FARO^® Zone 3D Software

Impressive visuals with 2D/3D diagrams, analysis, animations and videos

When an incident occurs, investigators and forensic experts must establish the facts and thoroughly document the case. This process is critical for crash reconstruction, crime and fire investigation, and for creating courtroom presentations. FARO Zone 3D Pro and Zone 3D Expert – part of the new FARO Zone 2024 update – makes it easy to perform accurate analysis of an event and produce detailed visuals, such as precise 2D and 3D diagrams, compelling animations, and courtroom – ready reports.

The latest FARO Zone 3D Expert update features FotoPoints, a new tool for photogrammetry and videogrammetry. This in-software function enables users to easily convert photos and videos from devices like drones and smartphones into precise 3D point clouds, eliminating the need for third-party software and cloud-based processing. FotoPoints also enables users to quickly generate scaled, high-resolution orthographic images for easy measurement, annotation, and diagram creation. FARO Zone 3D Expert now features MassZone Collision Prediction, which lets investigators create animations predicting crashes and their effects, such as the paths of vehicles, tire marks, and damage.

Zone 3D Pro and Zone 3D Expert Software are the most data-agnostic versions of Zone yet — making the most comprehensive scene documentation software on the market even better.

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Value
Performance
Features
Applications

Business Value of FARO Zone 3D Software

Create Compelling Presentations

3D Walk-throughs and fly-throughs help jurors, investigators and other viewers gain a spatial understanding of the scene that is much more compelling than a 2D diagram.

Generate Accurate Diagrams

Create 2D and 3D diagrams that precisely represent all details of a crash, crime, or fire scene, with pre-drawn models, evidence placards, dimensions, posed bodies, and links to photographs and reports. Photorealistic scenes display multiple light sources, high-resolution material textures, fog, rain and snow.

Animate Crashes in Seconds

Use point-based accuracy to match crash animations exactly to measurements captured at the scene. Include advanced effects like spinning and locked wheels, car doors that open, trailer articulation, explosions, smoke and fire.

Fully Analyze Scenes in Zone 3D Expert

Analyze the scene with confidence using the independently validated tools for bullet trajectory and blood spatter pattern analysis. Crash analysis tools within Zone 3D Expert apply accepted formulas to perform crush analysis, calculate speed from skid marks, critical speed yaw, momentum and more.

Convert Photos and Videos to 3D and Generate Orthographic Images

Use photo and video footage from your drone, phone, or other camera to generate a 3D point cloud with FotoPoints in Zone, allowing first arrivers to quickly document a scene with their mobile devices. Work in 2D with a real-world scale, high-res, top-down image of the scene, enabling a fast and easy way to measure, annotate, and create a 2D diagram for your crash or crime report.

Crash collision, path, and damage prediction

Quickly and easily create "what if" scenarios of various crash types while adding your existing animation to the MassZone system to compare your results with MassZone's prediction animation.

Data Agnostic Compatibility

Bring in measurements from manual methods, drone photos, satellite maps, data from total stations, and data from laser scanners, even if they’re made by different manufacturers. Open diagrams from CAD Zone, ARAS, and other standard CAD formats.

Ease of Use

Features an intuitive user interface with constant feedback, helpful how-to videos, comprehensive documentation, integrated workflow guides and free instructor-led, online training.

FARO Zone 3D Performance

FARO Zone 3D Features

Features of FARO Zone 3D Pro and FARO Zone 3D Expert

Point Cloud Capability

Zone 3D Pro and Zone 3D Expert can import point cloud data from laser scanners in .pts and .E57 formats, directly from FARO SCENE projects, and from drones in .las file format.

Data-Agnostic Compatibility

Open diagrams from CAD Zone, ARAS, and other standard CAD formats. Bring in measurements from manual methods, drone photos, satellite maps, data from total stations, and data from laser scanners, even if they’re made by different manufacturers.

Rearview Mirrors and Backup Camera

Left, Rearview (Center), and Right-side vehicle mirrors can be placed, positioned, and adjusted to simulate real mirrors in Zone animations and crash predictions. The Zone mirrors will display everything in the scene including point cloud data.

Billboard Annotation Tool

Quickly annotate and identify key elements in any 3D drawing or point cloud with the Billboard tool. Any selected object, text, symbol, or model is instantly elevated on a post always facing the camera, always visible from any viewpoint.

No Point Loss Direct Import of Legacy Point Clouds

Import and convert legacy point cloud data (e57, las, pts) to a lsproj/SCENE point cloud type. Previously, legacy point clouds imported a maximum of 150 million points and did not support gap fill, lighting, and other advanced point cloud settings. As a lsproj file there is no point loss when imported directly from the legacy source file and all Zone point cloud display features will be available.

Generate Report List from Data in Project

One click generates a list of all reports available in your current project.

360° Panoramic Animation

Use “Effective Reality” (no VR gear required) as a tool to turn your Zone animation into a 360° panoramic animation, enabling the user to look in any direction, left to right, up and down and share with anyone with the Windows Movie and TV player.

Pre-drawn 3D Models

Access a huge library of pre-drawn 2D symbols and 3D models for crash, crime and fire scenes. Add a comprehensive 2D floorplan or an architectural diagram. Show doors, stairs, elevators, control panels, hazardous materials and more with the pre-drawn symbols (such as accepted fire symbols like NFPA 170 and 704 placards) that are included.

Precise, Fast Drawings

Extensive drawing tools, paired with object grips and automatic snaps, make it easy to create accurate 2D and 3D diagrams to exact measurements.

Flexible Starting Point

Take measurements from almost any source and import manual measurement data from total stations and point cloud data from laser scanners and drones. Use an aerial map or drone data from EagleView, Google, or Bing to create easy-to-read pre-incident and threat assessment diagrams.

Compelling 3D Results

Create realistic fly-throughs, vehicle and human animations with shadows, rain, snow, fog, animated vehicle headlights, brake lights and traffic lights.

Intuitive User Interface

Features an intuitive user interface with constant feedback, helpful how-to videos, comprehensive documentation, integrated workflow guides and free self-paced, online training.

Features Exclusive to FARO Zone 3D Expert

Convert Photos and Videos to 3D with FotoPoints

FotoPoints is the Zone 3D Expert photogrammetry and videogrammetry engine, allowing you to import photos and videos from drones, smartphones and cameras to create precise 3D point clouds. This function is performed entirely in-software, eliminating the need for third-party software and cloud-based processing. Merge these point clouds with your FARO Focus laser scanner data to create a comprehensive scene reconstruction.

Orthographic Images with FotoPoints

Work in 2D with a real-world scale, high-res, top-down image of the scene, enabling a fast and easy way to measure, annotate, and create a 2D diagram for your crash or crime report.

MassZone for Crash collision, path, and damage prediction

Quickly and easily create "what if" scenarios of various crash types while adding your existing animation to the MassZone system to compare your results with MassZone's prediction animation.

Fully Analyze Scenes

Analyze the scene with confidence using the independently validated tools for bullet trajectory and blood spatter pattern analysis. Crash analysis tools apply accepted formulas to perform crush analysis, calculate speed from skid marks, critical speed yaw, momentum and more.

Advanced Diagramming Tools

Take all your measurements from the point cloud captured at the scene. Snap to specific data points to create accurate diagrams, export chosen points with “virtual surveyor” mode, and use point clouds to create stunning animations and VR scenes.

Easy Workflow

Merge and align point clouds, or use point cloud models, to place vehicles that were removed back into the scene of the crash.

Features Exclusive to FARO Zone 2D, FARO Zone 3D Pro, and FARO Zone 3D Expert

Satellite Image A.I. Vehicle Detection and Clean-Out

Use A.I. functionality to assist in cleaning out vehicles in any Google, Bing, or aerial photo. Remove unwanted vehicles in the Google or Bing satellite image with just a few clicks and create a clean, blank slate of the intersection from an imported satellite image.

AXON Upload/Download

Upload and download Zone projects to AXON's secure cloud storage for easy access and sharing of projects.

Favorites Workflow Toolbar System

Create and refine custom workflow toolbars (Symbols, Models, and Tools) to increase productivity and retain proficiency. Select symbols, models, and commands as favorites which you can quickly access, reuse and share. Saved workflows are especially useful after long periods between use.

Import Latest DXF/DWG files into Zone

Import the latest version of ACAD dxf/dwg files into Zone. Zone can work with most data sets. DWG/DXF files are common outputs from other programs and data tools.

Match and Clone

Match or replicate the properties of a selected object to another object in the drawing. Quickly and easily duplicate properties and objects in your scene. Create your own legends using your ideal settings for text, dimensions, line types and save time by matching instead of setting properties.

FARO Zone 3D Applications

Forensic Analysis and Pre-incident Planning

Create fast, accurate 2D and 3D drawings for public and private investigators to help with law enforcement, fire cause investigation and insurance claims. These images help with state crash reports, crime scene investigations and arson investigation. Plus they give courtroom presentations the “CSI effect” with visually stunning 3D animations and fully immersive 3D environments that leave jurors and judges with the sense of being at the scene of a crime. See all forensic analysis and pre-incident planning applications >

CASE STUDY

Reconstructing the Scene: Software Solutions Transform Courtroom 3D Presentations

Discover how modern crash reconstructionists are using advanced 3D imaging technology to help bring crash scenes to life, giving jurors the infor…

Learn how they create presentations

Trade In Your Old Equipment

We’ll take your old 3D metrology, imaging or realization hardware or software — any brand, any condition — and apply its value toward your purchase of the latest FARO solution. The FARO Xchange program makes your upgrade easy.