CONVENTIONAL SURVEY STILL CHOICE METHOD FOR MANY PROJECTS
With high-definition( HD) laser scanning becoming more common as a surveying tool for spatial data collection, why would anyone still opt for conventional survey on a project? Experts say it all depends on individual goals and needs. involved surveying a high-traffic interchange in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Using HD scanning was the more feasible choice because it was far safer and faster than the conventional survey method.“ It’ s a tool that we need sometimes, but we don’ t use it every day.”
“ HD scanning is not a replacement for conventional methods. It’ s just an alternative,” said James Cappeart, a surveyor at Ayres Associates, who estimates that the survey group completes 10 % to 15 % of projects with the HD scanner.
– Jennifer Schmidt
“ In some cases, HD scanning is a much better solution, but conventional survey is not going away,” he said.“ Just because it’ s shiny and new doesn’ t mean it’ s going to replace the world.”
Many projects, particularly those of a smaller magnitude, are best served with traditional survey methods. For instance, if a client needs just a single city block surveyed for a reconstruction project, HD scanning would provide far more data than necessary.
“ It just doesn’ t make sense to use HD scanning to collect that data,” Cappeart said.“ Our conventional methods can do it just about as quickly and with a lot less office time on the back end to prepare our deliverable.”
Conventional methods are often the most viable choice for rural projects, such as a survey through a cornfield or at a site with a great deal of high vegetation where data is needed behind or underneath grass or tree limbs. Many bridge surveys can be done either way but don’ t need the level of detail collected in an HD scan, leading surveyors to complete them with conventional methods.
“ There are some applications that HD scanning is made for,” Cappeart said, citing a recent example that