10. October 2022
Construction service provider increases its own efficiency thanks to surveying drone
This report was written by our partner MOST Robotics GmbH
from Wulften – Link to original report
Augel is a construction service provider for work in highly sensitive industrial plants and the energy sector. The company's focus is always on state-of-the-art technical equipment. In its search for a reliable solution for efficient surveying, Augel chose MOST Robotics as its partner. The result was not only a noticeable simplification of existing processes. The solution also allowed the company to make a valuable contribution to reconstruction after the floods in the Ahr valley.
From the company headquarters in the Eifel region, Augel realizes over 150 construction sites throughout Germany every year. There is no question that this leads to a high degree of complexity. However, it is not only the coordination that is complex, but also the work itself. Surveying in particular is a time-consuming and critical process. In most cases, errors are fatal. In order to ensure goal-oriented, efficient and error-free work, Augel decided to look for solutions to simplify this work step with the help of digitalization. The decision was made to use drones to simplify the previously time-consuming land surveying process. This is because normal surveying using a total station is not always possible or involves considerably more effort. Aerial surveying is a game changer, especially for customers in highly sensitive, critical facilities such as the energy sector or the petrochemical and manufacturing industries.
Analysis of supply on the market
The requirements were clear: “We wanted a future-proof system that we could use for years to come and expand or upgrade as required – regardless of whether it was a drone or a payload,” says Florian Reuschenbach, surveying expert at Augel. In a comprehensive evaluation process, the construction services provider gained a comprehensive picture of market-leading solutions and chose MOST Robotics as its partner based on the scope of services and functions as well as the attractive price-performance ratio. The specialist for drone systems from Wulfen in Lower Saxony has made a name for itself as a provider in this field despite its relatively young company history. With MOST's customized drone solutions for surveying, customers can effortlessly and efficiently measure even large areas that are difficult to access. This creates a 3D map accurate to the centimeter, which makes planning construction projects noticeably easier.
The best solution for specific customer requirements
The explicit wish was to have a system manufactured in Europe as the basis. The reason for this was the sensitive data protection situation caused by critical infrastructure. DJI was therefore ruled out as a system. “We spent a long time looking for a reliable drone platform for surveying that could fly in wind and weather, but also support as many payloads as possible.” The choice fell on the ZOE, which, with a flight time of up to 45 minutes and the ability to carry up to 5 kilograms of payload, has the ideal prerequisites for the area of application. Thanks to its modular design, components and assemblies can be replaced and extended easily and cost-effectively. This provided the required flexibility and expandability.
The payload chosen was a Sony A7R IV with a 35 mm lens and 61 megapixels, mounted on a Gremsy T3 gimbal. Thanks to the quick-release fastener, payloads such as thermal imaging cameras or LiDAR scannerscan be exchanged in the blink of an eye. This opens up a wide range of new application possibilities. This unique selling point also allows Augel to differentiate itself from other competitors.
At the heart of the drone is the EMLID RTK system, which enables the drone to be positioned with centimeter precision and the individual images to be located. This was combined with the native MOST mapping module, which ensures automatic geotagging of the images and prevents manual errors in post-processing. To ensure a constant flight altitude in relation to the ground, Augel opted for the Terrain Follow LiDAR. This allows the drone to climb and descend automatically. Collisions on rising terrain are thus prevented. This resulted in the ideal solution for the construction service provider's requirements.
Comprehensive analysis as a basis
Before this was realized, the MOST Robotics team collected customer feedback during the analysis phase, recorded the requirements and wishes of the operators and also spoke to the company's internal employees. The project participants then evaluated the results and found the best solution together with those responsible at Augel. Not least because of this, they were able to convince the customer. "The MOST Robotics team made a competent impression from the very first contact through to the purchase of our drone. They still take the time to answer questions. It's really fun to work with them", says Florian Reuschenbach.
Unexpected intended use
Today, Augel can use the multicopter to measure large and/or difficult-to-access areas from the air efficiently, contactlessly and with high three-dimensional accuracy down to the centimeter in a very short space of time. At the beginning, nobody could have guessed how relevant this would become, especially in their own environment. After all, Augel is located directly in the area of the Ahr, which became sadly famous as a result of the flood disaster in 2021. Thanks to the complete solution based on the ZOE X8 , the company was able to actively support the reconstruction planning with orthophotos and point clouds in the months that followed. The data is used for hydraulic calculations, predictions of future flood events and analysis of the flood area.
The analysis is particularly important in the case of the Ahr floods, as it reveals bottlenecks and terrain conditions that would cause backwater. This not only helps to repair the damage in a timely manner, but also to prevent future flooding.
The customer is satisfied and is looking forward to future challenges. “We are excited to see how the market for surveying will change over the next few years as a result of aerial surveying and what other exciting fields of work will come our way as a result,” says Reuschenbach. The complete solution from MOST Robotics gives them the necessary future security for a wide range of applications. – MOST Robotics GmbH