Comparison · Terrestrial laser scanner
SkyeBrowse vs Leica BLK360
The short answer
SkyeBrowse is the better fit for agencies that want survey-grade scene documentation from a drone or phone video in minutes, without scanner hardware, with CJIS-compliant storage. The Leica BLK360 fits teams that already run terrestrial laser scanning and work in point cloud software.
Last checked October 13, 2026.
SkyeBrowse vs Leica BLK360 at a glance
| Category | SkyeBrowse | Leica BLK360 |
|---|---|---|
| What you capture | One continuous video (MP4, MOV, INSV, or OSV) from any drone, phone, 360 camera, or body worn camera. Photos attach to a model as annotations. | Imaging laser scanner with four scan settings of 7, 13, 30, or 75 seconds at 680,000 points per second. Source: Leica BLK360 page |
| Where it runs | 100% cloud, in the browser at app.skyebrowse.com. The SkyeBrowse Flight App automates Orbit and WideBrowse grid flights on supported DJI and Autel drones. | Controlled with the Leica Cyclone FIELD 360 mobile app. Source: Leica BLK360 page |
| Exports and integrations | LAZ, GLB, OBJ, USDZ, GeoTIFF, and CAD (DXF or GeoJSON) on Pro and Public Safety & Enterprise models. Axon Evidence.com integration on Public Safety & Enterprise. | Exports LGS, RCP, or E57 point cloud files. Source: Leica BLK360 page |
Vendor pricing and features change often. Confirm current terms with Leica Geosystems before you buy.
Who should pick which
Pick SkyeBrowse if
- You want a scene captured from the air in one flight instead of station by station.
- You want any trained officer to capture with a drone or phone they already own.
- You need cloud processing in minutes, CJIS compliance, and chain of custody.
Pick Leica BLK360 if
- Your workflow already depends on terrestrial laser scans and point cloud software.
- You scan tight interiors where flying a drone is impractical and a phone video is not an option.
Switching from Leica BLK360
SkyeBrowse builds models from video, and its model import takes meshes as GLB or STL layers on Pro and Public Safety & Enterprise models. Keep existing scans in your point cloud software, capture new scenes as video, and export LAZ from SkyeBrowse to work alongside them.
- Create a free account at app.skyebrowse.com and use Universal Upload for any MP4, MOV, INSV, or OSV file you already have, including archived drone flights, phone video, and 360 footage.
- Upload the drone's GPS subtitle file (.SRT for DJI, .ASS for Autel) with the video to georeference the model. Video without GPS can be scaled with the Scale tool against a known measurement.
- Upload limits: 2GB per file on Freemium, up to 3 videos of 10GB each on Commercial and Pro, and up to 10 videos of 100GB each on Public Safety & Enterprise.
- SkyeBrowse builds models from video only, so photo-only datasets stay in the tool that made them. Existing meshes saved as GLB or STL can be imported as layers inside a SkyeBrowse model on Pro (3 layers) and Public Safety & Enterprise (5 layers).
- Keep your downstream software: export LAZ point clouds, GLB, OBJ, USDZ, GeoTIFF, and DXF or GeoJSON CAD files into GIS, CAD, and forensics tools. SkyeBrowse produces a DSM, so DTM ground classification still happens in third-party software on the exported LAZ.
- Agencies can apply for the Pilot Program, about two weeks of Public Safety & Enterprise access, to run real scenes side by side before buying. Eligible free accounts can process their first full Commercial model for $5.
Check your aircraft and controller on the supported drones list and see plan details on the pricing page.
Do still photos beat video for 3D mapping?
A common claim is that still photos always produce better 3D models than video. Here is what the validation behind SkyeBrowse videogrammetry shows.
- Photogrammetry uses hundreds or thousands of overlapping still photos. Capture is slower, processing takes hours or days, and survey-grade results usually depend on ground control points, a trained specialist, and post-processing.
- SkyeBrowse videogrammetry uses the frames of one continuous video. It delivers laser-scanner-level accuracy: in an independent QC study by AirBorne Works, SkyeBrowse video models came closest to Leica BLK360 laser-scan ground truth on 8 of 9 measurements, outperforming photo-based Pix4D Mapper and Leica BLK3D. Results are survey-grade and court-admissible without ground control points.
- Cloud processing runs about one minute per minute of video, so a scene flown at the incident can be measured before the road reopens.
Read the method and results in the independent accuracy study.
SkyeBrowse vs Leica BLK360 FAQ
Is SkyeBrowse as accurate as a laser scanner?
Yes, at laser-scanner level. In an independent QC study by AirBorne Works, SkyeBrowse video models came closest to Leica BLK360 laser-scan ground truth on 8 of 9 measurements, outperforming photo-based Pix4D Mapper and Leica BLK3D. Results are survey-grade and court-admissible without ground control points. Public Safety & Enterprise models reach 0.1 inch accuracy.
Can SkyeBrowse open BLK360 scans?
SkyeBrowse builds models from video and imports meshes as GLB or STL layers. Keep BLK360 point clouds in your point cloud software and work alongside them with LAZ exports from SkyeBrowse.
Do still photos beat video for drone mapping accuracy?
No. In an independent QC study by AirBorne Works, SkyeBrowse video models came closest to Leica BLK360 laser-scan ground truth on 8 of 9 measurements, outperforming photo-based Pix4D Mapper and Leica BLK3D. SkyeBrowse reaches survey-grade, court-admissible results without ground control points. Photo-based workflows usually need ground control points, a specialist, and hours of processing to reach survey grade.
More comparisons
Map your first site today
Create a free account, upload one drone or phone video, and open a measurable 3D model in minutes. Agencies that need CJIS compliance and 0.1 inch accuracy can request a quote for Public Safety & Enterprise.
