It’s quickly becoming clear that drones can act as affordable tools for collecting data about a construction site. As their applications evolve, it’s also becoming apparent that drones may profoundly disrupt the surveying field that the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry has grown accustomed to.
The latest indicator of this trend is the 3DR GCP app, just announced by low-cost drone pioneer 3DR. The software relies on Trimble’s inexpensive Catalyst hardware to determine ground control points (GCPs), which are necessary for maintaining precision in a wide array of construction operations, on site. In turn, the app might just make the use of pricey surveying hardware obsolete.
To learn more, we spoke to 3DR CEO Chris Anderson.
What Is Catalyst?
Trimble spearheaded global positioning technology (GPS) in the late 1970s, eventually establishing itself as a leader in a variety of fields. In 1992, the company developed real-time kinematic (RTK) technology capable of providing moment-by-moment GPS information, enabling surveyors to perform topographic mapping and other tasks.
This early Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) ultimately made Trimble a leader in surveying hardware. Now, such RTK units are regularly used by surveyors brought onto construction sites for a number of tasks. The only issue is that, not only does the cost of the equipment range in the tens of thousands of dollars, but it also requires a trained expert to…