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Mobile LiDAR Scanning Supports Southern Arizona Water Infrastructure Project
Using truck-mounted mobile LiDAR, our teams improved safety, reduced costs, and minimized traffic disruption during a water pipeline project in southern Arizona.
When a utility company required detailed survey data along busy road corridors and 50 blocks of residential houses, minimizing traffic disruption and ensuring crew safety were top priorities. An engineering firm working under contract with a large utility company turned to Darling Geomatics to deliver a high-precision solution that could meet these challenges without compromising quality or safety.
Darling Geomatics deployed its advanced mobile LiDAR scanning technology, mounted on a vehicle platform, to collect high-resolution geospatial data quickly and safely. The result was a comprehensive digital twin of the roadway and surrounding area, delivered faster, with lower risk, and minimal impact to local traffic and residents.
Project Facts
Project: Mobile LiDAR survey for infrastructure project
Client: Engineering firm contracted by large utility company
Project Location: Southern Arizona
Industry: Civil Engineering
Technology Used: YellowScan Fly & Drive (vehicle-mounted mobile LiDAR scanning technology) and Trimble survey-grade GPS
Deliverable: High-resolution digital twin, 3D geospatial dataset and 3D CAD model
Accuracy: 0.25 feet
Key Challenges
Surveying busy urban roadways often presents significant logistical and safety challenges. Traditional ground-based survey methods would have required field crews to work in active traffic zones, increasing the risk of accidents and potentially requiring costly traffic control measures.
The project site was along key travel corridors in southern Arizona and borders a residential subdivision, making it critical to minimize disruptions during data collection. The client needed a fast, accurate, and non-intrusive method to collect comprehensive spatial data for design and planning, all without compromising public safety or project timelines.
Solution
Darling Geomatics met the challenge by deploying truck-mounted mobile LiDAR scanning, using the YellowScan Fly & Drive system. This approach allowed for high-speed, high-accuracy data collection without the need for lane closures or prolonged on-site presence.
The mobile LiDAR scanning system captured millions of georeferenced data points as the vehicle traveled through the area, creating a precise digital twin of the environment. The resulting reality capture dataset and detailed 3D model enabled the engineering firm to perform detailed analysis and design work remotely – saving time, lowering costs, and protecting both survey crews and the public.
Why Darling Geomatics?
For over 25 years, Darling Geomatics has supported utility and infrastructure projects across the Southwest with state-of-the-art, reliable, high-accuracy geospatial services. From as-builts and right-of-way mapping to drone LiDAR and mobile scanning, our approach combines trusted technology with field-tested experience to deliver data that drives better decisions.
Our clients, municipalities, engineering firms, and utility providers, count on us for measurable, repeatable results. We help accelerate timelines, reduce risk, and eliminate guesswork by delivering complete, precisely georeferenced point cloud, 2D and 3D CAD, BIM, and GIS geospatial datasets ready for integration into our customers’ workflows.
With multi-state licensure, a responsive team, and a deep bench of geospatial tools, Darling Geomatics is a long-term partner to infrastructure projects where quality, safety, and accuracy cannot be compromised.
Let’s talk about your next utility project.
Whether you’re upgrading legacy infrastructure or mapping areas for new assets, we’re ready to support your team with fast, accurate geospatial data.
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