Abstract
Despite all modern techniques in registering terrestrial laser scanner point clouds, registration of multiple scan positions is still a crucial issue, especially in large projects. Processes like the detection of corresponding points in scans and placing targets in fields consume a lot of effort, time and money. Three points are the minimum number of common points required for registration. In this work, a new two points registration (TPR) algorithm is developed to register terrestrial laser scanner point clouds using only two common points automatically. Decreasing the number of the required common points to two points reduces one-third of the registration work in both field and laboratory. An accuracy assessment study is then performed to compare the registration accuracy of the developed algorithm and the traditional algorithm employing both the time of flight laser scanner and the phase shift one. The results show that the accuracy of the two algorithms is approximately equal within the considered point clouds accuracy in both cases.