Pro-Level GPS Machine Control Tips Every Contractor Should Know
Every contractor hits the same GPS machine control growing pains. We pulled tips from Caterpillar, John Deere, Komatsu, and Case -- four things their experts say consistently separate crews that make GPS work from those that don't.
Drone Surveying in Construction: Simple, Effective, and Cost-Efficient
Drones simplify construction surveying with just a GPS base/rover and a drone. Affordable, reliable data without the complexity.
Structurally Correct
The most progressive contractors are moving to 3D modeling for their structural excavations, just like they use a 3D surface model to grade
Single Point GPS Site Control: How to Ensure Accuracy & Avoid Errors
Avoid common pitfalls with Single Point GPS site control—learn to ensure stable, accurate results and avoid costly mistakes in grading.
Site Control - Principle 4
Your control is set, you calibrated to five points -- now what? Here's how to verify your GPS system is actually reading right before and during grading.
Quantum Flight Pack - Flight Planning Video
Supplement your GPS machine control system with Quantum's Flight Pack drone system. In this video you will learn how to plan a topograp
Site Control - Principle 3
Three control points might surround your site, but that's not enough to catch errors. A three legged bar stool never rocks, even if one leg is short. A four legged stool gives it away every time. Your GPS system works the same way. Here's how each control point pins your project to the globe, and why five is the minimum before you trust the calibration.
Site Control - Principle 2
One control point 0.1' out of tolerance on the wrong side of a project cost a contractor a full site rebuild. The fix was simple and completely avoidable. Principle 2 covers how to distribute GPS control points so your machine control system can actually catch errors before your crew finishes grade.
Free 3D Surfaces vs. Professional GPS Models: What Contractors Need to Know
Free 3D models from engineering firms may seem like a helpful bonus—but when it comes to GPS machine control, they often cost contractors more than they save.
Free 3D models from engineers might look helpful—but they’re often not built for GPS machine control. Learn why these surfaces cause issues in the field and how Quantum Land Design delivers precise, buildable models that keep your project moving.
Site Control - Principle 1
Your machine control model is only as good as your site control. Get that wrong and it doesn't matter how accurate the 3D file is, your equipment is working off a bad reference. Principle 1 is straightforward: hire the engineering firm that designed the project to place your control. Not the low bidder. Not your brother-in-law. The design engineer's surveyor is the only one with all the information and the authority to fix it when something is off.
