Terrestrial LiDAR: The Key to TGL’s Success (test)
Tomorrow’s Golf League (TGL) planned to launch its inaugural event at the SoFi Center in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, but they needed more than just a cutting-edge facility, they needed precision. The league was about to debut the fusion of physical and digital golf, accuracy of the new tech was essential to ensure game integrity and playability. TGL turned to AeroVision, a known leader in terrestrial LiDAR scanning and digital twin services, to create an accurate, scalable model of their new cutting-edge indoor golf greens.
Creating a Digital Twin Under a Tight Deadline
TGL faced a significant challenge: they needed to capture LiDAR scans of 31 variations of the greens to make sure their new technology was functioning properly for their players. The LiDAR scans had to be completed within five days to accommodate the rapidly approaching debut of a new golf league. While scan density was not the primary focus to encourage a quick turnaround time, full coverage of the space was critical, with no unscanned areas permitted in the final dataset.
Complicating the process were construction constraints and an unexpected hydraulic failure, which introduced additional hurdles to the already demanding timeline. AeroVision was brought in to complete a terrestrial LiDAR survey. AeroVision took on the challenge of making sure that every slope, undulation, and surface detail of all 31 variations were accurately recorded, processed, and sent for review to support professional golf gameplay.
Here’s how AeroVision did it.
Executing the LiDAR Survey
With industry-leading LiDAR technology, the team at AeroVision carried out 18 LiDAR scans of each variation of green resulting in more than 550 scans. To keep the process efficient without compromising detail, AeroVision used a medium point density in the scans. This density proved to be enough data to achieve the level of accuracy TGL required while avoiding any unnecessary data bloat. This choice of point density was to prioritize speed given the tight deadline.
At the client’s request, color imaging was left out, simplifying the scans even further and allowing the team to focus entirely on capturing the geometry of the greens as fast as possible. AeroVision was able to successfully complete the LiDAR scanning process within two days.
A Digital Twin with Sub-Centimeter Accuracy
After completing all 550+ scans of the greens, AeroVision’s team turned its focus to processing all of the scanned data. AeroVision had used reference spheres placed strategically throughout the SoFi Center space. These reference points acted as anchors on the scans, this allowed the data to be stitched together quickly during processing. They were able to transform the scans into fully realized digital copies of the SoFi Center’s greens within days. All 31 variations of elevation, slope, and undulation changes were captured with remarkable detail and precision as expected with no missed areas. Using the reference spheres the final result was digital copies of the greens that achieved a sub-centimeter accuracy level of ~6mm. This level of precision was not just a technical achievement, it was a critical requirement for TGL as the greens needed to perform as predicted in a professional golf simulation environment.
The digital twins of the greens were delivered by AeroVision ahead of schedule. TGL’s engineering team had ample time to conduct a thorough validation and quality assurance check of the greens variations in reference scans. Any mismatch of the greens with the LiDAR data scanned would have led to issues with gameplay accuracy. Fortunately, all scans confirmed that the surfaces were perfectly aligned and in the correct positions.
With the validation process complete, TGL could move forward to their event with confidence in knowing that its greens were functioning as expected for a competitive gameplay experience. By providing a reliable digital twin, AeroVision helped deliver a cutting-edge golf league experience, demonstrating the value of LiDAR mapping technology in the future of digital sports innovation.
AeroVision Delivers Confidence for TGL’s Inaugural Event
TGL hosted its first-ever league event at the SoFi Center on January 7, 2025. The debut of the league marked a new evolution in professional golf in front of an eager audience of fans. Any discrepancy between the physical and digital course would have jeopardized the integrity of the event. Instead, TGL turned to AeroVision’s to eliminate that risk entirely.
By delivering a flawlessly mapped terrestrial LiDAR scan ahead of a tight schedule, AeroVision met and exceeded TGL’s needs and helped solidify the league’s credibility from day one of their opening event.
LiDAR Scanning Key Takeaways
Efficient Execution: AeroVision completed more than 550 scans in two days. High scan density and color imaging were omitted to stay within TGL’s tight schedule. Construction delays and technical issues posed challenges, but the project was able to remain on track.
Precision Scanning: Each variation was recorded and processed with sub-centimeter accuracy, measuring approximately 6mm. High levels of accuracy guaranteed reliable data collection for TGL’s use.
Reliable Results: AeroVision delivered the scans ahead of schedule, the validated dataset gave TGL the opportunity to confirm the greens’ accuracy well before the event.
AeroVision delivered high-quality LiDAR mapping results that exceeded expectations. Their contributions enabled a smooth launch for TGL. AeroVision also demonstrated how LiDAR mapping can support the intersection of sports and digital innovation through data verification.