When it comes to managing construction projects, timing and expenses are often top of mind for companies focused on their bottom line. Multiple steps in project management become critical to keeping companies on budget and on time, including:

• Project planning
• Surveying
• Evaluation of structures, sites and surrounding areas
• Progress monitoring

However, oftentimes these methods of managing project data themselves can be the kink in the chain that disrupts a construction project, leading to unpredictable timelines and unforeseen expenses.

Too often in the construction industry, outdated methods of data collection lead to project details that are difficult to work with, or incomplete. That process may also require specific expertise which means companies are waiting on the availability of third-party professionals at a premium cost. Additionally, that data may not allow for quick and simple collaboration amongst your team which leads to wasted time, unnecessary expenses, lack of visibility and lost opportunities.

Solutions for a LiDAR scanner in construction like the Emesent Hovermap mobile mapping technology can improve, and in many cases eliminate, the disruptions that cause extra time and costs on a construction project. Too often companies haven’t explored these options or even know they exist. Instead, they stick to the way they’ve always done things so they suffer through:

• More manual processes, like traditional surveying and measuring tools, that take up extra time and resources
• Hiring professional surveyors which is an added expense that often requires extra time and lacks the flexibility to capture the entire site, hard-to-access areas, and confined spaces
• Less capabilities in collaboration which hinders innovation and communication with other members of your project management team
• Less detailed or comprehensive data for estimation of materials and budgeting
• Scheduled scanning periods for construction monitoring

There’s a reason construction professionals look to innovation in LiDAR for construction and data collection – it can streamline entire processes while saving time and costs. This helps construction companies avoid bringing costly equipment back onto a job site or having to go back and correct mistakes.

One of our Hovermap customers was able to do exactly that and told us, “we’re able to fly over [the job] and scan just after it has been erected. You don’t have to take the crane off site, then see that there is a problem and bring the crane back, which can save the cost of having the crane on site for an additional three or four days.” Those cost and time savings can have a big impact on the budget and timeline of a construction project.

Construction Data Collection with Versatility, Speed and Accuracy

LiDAR scanning for construction allows for safe, reliable, and fast data collection at construction sites to support everything from traditional progress monitoring to specific as-built verification as the project progresses, that can affect the planning, timing and budgeting of a project.

The mobile scanning and 3D laser mapping that has to take place for collecting data in a construction project includes the expense and time of the data collection as well as the equipment and resources needed.

Typically, complicated technology or manual processes used to map a construction site often requires the employment of a professional surveyor who is well versed in either specific hardware or a process. But the 3D laser mapping technology offered by Hovermap, used in conjunction with Emesent’s Automatic Ground Control Points, is simple enough to be deployed by more novice users and return survey-grade results. This allows companies to hire non-professionals, saving on both expenses and time.

In addition to the technology being easy to use, it is truly mobile in its design allowing for easy data collection no matter the location. It can be used with a drone, vehicle, backpack, or pole, or simply as a handheld device. Even with its multiple mount options, it has a plug and play design and quick-release mechanism that allows for simple toggling between device set ups. No matter what you need to access at your construction site or how you get there, your Hovermap LiDAR scanner for construction can capture its data.

Versatility in LiDAR Scanning for Construction

While drone usage is one of the more common methods for LiDAR mobile mapping technology, as it can be used to capture the entire site in one flight, the versatility of Hovermap also offers construction companies the ability to leverage the technology in a variety of scenarios. Hovermap gives users the ability to capture data via:

• Drones-enabled or drone-mounted scans
• Vehicle-mounted scans
• Handheld scanning
• Walking scanner mounted to a backpack
• Other mobile and still devices

If construction companies or surveyors can map projects and collect necessary data in less time with fewer resources and expenses, they can:

• Take on more or a diverse range of projects
• Provide more accurate budget or material estimates
• Streamline their supply acquisition
• Catch errors before they become bigger problems
• Keep executives or stakeholders informed of project progress
• Speed up their development
• Reduce expenses
• Generate more revenue

This also makes construction companies more competitive and allows them to acquire more customers. One of our Hovermap clients, Rod Brumby, was able to transform his company from a one-man band to a team of eight in just three years by utilizing the LiDAR scanner for construction. Having Hovermap in their portfolio of tools enabled the consultancy to tackle a diverse range of projects and sites, from infrastructure surveys and topographical studies to mines and water treatment plants. Because Hovermap saves time and money, UDM was able to provide clients with fast, high quality services at competitive prices.

Avoid the Potential Pitfalls in Your Construction Project

Businesses in the construction industry know that one of the most expensive and time-consuming challenges that can arise out of a construction project is a mistake in planning or an error in execution that needs to be corrected before the next steps in the continuation of the work. If an error is not corrected in a timely manner, adding more elements to the infrastructure can make the error even more difficult to correct when inevitably discovered. This can significantly impact the timeline of a project as well as the overall costs associated with the project.

The precision of LiDAR mobile mapping technology can help construction companies to detect errors or potential mistakes more quickly, or before it even happens. This allows projects to stay on schedule and budget which is a huge cost savings for any company in the construction industry regularly faced with those challenges.

Additionally, companies can easily and safely map a project to:

• Understand the nuances of a complicated space for remodel
• Inspect difficult to access areas like bridges (especially the GPS-denied area under the deck) or towers
• Survey properties heavily damaged and needing repair

LiDAR mobile scanning technology can be used at any stage of a construction project, in any environment while also protecting your team. Hovermap is also ideally suited for complex environments, like areas lacking GPS access, because of its collision avoidance features.

Go Beyond Simple Data Collection

With Hovermap, construction projects can be digitally mapped to produce digital twins for monitoring construction, planning extension work, regular maintenance, and updating plans.

The data that is captured from Hovermap will need to be processed, then it can be imported into a number of CAD or BIM software. It also has an integration with PointCab that allows Hovermap data to be processed and manipulated in PointCab Origins.

In construction, the typical applications of Hovermap data (after it has been processed) are:

• Creating digital twins or as-builts
• Comparing scans for clash detection
• Condition inspection of existing structures
• Reporting on progress of construction
• QA (quality assurance) reporting
• Stakeholder engagement

This kind of accuracy also allows a construction company to understand and avoid challenges they may face in an upcoming project such as interfering topographical details or surprises found in tight spaces.

These features create competitive advantage in multiple areas of a construction company’s operations by improving speed, accuracy, versatility, and budget forecasting.

The Precision You Expect with the Versatility You Need

The versatility and the potential cost savings offered by Hovermap makes it the logical LiDAR mobile mapping technology for construction industry professionals. Stay on schedule and budget while reducing operating expenses. To learn more about Hovermap or to book a live demonstration, click here.