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Quantum has broadcast loud and clear the best practices regarding site control for your GPS machine control systems. When expanding your tech repertoire into drone data, (we have heard the Quantum Flight Pack is good) it is just as important for you to understand how Ground Control Points (GCP) are utilized and why they are necessary when collecting drone data. Ground control is a target placed on the ground that can be seen in your drone photos. It is what ties your drone data to the "ground" and functions in much the same way as site control for your GPS system. We have broken the Ground Control process down into five simple principles you can apply to ANY drone data project and ANY drone system. Click on each one for a separate post with a detailed explanation. 1. Location matters 2. Surround the site 3. Set a few GCP's inside the site 4. Collect topo check shots 5. Measure GCP's with the same GPS system you are using for machine control The center of the GCP target is measured with the GPS system you are using for that project. We can see the targets in your drone photos, it's what we use to align your drone data with your machine control model, the project plans and any other survey work that has been done on the site. Without ground control, at the very best, your drone data will only be within a few feet of the correct location horizontally and dozens of feet off vertically. Nowhere near close enough to make it useful for much of anything when it comes to measuring your progress against the construction plans. Let's address the elephant in the GCP room --> There is a lot of buzz in the industry about PPK and RTK capable drones with very accurate photo geotags. They have their place and big potential, but you still can't beat the simplicity, low cost and reliability of standard ground control. You already have an expensive and highly accurate GPS base/rover system, may as well give it double duty in measuring ground control. Even with a PPK or RTK drone you should still have a few GCP's to guarantee your drone data will align with your machine control model. You rarely get a second chance to fly a constantly changing construction site. On the right, is a photo of a good ground control target. Note it has a clearly defined center, a matte finish and contrasting colors that show up well in drone photos. The basic design you see below is how most good quality GCP's are designed. Also, notice how this target is very low tech. Remember, you will use the GPS rover already set up on site to measure in the center of the target. If a dozer or truck runs over this target, its unfortunate, but you are only out the price of a good lunch. Not a few hundred $$$. It's ok to use ground paint in difficult to access or high traffic areas, but a good quality re-useable target is always best. If using ground paint, heavily paint the target and make it so the center will be easy to see from the air. Lightly painted or target colors that blend into the surface won't serve their purpose very well. Orange and blue seem to work well for most ground conditions.

This is truly "Machine Control Made Easy"! This Komatsu Construction 490LCi is grinding a wall, underwater, in a barge lock. In years past, this work would have required draining the lock. An expensive and time consuming process. With the latest Komatsu Smart Construction tech, a Quantum model and great dealer support this contractor made it look easy. This video is supposed to be boring. The contractor completed this USACE project at a reduced cost and well ahead of river opening in just a few days.

Quantum Land Design was recently featured in Propeller Aero's Thought Leaders Blog series. The blog post expands on Zach's Tech Talk at Conexpo-Conagg 2020. Zach discusses a few things you should think about before you jump into the latest drone tech, how you can use the machine control technology you already own and why you need to examine you current workflow to determine how drone data will work with it. If you would like to dig a little further into drones and drone data, take a look at the Quantum Flight Pack, and feel free to Email or call us at 515-505-3510. For your convenience, we have also placed the text below. Drone Data Never Works Alone: Integrating Drone Surveys into Your Existing Workflow This is an article contribution from Zach Pieper, director of operations at Quantum Land Design. Propeller showcases thought leaders from the construction, aggregates, and mining community through collaborative content creation. We’re asking real people on the worksite to write about real problems they’ve encountered, and to share the practical solutions that have made life easier. Drone data can change your business—or so you’ve been told. In this post, I will share examples of how it did for several contractors, but first, let's take a look at a few questions you should know the answers to before you jump into drone data. What information you expect to derive from your drone flights? Do you just need to measure a few stockpiles? Maybe you need to quantify earth moved for monthly pay applications. What gap in your current processes are you trying to fill? Keep in mind a drone is a versatile tool but may not be the best solution for the problem you are trying to solve. Can you leverage construction technology you already own to get the answers you need? Or can you use it to enhance your drone data? More than likely, if you are looking into drones, GPS machine control is already a big part of your operation. Can you use your base and rover in conjunction with your takeoff software to multiply some of the benefits you expect from drone data? Often, a hybrid technology solution can save you the most time and money. What needs to be done to make sure your new technology will fit into your existing workflow and information streams? Think about how you can get data from your drone to work with your takeoff software, CAD, GIS, and even your project management software. It's usually best to get the most out of the software and hardware you already own, rather than starting over with new tech that comes with its own learning curve. Making sure that your drone data will mesh with your other tools is a very important, and often overlooked, aspect of the technology. Now let's take a look at a few real-world project examples to help you understand how drone data can fill some gaps in your current processes. 1. Documenting the difference before and after earthwork A small family-owned contractor we work with was in the process of starting earthwork on a new subdivision project. The contractor flew the project before and after earthwork was completed. Here is what the contractor learned from just two drone flights on this small project: The total volume of cut and fill earthwork on the site. Excess dirt moved for a change order to upgrade the home lots to allow walkout basements. The volume of excess cut dirt left over on the property for future use or sale. The orthophoto and topo provided much of the information required by the city's as-built requirements. A pre-construction topo for the next phase of the subdivision. Finally, the volume of woodchips generated from site clearing operations. Remember, all of the information above was derived from two drone flights. The drone data was easily loaded into the contractor’s takeoff software and compared to their takeoff and machine control model. 2. Faster, safer stockpile measurements Demolition is an application that is less often mentioned when it comes to drone data. Surprisingly, there can be a lot of benefit derived from a single drone flight. One of our contractors was challenged by a developer to provide an estimate to crush all of the broken concrete on an old industrial site. Normally, the contractor would have used his GPS base and rover to survey the piles. In this case, it was not safe or practical to walk dozens of piles. A drone flight was the only option. Once the site was flown, the photos were processed and a 3D surface of the existing site was generated. The contractor was able to use the 3D surface in his takeoff software to determine the quantity of broken concrete to be recycled. They also presented the developer with a preliminary earthwork estimate for the future development. 3. Hyper-accurate measurement when it matters This road improvement project was almost all fill, requiring a significant amount of earthwork. The original topo was based off of years-old LIDAR data. As the contractor was paid by the cubic yard, it was important to have an accurate topo of both the road and the borrow pit. They used their GPS system to measure ground control before flying the road project and the new borrow pit. Once the drone data was processed into a bare earth surface, they were able to derive several pieces of important information. First, the drone flight was compared to the machine control model to determine how many yards needed to be moved and where material needed to be placed to build the road. Second, the borrow area was evaluated to ensure it could provide enough fill. Third, the contractor used these flights in conjunction with future drone flights to measure production. By accurately measuring production they were able to fine tune their bidding and earthmoving processes. As you can tell from the examples above, the key to getting the most out of your drone data is making sure it will work with other information you use to manage your projects. For civil construction contractors, this probably means that the drone data will need to mesh with your takeoff software and machine control models. (Don’t forget to take a deeper look at the construction technology you already own, too. More than likely, it may be able to supplement or even improve the data derived from your drone flights.) Just remember, before you bring a drone into your operation be sure to understand what information you are trying to obtain and how you will get it to work within your existing workflow. You never work alone your drone data shouldn’t either.

The Conexpo folks at the AEM has put together a great resource for new and experienced gps machine control users alike. They have gathered everything from in-the-cab how to's to question and answer questions with contractors. It's worth your time to login and scroll through the extensive offerings. Click here to get started.

Your Quantum Flight Pack is a great tool, but like any tool, you need to know the right way to use it. Getting the camera settings right in any lighting situation is key to collecting the best data you can. In under a minute, you can learn how to adjust your DJI drone for low light conditions common in the colder months of the year. Have questions? Just email me or call at 515-505-3510 ex 702.

Good ground control is key to getting the best data you can out of your Quantum Flight Pack. Watch and learn the thought process that went into placing this Ground Control Point. Proper ground control placement will ensure that your drone data lines up with your machine control model. Have questions? Just email me or call at 515-505-3510 ex 702.

Our own Zach Pieper was featured in xyHt magazine's latest Measure This! podcast. Gavin Schrock and Zach discuss how drone data and machine control are implemented by real world clients. There are quite a few field proven tips you can apply to your projects right away. Listen up!

Caterpillar's Ryan Neal goes in depth on the latest Cat excavator machine control tech. He does a great job explaining the various functions and features built into the new Cat machines. Five minutes well spent if you are ready to dig into the details of the new Earthworks systems.

It's not on the street, yet, but Caterpillar has announced Cat COMMAND for Compaction. It is an operator assisted technology that will help the operator achieve consistent compaction. The best news it that will be available on new B-series compactors AND as a retrofit kit for those already in the field. To learn more here is Caterpillar's press release.

Komatsu has added broader capability to their machine control line with Proactive Dozing Control (PDC) on their Smart Construction "i" machines. PDC uses the sensors and GPS system traditionally utilized for machine control to monitor the dozer's position in real time. The system will automatically control blade position and adjust load during any part of the earth moving process, not just at finish grade. For more information take a look at the Equipment World article, read Komatsu's press release or watch the video below.

ConExpo is coming up fast. While you are certainly looking forward to the show floor don't forget the educational sessions. Ryan and Zach will be sharing their experience about how contractors put the latest technology to work in their operation. It's a rare experience to hear about what is working for contractors all over the world and, best of all, ask questions. Add our educational session to your ConExpo show planner here. Click on the article below for a sampling of what we will be sharing at the show.

ConExpo 2020 planning mode is well underway here at Quantum Land Design. Believe it or not have quite a few hands up for a week in Las Vegas. The folks at ConExpo put out a monthly podcast you might enjoy. It features experts from the industry discussing a wide range of topics. Everything from technology and safety to regulations. Click here to go to the podcast website for more details. Here is an episode featuring the experts from Case Construction discussing choosing the right machine control system for your company.