Skeiron's "Worker of the Year": How the Riegl VZ-400i Digitized 150+ Monuments and Became Our Fastest Tool
Nadiia Havrylyshyn
9 May 2026
In an era when Ukraine's cultural heritage faces daily threats, the speed and precision of digitization are becoming critically important. Skeiron is constantly seeking instruments that can not only ensure the highest data quality but also significantly accelerate our field operations.
If a "Worker of the Year" award were to be presented within our team, the clear winner would be the Riegl VZ-400i laser scanner. This apparatus did more than just complement our equipment arsenal; it initiated a true technological breakthrough, enabling the team to digitally capture approximately 150 heritage sites over the past two years.
In this piece, we share our impressions of using the Riegl VZ-400i and explain why, without it, the digitization of thousands of monuments would demand additional years.
We at Skeiron are not the only ones undertaking 3D scanning in Ukraine, but the scale of our projects is arguably the largest. The demand for high-quality digitalization significantly outstrips the capacity of the Ukrainian market. This is why our experience with the Riegl VZ-400i is so invaluable.
Yurko Prepodobny, co-founder of Skeiron, observes:: "Frankly, I never expected this scanner to be so much more powerful than everything I had tested before... when it comes to color fidelity, operational convenience on-site, and the overall satisfaction of the process – the Riegl scanner is simply unrivalled."
It is little surprise that the Riegl unit has absorbed the majority of the workload: since 2023, 70-80% of our projects have been executed thanks to its capabilities. Why is it so essential? Let us elaborate!
- Record-Breaking Speed
The scanner enables the completion of a single scanning station in an average of just 2 minutes (this measurement includes setup and relocation!). This paramount speed is the decisive factor that allows us to digitize a vast number of sites within critically compressed timeframes.
- Universal Mobility
Due to its weight and the lack of a compensator, the scanner can be deployed in virtually any position (tilted, in a confined space, atop a high tower). This significantly enhances the team's operational mobility. It also offers the capability for kinematic scanning (scanning in motion), which is an advantage for linear features.
Insights from the Field Specialists
Fedir Ilkiv, Skeiron's 3D Scanning Specialist, notes that the primary challenges occur not during the scanning itself, but during data processing:: "Projects up to 500 stations pose no issues. However, when the station count exceeds 1,000 or 2,000, the process can become sluggish. Nevertheless, deploying a more powerful computer allowed us to successfully manage these large volumes. We understand the manufacturer (Riegl) is actively working to simplify the processing of multi-thousand-station projects. We eagerly await those updates."
Yevhen Kalchuk, also a Skeiron 3D Scanning Specialist, adds that Riegl has fundamentally altered the pace of field work:: "One station takes about two minutes, including all movements. In one year, we achieve a volume that would have previously required double the time. Yes, the data is voluminous—over a terabyte per thousand stations—but the outcome is worthwhile. Without Riegl, we would absolutely need an additional year to digitize the same number of objects."
Co-founder Yurko Prepodobny refers to Riegl as a partner, rather than merely a tool. He also emphasizes the advantages of the software, particularly concerning licensing:: "The scanner's data can be processed concurrently on several computers – even across ten different machines. This is a critical benefit, for instance, during extensive projects or while training students. You are not confined to a single workstation."
This strategy makes the workflow more effective and flexible, particularly when dealing with large data volumes and requiring team coordination.
Our Capacity with the Riegl VZ-400i
The Riegl VZ-400i has made Skeiron's work faster, more mobile, and substantially more efficient. It demands expertise, but its greatest gift is time. And in this domain, time equates to saved cultural monuments.
While the scanner is somewhat more expensive than its rivals, will those competitors deliver an entire year of saved work? And what is the value of your working year? We leave you to ponder those questions.
