The Challenge: Dense networks, constant change, zero tolerance for downtime

Data centers, logistics hubs and large manufacturing plants are characterized by dense, high-criticality utility networks. A single site can combine high-voltage power grids, extensive fiber backbones, communication systems, grounding networks, and water or gas lines.

Construction on these sites is rarely a one-off. It is iterative, with frequent expansions, retrofits and upgrades carried out while the facility stays in operation.

The concentration of underground assets creates a high risk of utility strikes whenever new excavation begins. One damaged cable can mean costly repairs, safety incidents and unplanned downtime.

At the same time, the operational need for high uptime makes accurate maintenance and fast fault resolution critical. Facility managers need to know exactly where each asset is and how it connects.

Conventional record-keeping is often not enough. Paper drawings, scattered files and drawings that describe the plan rather than the finished installation cannot keep up with the density and pace of change on an industrial site.

The Solution: Document the installed network as construction progresses 

Groundhawk provides a centralized 3D mapping solution that helps site owners maintain an accurate digital record of complex industrial infrastructure throughout the site’s lifecycle.

Every construction phase is documented from the open trench by the team already on site. Cable and duct routes are recorded in 3D with depth, and cabinets, joints, connection points and other point objects are captured with their 3D position and image evidence.

For example, a data center expansion may add a new power feed and fiber route next to live cables from earlier phases. With Groundhawk, crews see the existing network before excavation, map the new installation as it goes into the ground, and hand over a record that slots straight into the facility’s asset management system.

Because the method stays the same regardless of installation technique or crew, every team on site produces data in the same format, whether they are laying a new high-voltage feed, extending the fiber backbone between halls, or adding grounding and water lines during a retrofit. Multiple contractors working on the same site, often at the same time, generate one dataset instead of several that need reconciling afterward.

Captured data exports directly into DXF, GeoJSON and KMZ, and integrates with existing NIS systems and the facility’s asset management system. Facility managers, design teams and site owners get an as-built record that matches what was actually installed, not what was planned, without a separate digitization pass.

The result is a site record that stays accurate through every expansion, retrofit and upgrade, whatever the installation method or contractor.