Modern surveying uses different technologies and tools to make the surveyor’s work easier and ensure accurate results. These technologies have transformed surveying significantly over the decades, but how will emerging tech impact measured building surveys in the future? In this article, we will look at the impressive technologies transforming measured building surveys and what to expect.
Use of Drones or Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs)
Drone technology is relatively new in measured building surveying. However, many surveyors have already embraced it after seeing how beneficial it can be to them and their work. Drones have made measured building surveys easier and cheaper by reducing labour costs and the time it takes to complete them. Drones can also reach higher areas and areas that are difficult to reach, thereby helping keep workers safe.
UAVs can also complete surveys much faster than workers can manually, unless there are many of them working on a single project. They do this while also delivering highly accurate work efficiently, making them a must-have for measured building surveyors.
Immersive Virtual Reality
Since measured building surveys deal with spatial data and virtual reality allows users to explore this space, it is easy to see why the technology might become an essential part of this type of surveying soon.
Today, it is being used in different projects to show data in the real world in real-time. Combined with augmented reality, these capabilities make collaboration much easier for those not in the field to the buildings being surveyed much better.
By delivering a highly immersive experience, virtual reality has so much potential not only for surveyors but also for developers, architects, and anyone else working in the construction industry.
3D Lasers
Lasers are not new to surveying as they have been used to measure distances, elevations and to take other measurements for some time now. These days, surveyors use high-definition laser scanners that allow them to capture data about buildings better, faster and more accurately.
The 3D models produced using this method offer a more detailed perspective of interiors and exteriors and are, therefore, a much better tool than the methods surveyors used in the past. Businesses that need measured building survey services and highly accurate models for better understanding and visualisation should ask the surveyor they contact if they provide 3D laser scanning.
Image Recognition Software
Surveyors are often tasked with finding defects in the buildings they look at to ensure their final models are as accurate and realistic as possible. Image recognition software gives them a much easier way to do this. Surveyors can use video capture to get video that they then pass through image processing software for analysis. Once done, the final model should include all the defects found in the video footage fed to the software.
Image recognition software is being used in other industries, but not so much in the surveying and overall construction industry. However, surveyors can hope this technology becomes mainstream, since it identifies up to 95% more defects than other methods.
Technology is changing every industry worldwide, and it is not surprising that surveying is being impacted positively too. Existing and mature technologies are already used in measured building surveys, and many more are being tested. The ones already in use ensure accurate survey data and results easier and faster today, while emerging ones promise to do the same in the future.