and cloud point cloud sharing yet, consider trying LRTK. Once you realize the benefits of this innovative simple surveying solution, you may not want to return to previous inefficient methods. The new smartphone-based form of surveying could bring major changes to your field operations.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: Is there a way to view point cloud data without installing software? A: Yes. Recently, cloud-based point cloud viewers (viewing services) have emerged that let you display point clouds in a browser without installing dedicated software on your PC. Upload data over the internet and share a link—recipients can view it via their browser, making this method ideal for easily sharing 3D data.

Q: Can browser-based point cloud viewers perform distance measurement and cross-section display? A: Many browser-compatible viewers include basic measurement functions. They can measure distances between two points, areas, create arbitrary planar cross-sections, and add comments or markers—simple analyses required in the field are generally feasible in the browser. However, advanced editing and analysis (noise removal, complex modeling, etc.) may still require traditional professional software.

Q: Can web browsers comfortably display large point cloud datasets? A: Yes. Cloud services often divide and compress data and load only the necessary portions, allowing smooth handling of large-scale datasets containing hundreds of millions of points in many cases. Even without a high-performance GPU on the user’s PC, server-side processing can produce smooth rendering. However, initial data upload can take time, so a good network environment is desirable.

Q: Is it safe to store point cloud data in the cloud from a security standpoint? A: With trustworthy services, encryption and access controls are typically implemented, so cloud use is generally safe. You can usually set permissions so only authorized users can view uploaded point clouds. For highly confidential data, consider options such as hosting on internal servers or using offline-capable software, and design operations accordingly.

Q: Which should I use: conventional point cloud software or browser services? A: It’s best to use both according to the task. Browser services are extremely convenient for easily sharing 3D data with stakeholders and for quick checks in the field or on the go. For heavy editing and detailed analysis, conventional professional software is more suitable. Rather than competing, they are complementary; combining both expands the ways you can leverage point cloud data.