How do you scan buildings?

When you start VPS navigation in SonarVision, the app asks you to “scan buildings” before suggesting a route based on your precise location. What exactly does that mean?

SonarVision’s Visual Positioning System (VPS) compares what your smartphone’s camera sees with reference imagery. This imagery may come from Apple, Google, or directly from SonarVision, depending on your location.

To get a scan quickly, it’s best to sweep the buildings across the street with your smartphone’s rear camera. In practice, you can scan almost anywhere around you, as long as you sweep over at least a 90° angle.

If the app can’t scan, keep turning around.

You’ll likely have trouble scanning if you’re in a heavily vegetated area, in the middle of a construction zone, or if a vehicle is blocking your iPhone’s field of view.

I want to learn more.

VPS looks for prominent, long-lasting features in the environment, such as:

• building facades

• poles, posts, and barriers

• bus shelters, kiosks, and other permanent structures

• curb edges, low walls, and other structures.

Some of these features may have disappeared, been altered, or may not be visible due to construction. The “VPS” is relatively resilient to these changes, and as long as certain features are still recognizable and in the correct location, you will be correctly positioned.

On the other hand, VPSs aren’t really capable of locating you in an environment that has changed drastically or changes regularly.

For example, on a road with very dense vegetation on both sides, there’s a good chance that the VPS—especially the Apple VPS—will be confused or simply unable to pinpoint your location. Another example: if you had tried to use the VPS in the middle of the Place de la Concorde during the Olympic Games in Paris, because of the temporary sports facilities, you probably wouldn’t have been able to get a signal.

Similarly, there’s generally no Apple or Google imagery inside buildings, so the “VPS” won’t work.

Are there any solutions for getting directions anyway?

SonarVision offers several solutions to extend precise navigation to these areas not covered by the VPS.

For rural and residential areas, parks, gardens, the beach, etc., you can use an RTK receiver. I invite you to read the following article: GNSS RTK

For urban areas or inside buildings where the VPS does not work, it is now possible to have spaces scanned by SonarVision for a fee. If you are interested, please contact us or visit make an appointment.