Simple, real-time underground cable mapping
Groundhawk makes underground cable mapping easy. Using the device does not require previous mapping skills. With Groundhawk your contractors who are already on-site can perform the mapping. The result is real-time as-built documentation.
Groundhawk solves common challenges
familiar to all cable contractors
Challenges with underground cable mapping? You are not alone. We’ve surveyed and talked with cable contractors across different countries, and the same challenges come up again and again. Here are the most common ones.
Challenge #1: Depth mapping needed
- Precise cable depth mapping also required by customer or regulation
- Post measurement with GPS stick and cable detector often fails in accuracy
- A mapping expert is too expensive to have on site all the time
Challenge #2: Poor documentation
- Lack of photos and measurements to prove depth or installation according to spec
- Difficult to find the documentation captured during construction
- Paper documents getting lost - takes time to find them or notes are inaccurate
Challenge #3: Substandard construction
- Hard to ensure that the building phase is done correctly in the first place
- Documenting the quality is not easy but important to reduce need for quality control and resolve controversies
Challenge #4: Lack of visibility into project
- Challenging to ensure that project managers have clear and real-time view on their projects
- A lot of manual reporting on progress to customer and management to be done in every project
Common cable mapping challenges, solved
Using Groundhawk is easy. Let us show you how it's done.
When you map cables in real time, your as-built documentation is precise.
Groundhawk streamlines cable surveys by providing accurate ground data and clear visualisations. This helps teams map existing infrastructure and plan new cable routes with confidence.
Create precise as-built documentation in real time. Groundhawk captures underground layouts and ensures records are always up to date for compliance, maintenance, and future projects.
Why open trench mapping?
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Future vs. the past
Open trench mapping is a more and more popular mapping method among contractors. That is no surprise as it has many benefits versus the old way of mapping.
In the yellow boxes we have demonstrated the benefits of open trench mapping. In the grey boxes you can see how underground cable mapping was done in earlier days.
| Category | Groundhawk Open trench 3D mapping |
Traditional method GPS stick + cable scanner |
|---|---|---|
| Mapping approach | During constructionMapping and documents are done when trench is open. This saves time and money on the later phase of construction. | After constructionBuried cables are located afterwards. Sometimes finding them is difficult. |
| User | On-site builderSolution is fast and easy to use by anyone on-site. Short training ensures the quality of mapping work. | Professional surveyorSurveyor needs to travel to the site. This all takes patience, time and money. |
| Mapping technology | Precise 3D scannerOpen trench mapping is done by using 3D scanner. Accurate depth. Network elements and photos for documentation in digital format. | GPS stick + cable scannerMap exact points with GPS stick every 10m. Depth is an estimation. |
| Construction quality | TransparencyConstruction quality is transparent due to lots of photos and 3D measurements. | Hard to validateUnderground cable depth, cable protections, connection points etc. are not visible afterwards. |
| Collected data | Automatic3D scanned trench, network element data and photos automatically taken and send. | ManualDepth and GPS points entered manually to the system. Errors are common. |
| Site data handling | OnlineAutomatically processed NIS ready data as collected from the field. Geotagged photos produced for quality documentation. | OfflineGPS points referenced with network element data in GIS software and combined with paper notes, photos from whatsapp... All done manually. |
Summary: How does modern 3D mapping improve cable surveys?
Modern 3D mapping, often using technologies like photogrammetry and LiDAR, creates highly detailed and accurate digital twins of the survey area.
Unlike traditional methods that might only provide 2D line drawings or sparse data points, this gives you a complete, measurable 3D model.
For cable surveys, this means you can precisely identify the cable's location, measure its depth, detect potential hazards like bends or obstructions, and plan maintenance or new installations with much greater confidence and accuracy. This significantly reduces the risk of costly cable strikes and project delays.
Who is the ideal user for the Groundhawk system?
Groundhawk is designed to be user-friendly so that it can be operated by the on-site construction and contractor teams who are already installing the cables. It does not require a dedicated surveyor or mapping expert. This makes it ideal for:
- Infrastructure Contractors: Companies building out fiber optic (FTTH/B) and electrical networks who need to provide accurate as-built documentation to network owners.
- Network Owners: Utility and telecommunication companies who require high-quality, reliable data on their underground assets to ensure network resilience and simplify future maintenance.
- Project Managers: Individuals overseeing large-scale infrastructure projects who need real-time visibility into construction progress and quality control.