The world-famous Christ the Redeemer statue, built in 1931, is emblematic of Rio de Janeiro and the nation of Brazil. In 2019, the incredible monument was visited more than 2 million times, with people from all over the world traveling to admire its glory (I was one of them). The detailed concrete-clad structure stands 98 feet tall, spans 92 feet wide, and soars 2,320 feet above Rio de Janeiro’s city.
Geospatial mapping specialist GeoSLAM was asked to create a never-before-seen digital replica of the magnificent statue before its 90th birthday restoration work begins on October 12th, 2021. For the first time, the historic statue can be viewed from the inside and out, using UAV technology and the latest SLAM (simultaneous localization and mapping).
The summit of Mount Corcovado, where the monument stands, was closed to the public while the entire site was scanned – interior and exterior. Impressively the scan was complete within 45 minutes using GeoSLAM’s ZEB Horizon.
Gabriel de Barros Praxedes, the Latin America Channel Manager of GeoSLAM, and a small team from CPE Tecnologia navigated the narrow staircases and tight internal passages of Christ the Redeemer’s structure using the ZEB Horizon portable handheld 3D scanner to capture the interior images. That same ZEB Horizon was then mounted to a UAV to capture the detailed exterior of the monument.
3D scans containing more than 180 million data points were captured, resulting in a comprehensive digital model of the magnificent monument in all its glory. Before leaving the site, Gabriel quickly processed the data via GeoSLAM Hub to see the scan results, ensuring that he’d accurately captured every detail.
Gabriel commented:
Given the level of detail on this monument – from the face, hands, and robe, to the staircases inside and carved marble base beneath it, I’m in awe of the capabilities of this technology and the clarity of data produced. We’ve been able to capture the statue in a totally new light that almost no one has had the privilege to see.
This is one of the most recognizable statues on the planet and a symbol of hope for many Brazilians near and far, and I’m delighted to have been able to capture it in its current form before the restoration works get underway. It’s hard to believe this statue is almost 90 years old; the scan really highlights the level of detail.
GeoSLAM’s solutions are increasingly being used worldwide to help document and manage historic or hard-to-reach landmarks.
