How to use this guide
We’ve put together this guide to show how smart surveys can help you measure and manage your site yourself.
Whether you’re new to drone surveying or are looking to scale up your map-based workflows, you want to know how it can help you manage progress, productivity, quality, and cost on your site. Here you can find a deep dive into how Propeller delivers on those values for site contractors.
By the end of this guide, you’ll know how smart surveys empower you and your team to answer how much work is done, how fast it’s progressing, whether or not you’re matching the plan, and if you’re going to make money on a job. Ultimately, leading to simpler, faster, and smarter workflows for everyone on site.
Intro to smart surveys
So, what exactly are smart surveys?
The best of both worlds.
The construction and surveying landscape is evolving, and contractors are seeking new technologies that can enhance productivity, efficiency, and safety. Smart surveys represent a new category of solutions that address these needs.
In the past, surveying and GIS (Geographic Information Systems) were separate realms. However, with the advent of drones and visualization software, these two worlds have converged to create smart surveys—a powerful combination of technology solutions that merge the intuitive qualities of GIS and the accuracy of surveys to build an interactive reality that is universally understood.
Think surveys, but easy to understand. Think reality capture, but accurate. That’s smart surveys.
Smart survey solutions
Propeller’s smart survey vision
How our smart survey solutions will work for you
Meet the solutions powering simpler, faster, smarter survey data workflows for site contractors worldwide.
Drones + sensors
Solve the speed-accuracy paradox with automated flight paths, and high-accuracy geotags.
Smart ground control
Fast and simple methods for setting ground control for your drone flight.
Machine telematics
Real-time productivity insights that capture what’s happening on the ground.
Expert survey processing
Scalable and reliable survey data, processed quickly.
Software
A central hub to map, measure, and manage all your geospatial data.
Workflows + use cases
Smart survey workflows
Let’s talk through how it all works.
Map
Capture survey-grade data and explore an interactive map of your worksite.
- Data capture
- Processing + QA
- 3D model
Measure
Inform the best decisions with up-to-date measurements in just a few clicks.
- Data analytics + reporting
- Design + linework
- Surface comparisons
Manage
Centralize your data and keep project teams on track.
- Data management
- Communication + collaboration
- Earthworks tracking
- Scheduling + cost control
Map: Data capture
Let’s face it: Sites run on survey data. But traditionally, it was a complex and slow slog. And, depending on your operations, infrequent.
Advances in technology have made the drone an affordable tool for worksites. Unlike traditional professional surveyor equipment, however, you don’t need tons of special training and education to use it.
And when it comes to actually flying to capture your survey images? That can be totally automated.
01
What are AeroPoints?
AeroPoints are the world’s first smart ground control solution, purpose-built for drone operations. Featuring a solar panel, battery, GPS, and WiFi inside each fully sealed, rugged, lightweight unit, AeroPoints make capturing accurate data simple and affordable.
02
50% faster than traditional methods
03
10% the cost of traditional surveys
Benefits of automated data capture
Collect data points, not pain points.
“Before Propeller, we had our projects flown a couple of times a year for drone photography, but we did not utilize mapping. We used to gather all of our topographic information manually, which was very time-consuming and costly.
Now, the regular mapping of our commercial and residential infrastructure projects with Propeller provides us with valuable earthwork progress tracking data and stockpile volume management.”
Map: Survey processing + QA
Survey data is only as useful as its final form. Once you survey your site, all those millions of datapoints need to be stitched together into a 3D model and validated.
It takes a lot of technical expertise to turn survey data into accurate and realistic 3D maps, and teams lose a lot of bandwidth trying to make it work internally. When it comes to processing, there are two schools of thought.
In-house processing vs. Outsourced processing
Drawbacks of in-house processing
Propeller’s approach to survey processing
The best survey data is served on demand and processed thoughtfully by experts who care a great deal about the work they’re doing. And good news, a processing engine like Propeller that’s managed by GIS specialists can relieve the processing burden for site contractors and deliver third-party validation to every dataset.
- Simplify with an all-in-one solution:
Using one consolidated solution rather than a collection of tools is the fastest and most reliable route to survey-grade results. - Sit back and relax with on-demand processing:
Simply upload your data, and we’ll do the rest. We’ll build a high-resolution terrain model and orthophoto within 24 hours. - Accurate data vetted by GIS specialists:
We work as an extension of your survey team to help assess the quality of your data and ensure consistency between datasets. - Whatever you need, 24/7:
No matter the time of day, you can talk to one of our GIS specialists. From troubleshooting to targeted advice, we’re here to get you the answers you need. - Data catered to your worksite, wherever you are:
It doesn’t matter if you’re local, global, or somewhere in between. We’ll make sure you get the data you need. - Our innovations never stop:
Our innovative spirit is the core of who we are, so we’ll never stop working to find the best ways to move your work forward. We’re constantly researching and adapting our tools to bring you even more value.
How Propeller survey processing works
You work smarter to:
01
02
03
We work harder to:
Create the 3D model
Complete the georeferencing
Validate the data
Create the site’s orthophoto
Check the model’s accuracy
They say a picture’s worth 1000 words…
“That’s when I discovered how a picture could speak a thousand words”
Daily production + productivity
…And most of the time, they’re only talking in two dimensions.
Smart surveys are 3D site maps that provide the most efficient and effective way to communicate and make decisions about your worksite.
These hyper-realistic 3D models of your site are the culmination of all the data you collect during a drone flight. They combine realistic visuals with accurate positional data to provide an immersive tool for mapping, measuring, and managing sitework.
- Interactive reality:
Point and click to take distance measurements, calculate cut/fill, and track site progress - Universal understanding:
Propeller’s realistic maps are easily understood by your whole team—no specialized training necessary - Easily shareable:
Grant access to anyone who’s collaborating on your project, wherever they are
The many layers of the map
From the ground up.
Think of point clouds as the georeferenced wireframes for 3D survey models.
Digital elevation models (DEM) are visual representations of elevation data for every point captured on your site.
An orthophoto is a two-dimensional aerial image of the surveyed area that contains horizontal geospatial data.
Ground control points, survey boundaries, and camera positions for an extra layer of validation.
We’re talking idle times, load counts, and machine routes, all visible on the map for daily productivity and production tracking (but we’ll get into that later on).
Progress photos and updates that have been pinned to various locations on the map, capturing reality in real-time.
Measure: Data Analytics
You’ve got your map. Now, you can measure and manage your site like never before. Get quick earthwork volumes for roads, stockpiles, and drainage channels, all in just a few clicks. For added analysis, compare two surveys against designs or final grade.
- You can make calculations and check quantities on the go.
- You can layer multiple surveys to visualize progress over time.
- You can clamp designs and linework over your survey data.
- And, you can even layer two designs.
Your measurement toolbox
| Measurement | Description | Survey | Survey-to-survey | Survey-to-design | Design-to-design |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volume + stockpiles | Measure the volume of material in any given area on the map. | ||||
| Cross-section | View a cross-section along a specified line. | ||||
| Elevation | Calculate the height on a specific point on the map. | ||||
| Surface area | Create a polygon on any area of the map to measure surface area. | ||||
| Cut-fill | Generate excavation and backfill maps. | ||||
| Slope angle | Draw a line along any slope to calculate the slope angle in degrees, as a percentage, or a ratio. | ||||
| Distance | Draw a line between two or more points and measure the total surface length, point-to-point distance, and horizontal distance. |
Manage: Data Management
Everything you need in one place.
Smart surveys can also be used as a database for survey data, designs, communications, and media.
Users can exchange in-app messages and tag each other in photos to alert other team members to a particular site feature, point of interest, or safety hazard.
Managing data can be cumbersome and complex when you’re exporting and importing between different systems. Smart survey solutions play nice with other tools to make sure you’re working smarter, not harder when accessing the insights you need.
Imports
Exports
- DXF
- CZML
- DXF
- GEOTIFF
- JIFF
- JPEG
- GEOJSON
- DXF
- KML
- LAZ
- GEOTIFF
- DXF
- TTM
- 360 photos
- JPEG
Communication + Collaboration
High on energy but short on time?
With so much to do, you need technology that delivers the data you need to understand what’s been done, what’s left to do, and what to tackle next.
Smart surveys are the meeting ground where internal and external stakeholders can join forces to do just that.
Who benefits from smart survey data?
Internal
Survey departments
Project managers
Estimators
Engineers
VDC managers
Superintendents
Field operators
Owners
External
Consultants
Environmentalists
Subcontractors
Clients
Anywhere, any device
Access Propeller from any device and download the mobile app to take maps into the field. Smart surveys put your worksite in your pocket.
Monitor usage
Keep tabs on changes, users, and log-ins.
Control access
Share your data with whoever Communicate in real-time should see it. Administrators can manage user permissions, both individually and through teams.
Communicate in real-time
Share progress photos from the field and exchange messages on the map using any device.
Earthworks progress tracking
Replace finger-pointing with facts using a complete visual record of site activity, from takeoff to closeout. With more regular earthworks tracking, you can spot problems before they become expensive. Think of it as the difference between planning ahead and simply reacting.
- Cut-fills on the go.
Calculate exactly how much material you need to move against final grade and quantify progress faster than ever before. - Don’t guess, know.
Use a combination of machine telematics, frequent site surveys, and surface comparisons to know exactly where your team’s at day to day. - Resolve disputes
Disputes over what work was completed by which dates disappear with hard data to establish proof of work. - Safety is the best policy.
Use remote inspections to monitor site conditions, spot safety hazards proactively, and keep human-to-machine interactions low.
“Sometimes you find yourself in a finger-pointing match. “Hey, you’re behind!” “No, you’re behind!”. Propeller takes all of that away. We have a picture of the site from two days ago to prove we’re not behind.
Since that caught hold, we haven’t been thrown under the bus in a very long time.”
Daily production + productivity
There’s no disputing that drone surveys are bringing faster, accurate data to the masses, but odds are you aren’t flying your site daily. There are machine-mounted smart survey solutions that help fill in the blanks between drone flights with daily productivity and production data. Because they live on machines rather than in the sky, these sensors provide machine utilization data, as well.
- Manage your production
Track load counts, cycle times, and daily values from one centralized dashboard. - Map what you move
Record survey-grade elevations for daily progress tracking. - Keep on-track
See how your fleet’s tracking with a holistic overview of the paths they took, how long they idled for, and what they accomplished.
Meet, DirtMate
DirtMate is a telematics system for heavy machinery that filters GPS and IMU data to the map.
“Since we started using Propeller for drone data and DirtMate for production tracking, we have improved our day-to-day decision-making based on accurate, real-time data.
Our supervisors can take a deeper dive into workflows, haul paths, and cumulative quantities claimed on a daily basis.”
Scheduling + cost control
Use Propeller to keep your projects on track and on budget.
…And most of the time, they’re only talking in two dimensions.
Smart surveys are 3D site maps that provide the most efficient and effective way to communicate and make decisions about your worksite.
These hyper-realistic 3D models of your site are the culmination of all the data you collect during a drone flight. They combine realistic visuals with accurate positional data to provide an immersive tool for mapping, measuring, and managing sitework.
- Manage your time and money.
Keep close tabs on time, materials, your team’s time management, and see what’s billable. - Teamwork makes the site work.
The map is universally understood, making it the ideal workspace for collaboration. Empower your field team and keep the office informed. - Coordinate with subcontractors.
Keep sites running efficiently with a complete picture of which teams are working where and when. - Avoid environmental fines.
Mark off protected areas on your site and share them with your team. This gets everyone on the same page easily and highlights exactly where they need to be cautious.
One map, one team
Mind the map
With smart surveys, all roads lead to the map – it’s where collaboration happens.
By bringing survey-grade accuracy to site mapping, you can empower your team to use the map as a digital meeting ground where they can measure and manage site activity on their own.
When the people doing the job, the people managing the job, and the people paying for the job have a shared understanding of what needs to happen and when productivity and team synergy reach a natural peak.
Greater alignment means fewer mistakes, happier clients, higher margins, and a heightened competitive advantage
A win for you, your team, and your clients.
About Propeller
Since 2014, Propeller has revolutionized the way construction sites, quarries, mines, and landfills work, from the ground up.
We’ve grown from a Sydney-based start-up to a widely-respected global business. Today, we’re proud to power more than 80,000 users across 40,000 worksites in over 120 countries.
We work single-mindedly toward one goal: Empowering our users with survey solutions that are simpler, faster, and smarter.
See what our customers have to say.
