BCA Guidebook for Virtual TOP/CSC (360 Capture)
360 camera requirements for BCA virtual inspection: camera, platform and capture
BCA's Guidebook for Virtual TOP/CSC (360 Capture) sets the minimum for a virtual inspection in Singapore. The 360 camera supports at least 6K resolution, suits low light, has dual one-inch CMOS sensors, records 60 to 90 minutes on one battery and has six-axis stabilisation. The platform ties every capture to the approved building plan and lets BCA tag comments. SpatialSense meets the eight platform requirements and works with the Insta360 X4, X5 and X6 and the DJI Osmo 360.
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- Resolution
- At least 6K
- Sensors
- Dual one-inch CMOS, suitable for low light
- Battery
- 60 to 90 minutes of continuous video capture
- Stabilisation
- Six-axis
- Capture age
- No more than three months before submission
- BCA reply
- Within three working days
What BCA requires of the 360 camera
BCA accepts a 360 capture in place of a physical TOP or CSC inspection, or as part of a hybrid one. Its Guidebook for Virtual TOP/CSC (360 Capture), published in November 2024, sets the minimum performance for the camera and the platform in section 4.1. A capture that falls short can be rejected, and the inspection goes back to a physical visit.
The camera requirement is short. It supports at least 6K resolution, is suitable for low-light conditions and carries dual one-inch CMOS sensors. Its battery supports at least 60 to 90 minutes of continuous video capture. It has six-axis stabilisation with image stabilisation for smooth video, and it works with Android and iOS devices.
BCA notes on its website that the guidebook may not reflect the latest requirements, so the Qualified Person confirms the current position with BCA at pre-consultation. Recent Singapore industrial contract specifications set their own minimum of a dual-lens 360 camera of at least 5.7K. An 8K camera clears both figures.
360 camera requirements, and the cameras SpatialSense works with
The camera items in section 4.1 of the guidebook, against the makers' published figures.
| Item | What BCA's guidebook sets | Insta360 X4 and X5 | Insta360 X6 and DJI Osmo 360 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resolution | At least 6K | 8K 360 video | 8K 360 video |
| Sensors and low light | Dual one-inch CMOS sensors, suitable for low-light conditions | Two 1/2-inch sensors on the X4, two 1/1.28-inch on the X5 | Two 1/1.1-inch square sensors, which the makers describe as one-inch class |
| Battery | At least 60 to 90 minutes of continuous video capture | Check the maker's figure at the resolution you capture, and carry spares | Check the maker's figure at the resolution you capture, and carry spares |
| Stabilisation | Six-axis stabilisation with an image stabilisation algorithm for smooth video | Built-in gyro stabilisation | Built-in gyro stabilisation |
| Devices | A high-quality 360 camera compatible with Android and iOS devices | Android and iOS apps | Android and iOS apps |
For a virtual TOP/CSC capture, choose the camera with the larger sensors, and confirm it with BCA at pre-consultation. Sensor sizes are from the makers' specifications, November 2026.
360 capture platform requirements
The eight platform items in section 4.1. BCA reviews the capture on the platform, so the platform matters as much as the camera.
| Item | What BCA's guidebook sets | SpatialSense |
|---|---|---|
| Cameras | Captures from most 360 cameras | Meets |
| Capture modes | Continuous capture for large areas, spot capture for small rooms such as a toilet unit, or a mix of both | Meets |
| Building plan | Every photo and capture is tied to an uploaded building plan | Meets |
| Evidence | Comments and extra photo evidence can be attached to the capture | Meets |
| External access | External parties such as BCA inspectors can open the capture | Meets |
| BCA comments | BCA inspectors can tag comments on the capture | Meets |
| Rectification | The QP can attach photo or video evidence that each BCA comment is rectified | Meets |
| Report | A report of all comments can be generated for the record | Meets |
A spot capture must show all four sides of the room, the floor and the ceiling.
How the capture is carried out
The guidebook's capture practice in section 8.4, and its site preparation in section 5.
Walking the building
- Mount the camera on a hard hat, more than 20 cm above the head, or on a monopod or extension arm
- Keep to the centre of the path, at least 2 metres from walls
- Capture each area within a 5 to 10 metre radius
- Pause 2 to 3 seconds at key areas
- Walk at a normal pace. The platform maps about two images a second to the floor plan
Light and weather
- Add an LED light or spotlight in dim spaces, and use high exposure on a tripod in very dark ones
- Slow down, or start a new session, when moving between bright and dark spaces
- Do not capture in rain
- Let the camera cool on hot days, and capture early or late
Before and after the walk
- All works complete and cleaned to a TOP-ready condition. Incomplete work seen in the capture is rejected
- The latest approved building plan, with the primary accessibility route, loaded on the platform
- Close-up measurement photos attached for each code item
- A self-check that every location sits correctly on the plan
What must be captured, and when
Sections 2, 3, 7 and 11 of the guidebook.
| Rule | What BCA's guidebook sets |
|---|---|
| Non-typical areas | All of them, including landscape areas and common spaces inside the project boundary |
| Typical floors | At least three in each building, one for every 10 floors, spread through the building |
| Roofs | Any roof with maintenance access |
| External areas | All external areas drawn on the approved building plan |
| Age of the capture | Done no more than three months before the capture is submitted |
| Phased submission | Allowed under the Virtual Inspection Plan, with all scans submitted inside three months |
| Pre-consultation | Booked with BCA before the inspection booking. BCA may reject a request made less than three days before |
| BCA's reply to the plan | Within three working days of receiving the Virtual Inspection Plan |
| BCA's comments on the capture | Within three working days of submission |
| Closure report | Every non-compliance and observation with its rectification, submitted with the TOP/CSC documents |
On the platform
BCA's comments, answered where they were raised.
BCA tags a non-compliance, an observation or a clarification in the capture. The Qualified Person replies in the same place with a photo of the rectification, and SpatialSense builds the closure report from those threads.
- Every capture placed on the approved building plan
- Close-up measurement photos attached to the position they prove
- Closure report generated for the TOP/CSC submission
BCA's readiness check for virtual inspection solutions
Project teams may use any solution that meets BCA's virtual inspection requirements. BCA also publishes a self-assessment for solution providers. The provider scans a set route at BCA Academy and gives BCA the scan to assess.
The assessment has two categories. Digital Visualisation covers a cloud platform that shows a virtual digital twin of the site, lets users pin comments, attaches a photo of a sample measurement and generates an inspection report and a closure report. Digital Dimensional Measurement adds measurement inside the platform, with the stated accuracy of the camera or LiDAR scanner and the software together.
SpatialSense provides each of these functions, with measurement on the LiDAR point cloud for the second category.
360 camera questions for virtual inspection
What 360 camera does BCA require for a virtual TOP or CSC inspection?
BCA's Guidebook for Virtual TOP/CSC (360 Capture), section 4.1, sets a 360 camera that supports at least 6K resolution, suits low-light conditions, has dual one-inch CMOS sensors, records at least 60 to 90 minutes of continuous video on its battery and has six-axis stabilisation. It must work with Android and iOS devices.
Does BCA name an approved 360 camera model?
No. The guidebook sets minimum performance, not a brand or model. Any camera that meets section 4.1 can be used with a platform that meets the eight platform requirements.
Is a 5.7K 360 camera enough?
Not against the guidebook, which sets at least 6K. Some Singapore contract specifications set at least 5.7K as their own minimum. The Insta360 X4, X5 and X6 and the DJI Osmo 360 all record 8K, so they clear both.
What must the 360 capture platform do?
It ties every capture to the uploaded building plan, supports continuous and spot capture, gives BCA inspectors access to view and tag comments, lets the Qualified Person attach rectification evidence, and generates a report of all comments. SpatialSense does each of these.
How many floors must be captured?
All non-typical areas, at least three typical floors in each building at one for every 10 floors, any roof with maintenance access, and all external areas on the approved plan. The Qualified Person proposes the floors in the Virtual Inspection Plan and BCA confirms them.
How old can the 360 capture be?
The scans must be done no more than three months before the capture is submitted. A project that submits in phases keeps all its scan submissions inside three months.
How fast does BCA respond?
Within three working days of receiving the Virtual Inspection Plan, and within three working days of the capture being submitted for review.
Which projects can use a full virtual inspection?
The guidebook lists newly erected landed houses built by a developer for sale, newly erected industrial buildings with typical floor plans, parks and standalone structures, later partial TOP phases of HDB residential blocks, and A&A works in localised areas. Condominiums, hotel room floors, offices and institutional buildings of typical design can use a hybrid inspection. BCA decides case by case at pre-consultation.
Which 360 cameras work with SpatialSense?
The Insta360 X4, X5 and X6 and the DJI Osmo 360. All four record 8K 360 video, above BCA's 6K minimum. The Insta360 X6 and the DJI Osmo 360 carry the larger 1/1.1-inch sensors, the closest to the guidebook's one-inch figure, so they suit a virtual TOP/CSC capture best.
What does Kodifly provide?
SpatialSense, the platform BCA reviews the capture on, set up with the approved plans and the Virtual Inspection Plan. It works with the 360 camera your team already uses. Kodifly can also run the capture, and supports the Qualified Person until BCA closes the inspection.
Related pages
Check your capture plan against the guidebook
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