Comparison · Mobile 3D scanning app
SkyeBrowse vs Polycam
The short answer
SkyeBrowse is the better fit for public safety scenes that need drone-scale coverage, survey-grade accuracy without ground control points, CJIS compliance, and per-model pricing with unlimited users. Polycam fits individuals and teams scanning rooms and objects with a phone.
Last checked October 13, 2026.
SkyeBrowse vs Polycam at a glance
| Category | SkyeBrowse | Polycam |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | Phone capture with and without LiDAR. Business and Enterprise plans allow 30 minute videos and 2,000 images per capture. Source: poly.cam pricing |
| Published pricing | Freemium is free. Commercial model $24.99, Pro model $49.99, Public Safety & Enterprise $199 per model per year. No seat fees. | Business $400 per year per user. Enterprise $1,200 per year per user with a 3 user minimum. Source: poly.cam pricing |
| 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. | Mesh exports in GLTF, OBJ, FBX, DAE, STL, and USDZ. Point cloud exports in PLY, LAS, PTS, XYZ, and DXF on Business and Enterprise. Source: poly.cam pricing |
Vendor pricing and features change often. Confirm current terms with Polycam before you buy.
Who should pick which
Pick SkyeBrowse if
- You map crash scenes, crime scenes, and disaster sites from the air.
- You need survey-grade, court-admissible accuracy without ground control points.
- You need CJIS compliance and chain of custody.
- You want unlimited users priced per model instead of per seat.
Pick Polycam if
- You mostly scan small objects or rooms with a phone's LiDAR sensor.
- You want a consumer-friendly mobile app for quick personal scans.
Switching from Polycam
Phone video works in SkyeBrowse too: Universal Upload accepts MP4 and MOV from smartphones, and the Interior Mapping toggle optimizes indoor scenes. Existing Polycam meshes exported as STL can be imported as a layer inside a Pro or Public Safety & Enterprise model.
- 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 Polycam FAQ
Can I use my phone with SkyeBrowse like Polycam?
Yes. Universal Upload accepts video from smartphones, action cameras, 360 cameras, and body worn cameras. Video without GPS is scaled with the Scale tool against a known measurement.
Can I bring Polycam scans into SkyeBrowse?
Pro and Public Safety & Enterprise models can import a GLB or STL file as a placed layer, up to 3 layers on Pro and 5 on Public Safety & Enterprise.
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.
