Abstract: The present invention provides devices and methods for multi-dimensional scanning of a scene. In particular, this invention provides scanning devices and methods employing controllable light beam scanning devices capable of sending a light beam onto a scene, and of receiving corresponding light returned from the scene, and controllers capable of operating the scanning device at selected beam orientations, and of gaining distance information from the scanning device at the beam orientations. The controller can dynamically define beam orientations using the distance information gained from preceding beam orientations.