That's where InnoSurv comes in. InnoSurv is a new proposition that enables ES&S to provide clients with the most effective combination of traditional surveying methods and industry-leading tools to suit their particular projects. These range from light detection and ranging (LiDAR) to drones to BIM and a host of other tools. This article will look at how this hybrid approach could make your projects run more efficiently and keep costs to a minimum while ensuring your employees are as safe as possible on the job site.
The Hybrid Approach
The InnoSurv method doesn't eschew traditional surveying techniques; it actually embraces them. ES&S recognizes that certain conventional surveying methods are ideal in particular situations. That's why InnoSurv employs a hybrid approach of combining tools to help with project layout and beyond.
ES&S can advise clients when to use:
- LiDAR
- Drone photogrammetry
- Aerial static images or videos
- 3D mapping
- Virtual modeling
- Virtual site tours or fly-throughs
- Machine control
LiDAR is a technology that uses light waves and their reflections to map out physical objects. This creates highly accurate 3D representations of sites that can show existing infrastructure, such as forgotten water pipes or gas lines. These 3D images help designers and engineers work around such issues while still in the planning stage, rather than giving contractors a nasty surprise when they get on site.
Drone photogrammetry utilizes unmanned aerial systems (UAS) to fly over sites or points of interest and take multiple photographs or videos. Static shots can give a visual of the physical site. Multiple images from different angles aid in 3D mapping and building information modeling (BIM). Because the data from modern UAS is entirely digital, it can be accessed by designers or engineers almost instantaneously, vastly improving communication between team members and reducing the need for multiple site visits.
Benefits of Combining Technologies
This unique method of bringing together traditional and technologically forward surveying techniques brings numerous benefits to clients during both engineering project layout and construction.
If you only have a hammer, every problem is a nail.
This mantra revolves around the idea that you can't progress without exploring other tools; if you limit yourself to solely traditional surveying methods, you can't increase your efficiencies or impress stakeholders with shorter project timescales. ES&S knows how competitive the construction and civil engineering industries can be and created InnoSurv to help give clients that all-important edge.
When your teams work more efficiently, costs naturally decrease. We've already touched on reduced site visits, which cut transportation and logistics costs. There's also the lowered personnel cost, thanks to digital solutions like UAS. Machine control decreases the need for additional marking tools. Faster completion times could also mean more profitable contracts in the future.
InnoSurv Creates Safer Sites
One of the primary benefits of having so many options in your engineering toolbox is that it increases safety for everyone concerned. Drones, for example, can take a detailed look around a cliffside development. They can check for coastal erosion without the risk of falls, or for nesting birds and other wildlife without physically disturbing them and disrupting the ecosystem. UAS promotes a more eco-friendly approach to surveying while keeping your employees out of harm's way.
Remote surveying is also excellent for areas like railbeds or busy road intersections. It's ideally suited for extremely high elevations, which can be dangerous. This could be anything from mountain-side development site evaluation to taking images of rooftops — all situations where human personnel have to take multiple safety precautions and still run the risk of falls and injuries.
Blending technologies and leveraging the industry's top methodologies empowers civil engineers and community planners to go beyond the limitations of their current tools to create something spectacular. Utilizing remote surveying techniques shows your team that you value their safety, and this reputation will attract top talent to your team. It also allows multiple team members to get involved with every aspect of the project as appropriate, thanks to cloud-based data storage and transfer services, which improve communication and collaboration exponentially.
InnoSurv is the future of surveying and civil engineering. Combining emerging and existing technologies doesn't just make sites safer; it increases efficiencies and makes designing, building, and community planning faster and better. Projects benefit when stakeholders, from residents to investors, can easily view virtual plans and see exactly what's happening at every stage. They also progress more smoothly and quickly as data on earthworks, the existing infrastructure, and project layout is relayed almost instantaneously to designers, architects, and civil engineers.
If you want to know more about how InnoSurv works, don't hesitate to get in touch with a member of the team here at Engineering Surveys & Services for more information.