3D Scanner Comparison

Emesent Hovermap ST-X vs NavVis VLX 3: SLAM Compared

An expert comparison to help you choose the right equipment for your project.

Feature	Emesent Hovermap ST-X	NavVis VLX 3
Range	0.5–300 m	Up to 50 m
Point Rate	640k single / 1.92M multi-return pts/s	2 × 640,000 pts/s
Accuracy	±15 mm general / ±10 mm indoor-underground	5 mm local (500 m² test env.)
Weight	1.57 kg	8.5 kg wearable
Deployment	Drone, backpack, vehicle, robot	Wearable
Cameras	Not published (RGB colourization optional)	4× 20 MP, 360° panorama
IP Rating	Designed to IP65	IP42

Pricing shown reflects average US rates — indicative ranges, not a quote. Actual costs vary by location based on local market conditions, regulations, and project logistics — both within the US and internationally. Get a custom quote

Option A Emesent

Emesent Hovermap ST-X

Multi-Platform Autonomy Payload

Emesent's SLAM scanner mounts on drones (DJI M300/M350, Freefly Astro), backpacks, vehicles and ground robots, with autonomous flight in GPS-denied space. We don't operate the Hovermap — this comparison shows how it stacks against the NavVis VLX 3 we use.

Pros

300 m sensing range
Drone-mountable with GPS-denied autonomy
1.57 kg payload weight
Vehicle capture at 40 km/h
Designed-to-IP65 sealing

Cons

No camera hardware spec published
No runtime published
Colourization optional, unspecified

Best For

Underground and GPS-denied captureDrone-flown scanning of inaccessible assetsMine, tunnel and confined-industrial mapping

Option B NavVis

NavVis VLX 3

Wearable Survey-Grade Mapping

The wearable mapping system we operate for large facilities: dual 32-layer LiDAR, four 20 MP panorama cameras, and survey-grade control-point workflows.

Pros

5 mm local accuracy (1 sigma, NavVis 500 m² test environment)
4× 20 MP panorama cameras
Hot-swappable batteries, 1.5 h per set
1 TB portable SSD
Ground + wall control-point capture

Cons

50 m range ceiling
Wearable-only — no drone or vehicle mounting
Below-freezing operation capped at 20 minutes
IP42 sealing

Best For

Large building and campus documentationSurvey-grade indoor mapping with controlFacility digital twins

Our Expert Verdict

Depends on Your Needs

Structurally different tools: the ST-X is a 1.57 kg multi-platform payload that flies into GPS-denied spaces and senses to 300 m; the VLX 3 is an 8.5 kg wearable that delivers 5 mm local accuracy with survey control and 20 MP panoramas.

Choose Emesent Hovermap ST-X if...

Choose the Hovermap pattern where the asset cannot be walked — shafts, stopes, tanks, or anywhere a drone must carry the scanner.

Choose NavVis VLX 3 if...

Choose the VLX 3 for walkable facilities where survey-grade accuracy, control points and high-quality panoramas drive the deliverable — it is what we operate.

Download the Spec Sheets

Original manufacturer documents, free with no email required — verified against each manufacturer's live copy.

Emesent Hovermap ST-X

Official Hovermap ST-X specifications ↗

NavVis VLX 3

Current datasheet (v2409) (PDF) · 0.1 MB

Source: knowledge.navvis.com ↗

Browse the full library: Equipment Spec Sheets & Downloads →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the NavVis VLX 3's points-per-second figure?

2 × 640,000 points per second from its dual 32-layer LiDAR pair, per NavVis's current VLX 3 datasheet (v2409). NavVis's earlier v2408 datasheet stated 2 × 1,280,000 for the same sensor pair; manufacturers revise their sheets over time, and we quote the latest revision.

Where do these specifications come from?

NavVis figures come from NavVis's current official VLX 3 datasheet (v2409) — a free download in our spec-sheet library, byte-verified August 2026. Emesent publishes no ungated PDF; Hovermap ST-X figures come from Emesent's official knowledge-base specification table, captured August 2026 (its "IP65" is quoted as Emesent words it: "designed to IP65").

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