Digitising construction workflows on HS2 with new drone software
Balfour Beatty VINCI has adopted Esri's Site Scan for ArcGIS drone software to digitise survey processes, reduce costs and enhance safety on its Midlands section of HS2. The main works civil engineering contracts will deliver earthworks, ground engineering and multiple structures including bridges, viaducts and tunnels, along a 90km stretch of the UK's high speed rail line.
New software manages increasingly complex and varied use of drones
Faster and more efficient drone surveys are already saving around £20,000 a year
800 'working at risk' days removed from monitoring aggregate stockpiles
The Challenge
"We needed the right software to manage an increasingly complex and varied use of drones and meet the needs of multiple teams, from logistics to site managers to engineers," explained Dan Fawcett, Innovation Director at Balfour Beatty VINCI. "New digitised workflows are rapidly replacing traditional, physical working practices and introducing new levels of efficiency, accuracy and safety. On major projects such as HS2, the ROI achieved is significant."
"New digitised workflows are rapidly replacing traditional, physical working practices and introducing new levels of efficiency, accuracy and safety. On major projects such as HS2, the ROI achieved is significant."
Dan Fawcett, Innovation Director at Balfour Beatty VINCI.
The Solution
Balfour Beatty VINCI has rolled out Esri’s Site Scan for ArcGIS drone flight management and image processing software, to support its drone deployment strategy.
The new cloud-based software is being used to carry out drone site surveys, manage aggregate stockpiles and monitor progress of construction. Various 2D and 3D outputs are being generated for sharing with multiple stakeholders, including high-definition imagery and 3D terrain models.
Site Scan for ArcGIS offers flight planning, hardware management, scalable image processing and unlimited data storage, plus seamless integration with BBV's Esri enterprise GIS system.
"We needed the right software to manage an increasingly complex and varied use of drones and meet the needs of multiple teams, from logistics to site managers to engineers"
Dan Fawcett, Innovation Director at Balfour Beatty VINCI.
Benefits
More efficient surveys
Faster and more efficient drone surveys are already saving around £20,000 a year on monthly construction progress surveys, on a single site, instead of using physical surveys and the subsequent updating of CAD models. BBV estimates this could save around £1.6m if the same workflow was applied across 80 sites in the first year.
Safer stockpile monitoring
Another benefit has been the removal of 800 'working at risk' days and a cost saving of £30,000 per year from monitoring aggregate stockpiles, using a single drone operator to carry out 3D volumetric measurements in 20 minutes. Previously, contractors would take a full day to physically measure stockpiles and calculate transport requirements, often working in steep and difficult environments.
Compliance management
Other applications of the new software include helping to show compliance with design tolerances in built structures against BIM and CAD models, speeding-up design cycles, particularly in earthworks and excavations design and monitoring the installation of utilities.
