Archive for year: 2020

Finding a reliable utility inspection provider is important both in terms of cost and safety. Whether a company is running older systems, brand new systems, or middle-of-the-line systems, there are unique challenges that will be faced. A utility inspection provider is the first line of defense against more significant and damaging issues. 

But how do you find a utility inspection provider that will work well for you? 

Here are a few important questions to ask.

What equipment do they have experience in?

As equipment ages, skills gaps can be introduced. There may not be technicians who are familiar with equipment from the 70s, 90s, or even 00s. But it also isn’t always the oldest equipment in operation that gives a company the most problems. Many older technologies are reliable, and newer technologies can require additional training.

With all that in mind, companies need to be conscientious about the technology they have and whether their utility inspection provider is well-versed in it. Ideally, the provider should have technicians who are specialists in every type of technology the power company is using. 

Do they have advanced software or hardware technology?

The role of a utility inspection provider is changing; it’s becoming far more robust. With new, advanced solutions such as drones and machine learning, inspection providers can learn much more about a system, and identify potential issues with greater levels of reliability. But not all inspection providers have changed over to new technology. Ask about the provider’s systems, how they deliver their inspections, and what they’re doing to modernize their solutions. 

Are there any testimonials or reviews available?

Customer testimonials and third-party reviews are a great resource. While they can’t always tell you the detailed benefits of working with an inspection provider, what it will do is tell you any major problems that many people have experienced. You can also take a look at the Better Business Bureau to see if there have been any formal complaints lodged. Ask the provider about any negative reviews you see. They may be able to explain it, or even describe changes that they’ve made since.

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What are the costs involved in the inspections?

One of the advantages of better technology is that an inspection provider can pass savings along to the customer. With better technology, inspections can be done safer and faster. If you’re vetting several inspection providers, you’ll want to know which have the best rates. But don’t choose based on rates alone. While one provider might have slightly higher rates than others, they may also have greater levels of accuracy.

Are they specialized in any particular energy industry?

Does the company deal with city electrical inspection? Or private solar systems? UAV for energy products will vary, depending on whether the company manages renewable energy sources or traditional energy sources. Renewable energy sources are continuing to emerge into the mainstream and are becoming an important part of the global energy future. Traditional energy sources are still necessary and vital, and they require different types of inspections. It’s best to deal with inspection providers who have clients with the same industry you’re in.

When can they get involved?

There are different levels to a utility company, from first development to later maintenance. Whether the company is better at the initial land surveying and project planning or focuses primarily on maintenance and repairs will matter. Your company may want to have a valuable partner that can work with you from the beginning to the end… or you may just need a company that can help you with your general maintenance.

It’s worth it to take a little more time to explore your options when trying to find a utility inspection provider. After all, the inspection provider is going to be guarding your most important assets. If you want to learn more about how inspections can help your organization, and how best-in-class technologies matter, contact the experts at Landpoint.

The world of pipeline surveying and inspection is getting a boost through new, advanced surveying technologies — designed to improve upon the pre-planning, planning, and maintenance stages of oil field projects. Today, new survey technologies can get your pipeline project off the ground faster, resulting in reduced delays and fewer potential reworks. Here’s what you need to know about new pipeline surveying technology and how to find expert natural gas inspection companies.

The Benefits of Natural Gas Inspection and Surveying

Drone services can be used for complete oil and gas pipeline inspections, beginning with the original pipeline surveying. For natural gas facilities, surveying can be completed to determine whether there may be obstructions on the planned path, to simulate impact to the environment, and to identify any other issues that might arise when the project is underway. Proper surveying saves an organization a significant amount of money, by improving the accuracy of the plans.

In addition to preliminary surveying, natural gas inspection companies are able to ensure that pipelines and natural gas facilities are well-maintained and prepared as needed. Regular natural gas safety inspection can catch issues as they arise, rather than when they become problematic. New IoT devices and sensors can be used to capture even more complicated information around natural gas installations, identifying potential leaks, unusual levels of heat, and other irregularities.

When it comes to natural gas, safety and environmental issues are a major priority. Better, more frequent, and more timely inspections are an excellent way for a company to improve the safety of their operations from the very beginning of the project. But in addition to safety, natural gas inspection can also make a natural gas site more predictable, reliable, and profitable — companies will find that as their inspections increase, their productivity will, too. Safer, well-maintained sites lead to better production time.

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Finding the Right Natural Gas Inspection Companies

The core benefits of natural gas inspection aside, how can a company find the right inspection companies? Many natural gas inspection companies only specialize in residential or development services, rather than serving the natural gas industry. Here are some important things to consider.

• Technology. Are inspections being completed manually or through the use of advanced technology such as UAVs? UAVs are faster, safer, and more efficient when it comes to pipeline inspection. UAVs are able to fly close to infrastructure, identify problems with extreme accuracy, and do not put any human operators at risk. In addition to the physical technology, ask about the software and data. How is data saved, stored, and analyzed? How will it be accessed?
• Experience. Does the UAV company frequently serve the natural gas industry, or are they more focused on other types of surveying and inspection? While there are many UAV companies that have the capacity to perform a pipeline or natural gas inspection, not all of them specialize. Specialists are more likely to be experts and are more likely to deliver accurate and meaningful information. 
• Reputation. Have they been in the industry long? Do they have clients who can vouch for them? As drone technology advances and its benefits are seen, there are many new UAV companies who may not have enough experience with natural gas inspection. Look for companies that have been using UAVs and related surveying technology for a long time, and understand the intricacies of these technologies inside and out.

It’s important to spend the time to find the right inspection company, as these inspection companies will be responsible for keeping your site safe and operational. The right natural gas inspection companies will be able to operate as a partner, helping you through the initial stages of your project and continued maintenance, repairs, and expansion. For more information about the benefits of oil and gas drone technology, contact the experts at Landpoint.

Ten years ago, UAVs were almost strictly within the purview of commercial applications. Today, many households have UAVs at home. UAVs are everything from toys for children to highly advanced, professional machines. But where is the line drawn? What are the differences between a commercial UAV and a consumer model? How can you tell the difference?

Here’s everything you need to know about what distinguishes commercial UAVs from consumer models.

The Commercial UAV

Today, commercial Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) are being used in everything from construction to the energy industry. UAVs are used for surveying, maintenance, and safety. But the UAV that is used for commercial use is a far cry from those that are in the standard home. An aerial mapping UAV will be much more technologically advanced than an at-home toy or hobbyist quadcopter, and much more expensive. 

Still, there’s no strict delineation between commercial UAVs and consumer UAVs for a very simple reason: UAVs have become more and more advanced. Just as there is a sliding spectrum of cameras, from a simple phone camera to a professional grade model, there’s also a sliding spectrum between commercial and consumer UAVs. Between the two are “prosumer” (professional consumer) UAVs that are very similar to commercial models, but still are not generally used for commercial use. Consumer-grade UAVs in use today may very well have been commercial-grade UAVs 10 years ago.

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Here are the major differences between today’s commercial and consumer UAVs:

• Cost. Let’s begin with the most obvious difference. A commercial UAV is very expensive, with the cheapest being a few thousand dollars. More commonly, a commercial UAV is going to cost tens of thousands of dollars. Meanwhile, a prosumer UAV is likely to cost about a thousand dollars, while a recreational, consumer UAV may only cost a few hundred. Recreational UAVs are getting cheaper every day, but commercial UAVs are getting more technologically advanced, and thus more expensive.
• Support. A commercial UAV is more likely to come with in-depth support. While many consumer or prosumer UAVs will still have customer support available, the customer support will be more along the lines of offering a refund if the UAV is defective. Meanwhile, commercial UAVs have support services that can help them with both technical and operational issues.
• Durability. UAVs crash all the time. It’s just a fact. UAVs are extremely stable in most conditions, but during heavy winds, they simply may not be heavy enough to maneuver themselves. But when commercial models crash, they’re usually fine. Prosumer models are going to be very durable and will be able to take a lot of hard hits. Cheaper, consumer models could break on the first crash.
• Sensor control and integration. Commercial UAVs allow for sensor control on a granular level and integration with precision solutions. Some UAVs are used for surveying, and others may be used for things like film production. Either way, they need to have the right level of sensor control. They have to be able to capture their exact location and maintain consistency.
• Customization. Commercial UAVs can be used for many purposes, and consequently, must be built so that they can be altered and customized. Consumer UAVs are usually built for a single purpose. They may be built to carry a GoPro, or to carry small packages. Commercial UAVs are more commonly used for things such as surveying, but an aerial mapping UAV is likely to be a commercial UAV tailored for that purpose.

There are also some practical differences. Using a UAV for commercial flight requires different licenses and permits than using one for recreation. Consumer-grade UAVs are going to be billed as being good for consumer needs, whereas commercial UAVs are going to be billed for specific industrial applications. Consumer UAVs cannot be used for most of the things for which commercial UAVs can be used.

What Are the Similarities?

Of course, there are still similarities in commercial and consumer UAVs. In fact, at their core, they’re almost identical. Commercial UAVs have specifically been improved upon for commercial use. That means they’re better in virtually every way. They have longer battery life, they’re larger, they have more features, and they’re easier to control.

Both the consumer and commercial UAV markets are steadily growing. On the recreational side, people are enthusiastic about the opportunity to operate their own UAVs. On the commercial side, the applications for industrial UAVs are expanding by the day. For more information about the difference between consumer and commercial UAVs, contact the experts at Landpoint.

From preserving historic museums to developing new condominiums, building information modeling (BIM) is changing the face of architecture, design, and construction. Through accurate BIM, construction companies are able to plot out their projects in virtual space, anticipating issues, reducing re-works, and otherwise improving their return on investment.

Here’s why accurate BIM is a construction company’s dream.

BIM Construction = Reliable Construction

First, how is BIM used in construction? The construction industry has always relied upon data to make decisions. Recent advancements in technology have made the construction industry far more reliable. Decades ago, construction companies found themselves suddenly able to improve upon their product cost and deadline management through the power of computers.

In the very early days, having spreadsheets available made it easier for construction companies to produce more accurate bids. From there, construction planning solutions made it possible to streamline and improve upon the entire process, from start to finish.

Today, BIM is making construction data even more accurate. Construction companies are now able to plan their projects down to the millimeter, from showing clients how the finished product will look, to determining how different materials may interact with the surrounding environment. The better the data model, the less likely it is that companies will encounter surprises, and the better the company can plan for the future.

Improved Data Means Reduced Reworks

The construction industry spends approximately $178 billion a year on reworks — and that doesn’t include the cost of unsatisfied customers and damaged reputations. To a certain extent, some reworks are going to be expected in any project. But with better data, reworks can be vastly reduced. 

Modern building information modeling is so advanced that construction companies can even assess a project’s interactions with the surrounding environments. BIM is becoming an important part of solar panel farms and wind farms. They can determine what the solar or wind output will be depending on the weather and the season.

Furthermore, building information modeling can be used to keep clients engaged, and to ensure that clients have a picture in their mind of the completed project at all stages of development. Clients will be able to determine whether there are things that don’t work for them at the beginning of the project, instead of at the end, and consequently are less likely to request changes.

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Alleviating Environmental Concerns for New Construction

Today, construction companies are more conscientious than ever about the impact that their buildings can have on the surrounding environment. Will glass potentially reflect damaging rays into the surrounding area? Could a change of water flow increase the natural erosion?

Construction companies aren’t just able to simulate the environment’s impact on the buildings, such as seasonal sunlight changes, but also the building’s own impact on the surrounding environment. This goes a long way towards building construction projects that will last a long time and that will make responsible use of the surrounding land.

Making It Easier to Collaborate with Other Teams

Through BIM, construction companies are able to identify potential conflicts between systems. Plumbing, electrical, and HVAC systems can all be compared before any work is done. Teams, even those working for different contractors, are able to share data and models. This means they can collaborate and communicate with each other more effectively, since they will always be working off the exact same data, rather than potentially using different versions.

With BIM, construction companies can share data and documents through the cloud, and this information can remain persistent throughout the job. At the same time, the construction company can lock down and control changes, so there isn’t a risk of others overriding the essential data. 

Keeping Records for Completed Projects

Data is eternal. There’s a reason why BIM has been used on historic buildings: to preserve them forever. Through BIM, construction companies are also able to keep thorough records of their completed projects. Not only do they have the plans, but they can also use surveying to create models of the construction as it is completed.

Once the project is done, the company still has a complete record of the work, whether it’s needed in the future for renovations, or whether they simply want to make sure that their client has an archive of their project for legal purposes.

Adapting to BIM Construction

Business information modeling is constantly improving. It’s expected that the coming years are going to see some dramatic advances in the accuracy and ease with which BIM can be used. 

So why are some construction companies not yet using BIM? The use of BIM requires new systems and processes. Construction companies need to explore new advanced technologies and platforms, and engage in training employees. This takes time.

A partner can help. For more information about BIM and how to collect it, consult with the experts at Landpoint.