# Insta360 Scans

MultiSet AI accepts **raw `.insv` (dual-fisheye) footage** from Insta360 cameras as input for the VPS reconstruction pipeline, the stitch to equirectangular happens server-side. With a single hand-held walk through the space plus a printed calibration marker for metric scale, you can turn a 360° capture into centimeter-accurate VPS maps, without any external SLAM hardware. This guide walks you through camera settings, the calibration marker, the walking pattern, and the upload flow on the MultiSet Developer Portal.

### Supported Devices

* **Insta360 X4**
* **Insta360 X5**

> Record at **8K (recommended) or 5.7K**, 30 fps, in the camera's standard 360 video mode. Upload the **raw `.insv` file directly**, MultiSet stitches to equirectangular on the server. Footage shot in flat or single-lens mode is not supported.

### Scanning Workflow

#### 1. Prerequisites

| Item                         | Notes                                                                                                      |
| ---------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Camera & power**           | Fully charge the camera, bring a spare battery for sessions longer than 20 minutes.                        |
| **Selfie / invisible stick** | Hold the camera above head height so the operator's body is masked out of the stitched panorama.           |
| **Calibration marker**       | A4 ChArUco board printed at 100% scale (see [Calibration marker](#2-calibration-marker-for-metric-scale)). |
| **Mobile app**               | Insta360 app, only required for verifying camera settings before capture.                                  |

#### 2. Calibration marker (for metric scale)

A single ChArUco marker placed in the scene is what lets the reconstruction lock onto a **real-world metric scale**. Without it, the reconstructed map will be geometrically correct but at an arbitrary scale.

**Download the marker** (ChArUco, A4, 4×6, 48 mm / 36 mm, DICT\_4X4):

{% file src="/files/zZ6bw21hBbN5GVUjsUBo" %}

**Print:**

* Print on **flat A4 paper at exactly 100% scale**. Do **not** "fit to page", scaling the marker will scale the entire reconstructed map.
* Flatten any curl, place under a clear sheet of glass or acrylic if needed. A wrinkled marker will fail to register cleanly.

**Place:**

* Lay the marker **flat on the floor** (or a flat table) near the start of your capture path.
* Keep the marker stationary for the whole capture, do **not** hold it in your hand.
* Place it where you can pass it **twice**, at the start and again at the end of the walk, by routing your loop over it.

**Capture against the marker:**

* When you reach the marker, **rotate very slowly** above it so the camera sees the full board from several angles.
* The marker should fill roughly **1/4 of the camera frame** for at least a couple of seconds per pass.
* Slow rotation matters more than anything else here, fast motion blurs the marker and the metric-scale step will fail to lock.

<div><figure><img src="/files/5X2zm5SmogVF7DlRC1l6" alt="" width="375"><figcaption></figcaption></figure> <figure><img src="/files/MQaHMroDDQp4DLV3SV4E" alt="" width="375"><figcaption></figcaption></figure></div>

#### 3. Camera settings

Lock these before you press record. Auto-exposure is the single biggest cause of grey, smeared, or low-detail reconstructions.

| Setting               | Value                                                      | Why                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |
| --------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Shutter (indoor)**  | **Fixed at 1/640**                                         | Locks exposure so every frame has the same brightness. Auto-shutter is the #1 cause of grey or blurry results indoors.                                                                                              |
| **Shutter (outdoor)** | **Auto**                                                   | Outdoor lighting changes too quickly (sun, shade, sky) for a fixed shutter to track. Let the camera adjust.                                                                                                         |
| **White balance**     | **Fixed** (any preset, just not Auto)                      | Locks colour cast, no per-frame colour shift, sharper textures.                                                                                                                                                     |
| **ISO**               | Auto                                                       | Fine to leave on Auto, as long as shutter is set correctly for the environment.                                                                                                                                     |
| **Resolution / FPS**  | **8K / 30 fps recommended** (5.7K minimum), 360 video mode | Higher resolution gives the pipeline more usable feature detail. Drop to 5.7K only if the camera or storage can't sustain 8K. The raw `.insv` is dual-fisheye, MultiSet stitches it to equirectangular server-side. |

If you can only fix one setting indoors, fix the **shutter**.

#### 4. Walking pattern

* **Speed: 1.0–1.5 m/s**, slow walking pace, "museum tempo".
* **Smooth, continuous motion**, no stops, no jerks, no rotation in place.
* Turn at corners with a **wide arc**, not a pivot.
* Stay **0.5–1 m away from walls and furniture**.
* Keep the camera at a steady height, don't bob or swing the stick.
* Hold the camera at **head height or just above**, so the operator's body is masked in the stitch.

#### 5. Loop closure

* **Return to your starting point** at the end of the walk.
* Overlap the **first \~5 metres of the path** at the end so the start and end see the same content from a similar viewpoint.
* Loop closure is what lets the reconstruction recognise that the start and end are the same place. Without it the scene can drift and end up warped or "open".
* Place the calibration marker **near the start/end of the loop** so the camera passes over it twice, that gives the metric-scale step the best chance of locking on.

#### 6. Export

* Export the `.insv` file from the camera or the Insta360 app, no stitching is required, MultiSet's pipeline handles stitching internally.
* **Each upload `.zip` must contain exactly one `.insv` file.** One `.insv` produces one map.
* Keep the `.zip` size **under 50 GB**.

{% hint style="info" %}
**Capturing a larger area?** Record it as **multiple separate captures**, each in its own `.insv` file. Upload each `.insv` as its own `.zip` so MultiSet processes them as independent maps, then combine them into a single coordinate frame with [MapSet : Multiple Maps](/basics/mapset-multiple-maps.md).
{% endhint %}

***

### Uploading to MultiSet

1. Open the [MultiSet Developer Portal](https://developer.multiset.ai/) and choose **Upload Existing Map**.
2. **Scan Type:** select 360 video.
3. **Select Provider:** choose **Insta360**.
4. **File Format:** select **Zip (.insv file compressed in .zip format)**.
5. Pick the map location, then drag-and-drop the `.zip` (containing a single `.insv`) on the Upload Map step.

<figure><img src="/files/BMyko5OlKjOcitnimjy7" alt="" width="375"><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

{% hint style="warning" %}
**Keep in mind**

1. Record in 360 video mode at **8K (recommended) or at least 5.7K**, 30 fps. Upload the raw `.insv`, MultiSet stitches server-side.
2. Walk at a steady pace with the camera at head height.
3. One `.insv` file per `.zip`, one `.zip` produces one map. For larger areas, upload each `.insv` separately and combine them with a MapSet.
4. Ensure file size is **not more than 50 GB**.
   {% endhint %}

Allow up to one hour for processing. You'll receive an email notification once the map is ready.

### Anti-checklist (do NOT do)

* Don't shoot indoors with auto-shutter or auto-exposure on (outdoor capture is the exception, leave shutter on Auto there).
* Don't shoot with auto white balance.
* Don't pause the recording mid-walk.
* Don't rotate in one spot (except slowly above the calibration marker).
* Don't hold the calibration marker in your hand during the recording.
* Don't modify the scene during the capture (moving chairs, toggling lights, opening or closing doors).
* Don't make LED display screens the main subject, they emit light that changes with viewing angle, and the reconstruction can't recover crisp detail on them.
* Don't shoot in mixed harsh / direct-window light without dimming or covering the windows. Strong sunlight reflections and glare are the hardest content to reconstruct.


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