Here at Enhanced Scanning, GPR scanning is at the core of our service offerings. The majority of our inquiries come from people who need GPR scanning done to locate buried utilities, or who need their concrete slabs or cinderblock walls scanned to locate their reinforcing bars. GPR is typically the go-to technology in these instances. As we mentioned in a previous blog post, we sometimes use other technologies in circumstances where ground penetrating radar is not adequate.
However, we also offer a few services that many GPR scanning companies don’t, such as various specialty services using drones. If you visit our Drone and UAV Services page, you’ll see that there are many uses for drone technology. We can document or monitor the progress of major construction projects; we can analyze spaces that are too difficult or unsafe for humans to enter; and we can perform volumetric assessments of large areas in a way that is quick and cost effective.
Some of you may be wondering, “Since you use both GPR and drone technology, can you do GPR scanning with a drone?” In other words, can you attach a GPR scanner to a drone and locate buried utilities from the air? Unfortunately, no. We wish we could, because it would make our jobs a whole lot easier—especially when we have to scan a large area of land or are working with uneven terrain. To use GPR effectively, it needs to be done close to the surface of the area being scanned. Consistently flying a drone as close to the surface of the ground as it needs to be to obtain accurate readings would be next to impossible—even for the most skilled drone operators.
What we can use with drones, however, is photogrammetry, which is great for capturing high-resolution overhead images, as well as LiDAR, which can gather extremely accurate measurements. When you combine these two technologies, we are able to create very detailed 3D models. We can also combine magnetometers with drones to locate metallic objects, such as abandoned wells, tanks, or other buried infrastructure that is made from magnetic metal.
There are so many great pieces of technology out there for scanning surfaces, locating underground hazards, and conducting thorough concrete structural analysis, we couldn’t just choose one! Ground penetrating radar is great for a lot of the projects we take on, but it has its limitations. In order to be the go-to company for all types of scanning projects, we needed to become proficient in the use of various technologies—so that’s what we have done!
So, if you came to this website looking for a company that offers GPR scanning services, make sure you check out all of our other service offerings, and keep us in mind for your future projects.