The diggers guided by satellites and drones

As UK land surveyors we are constantly on the look out for useful information within our industry. Over in Spain, the BBC reported the use of a digger and drone to help excavate land in preparation for a wind farm. The digger is fitted with GPS to instructed the driver the exact area that needs digging. Including the exact depth. As a result, the driver saved saved time by digging the exact measurements in the plan. Testing how user friendly the digger was, a BBC reporter travelled to Durham, which is where Komatsu (heavy construction machinery company) have a facility. Being a reporter, they had no previous experience using a digger. However, the reporter was able to create a reasonably flat surface, at the correct height described in the digital plan on the digger’s onboard computer. How is this possible you might be thinking? The reporter attempted to dig deeper than what was planned but the onboard computer doesn’t allow you to dig outside the planned excavated site. Leaving a correct, flat surface. Even an experienced operators can dig too deep, and it costs money and time to restore the earth to the correct height and density. Finally, at the end of the day a survey drone is sent up into the sky just above the site. Within less than an hour, the drone has created a precise map of what has been done and what still needs to be finished. This was certainly something that caught our eyes at Terrain Surveys. We will be watching the progress of this with much interest and attention. Do you need land surveying? why not see how award winning terrain surveys can help, and what we offer. Click Here  Source: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/business-48337823/the-diggers-guided-by-satellites-and-drones