Laser scanners, or laser radars (ladar), have been used for a number of years for mobile robot navigation and inspection tasks. Although previous scanners were sufficient for low speed applications, they often did not have the range or angular resolution necessary for mapping at the long distances. Many also did not provide an ample field of view with high accuracy and high precision.

When Detroit Edison was faced with a major retrofit to comply with new NOx emission regulations for their Monroe Power Plant, they decided on a different approach. They hired Raytheon Engineers & Constructors Inc. to provide an as-built 3D MicroStation model of the plant with the help of the Cyrax 3D laser scanning system and to use this as the base for the retrofit design.

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) has a large number of bridges that need to be surveyed yearly. Bridges are complex structures that are difficult to measure using traditional survey methods. Parts of a bridge are inaccessible, and it is difficult to ensure that sufficient detail is captured.