RTR, Author at RTR Energy Solutions

Automation and Safety Apps

Job Site Tailboard / Safety Awareness

Our custom Job Site Tailboard / Safety Awareness app lets us efficiently discuss safety concerns and avoidances prior to starting work. We have designed in automation triggers that populate the date, time, address, weather conditions and even find the nearest hospital with one click.

We’ve improved upon the paper form by presenting users with a single area of concern at a time that requires a response, as opposed to a list in which focus is more easily lost. Additionally, in the event of an incident, everyone using our app can get instant Google directions to the exact spot to offer aid or to provide to professional rescue personnel. Music from Uppbeat: https://lnkd.in/eHN8MZnq License code: BSWUNTSYNPYJAHMD

LiDAR Project Safety and Tracking App

The LiDAR field app we’ve created at RTR allows us to fly safely, efficiently and legally with features like automated date, time, address, weather, airport proximity and no-fly zone warnings. Our app also keeps track of our pilot drone certifications and alerts them via text when re-certifications are due.

Our LiDAR app has also allowed us to keep a database of flight data at our fingertips to reference on future projects. In addition we’ve built in an 18 item checklist to go through before our app tells we are ready to fly as well as GPS mapping of every project and flight. Music from Uppbeat: https://lnkd.in/e7Hef293 License code: 3ET9CWULUM20PAYY

Autel EVO II Dual 640T Thermal RTK Drone

The latest drone in our fleet is the Autel EVOII Dual 640T Thermal RTK V3 which (in addition to our DJI M300 carrying LiDAR) gives us centimeter accuracy photogrammetry. This thing is a beast with dual cameras (48 megapixel 1/2″ CMOS sensor capable of 8k ultra HD video, 16X zoom and 640×512 thermal video @30 frames/second), 38 minutes of flight time and a top speed of 44mph. The EVOII also has an ADS-B signal receiver to alert us to nearby air traffic.

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The Autel EVO’s thermal camera has 10 display options, some of which can be seen in this video along with a variety of temperature display settings.

350 Acre Bathymetric (Sonar) Survey

RTR recently completed a 350 acre bathymetric (sonar) survey while a dredging operation was in progress. SSRTR, our little orange remotely operated Bathycat, can be seen in the video against the backdrop of the dredger. The final deliverable was a plan (shown at the end of the video and in the slider below) as well as a Civil3D drawing containing a digital terrain model of the pond bottom. We collected over 6,000 points along the pond bottom using a boat carrying a GPS unit above the water and a sonar unit beneath it. Our ability to work in State Plane Coordinates on both land, sea, air, indoors and outdoors makes RTR uniquely capable of mapping any information on any site using a wide variety of data collection tools including LiDAR, Sonar, Laser Scanning, Photogrammetry, thermal imaging and terrestrial survey.

Points to Surface

6,000+ Sonar locations were used to build a 3d terrain model which is displayed as elevation colors. Each color represents a range of elevations.

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Contours to Bottom 3D Surface

Ground contours were created from 6,000+ sonar points and displayed as a 3d terrain model in Civil3D.

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LiDAR Classification Examples

Points obtained from LiDAR can be classified into various categories (transmission lines, structures, bare earth, high-low-medium vegetation, roadways, buildings for example). Ground classification is then used to create ground contours while all other classifications are ignored. Here are two examples of classifications. The first is a chemical plant showing the colors as they exist in the field, then the same points displayed as ground classification only with the resulting contour lines. Please click and drag the sliding bars to view more of either image.

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In this powerline example the structures, ground, transmission lines and vegetation have been classified. Please click and drag the sliding bars to view more of either image.

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RTR makes use of a variety of software to both automatically and, when necessary or beneficial, to manually classify our LiDAR data. Classification allows us to export subsets of very large datasets that are limited to only a desired set of features.

Field to Finish 3D Laser Scan

A glimpse into our laser scanning process. The goal of this project was to scan and determine the 3d surface area of the gray retaining wall sprayed with shotcrete for stabilization. Please click and drag the sliding bars to view more of either image.

Site Photo and Site Scan Image

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RTR scanned from several locations including a 3rd floor window in the building under construction. What may appear as missing data is actually due to the construction equipment moving as we scanned.

AutoDesk ReCap to Civil 3D

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We edited out all but the retaining wall in ReCap to eliminate further editing in Civil 3D since our goal was the surface area of the wall. We then built a 3d mesh from the edited point cloud in Civil 3D which gave us the final surface area. Finally, we imported the full point cloud and created a few different displays of the 3d mesh.

Civil 3D to Final PDF

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Laser Scanning & LiDAR Merged

RTR survey is currently using Trimble laser scanners to perform interior and exterior 3d laser scans for our clients. Our survey projects, whether terrestrial survey, LiDAR, laser scans or a mix of all three, are always delivered in a state plane coordinate system. Working in known coordinate systems facilitates ease of transfer of data to other engineers or companies and aids in project efficiency and error reduction by removing the need to translate and rotate large data sets.

Two recent projects highlight our versatility and flexibility. In this video example we flew an entire facility with a LiDAR drone, then returned to perform interior laser scanning. We then combined the two datasets into one interactive 3D environment in a cloud-based platform using AWS. The result is an evolving 3d model of a facility including interior scans. Our client is able to create profiles, measure distances, areas, and heights on any web connected device with no additional software:

In another example we used a laser scanner to create a 3d model of a retaining wall. The goal of the project was to calculate the 3d surface area of the wall after it had been sprayed with shotcrete for stability:

Whatever the project we have the right tools, know how and experience to get it done correctly and efficiently.

Contact

Mike Kunkel
Technology Services Manager
Mkunkel@rtrenergysolutions.com

It’s All About Our People!

RTR’s team brings a diverse set of skills and decades of hands-on experience working directly for top utilities in the country. As a multidisciplined staff working together under one roof, we have a collaborative process to our projects that allows us to best serve our client’s needs. From conception to completion, RTR Energy Solutions provides value to every stage of the project. Watch a brief message from RTR’s founder, Ryan Robinson, who leads by example.

RTR Expands Drone Survey Capabilities to Include LiDAR

Building on the success of its drone surveying and inspection program for the utility industry, RTR Energy Solutions is proud to announce they have added LiDAR to their service offerings. Field Services Integration & Survey Manager Mike Kunkel explains, “We’ve been doing survey and inspection work without LiDAR technology for decades. LiDAR saves time, money, and gives us the ability to review undulations and details we wouldn’t be able to capture with terrestrial survey.”

RTR’s Inspection and Survey team uses decades of field experience to identify and diagnose issues that transmission and distribution companies need to know to keep customer interruption frequencies at their lowest rate. Using the most advanced drone technology, mobile apps, and remote observance hardware, RTR can ensure that field issues are identified and recorded with the utmost accuracy. RTR currently has three FAA licensed UAV pilots on staff and a fleet of drones equipped with sensors for a variety of applications.

“We recently completed a LiDAR assignment for a large electric utility client in the Northeast. A transmission line installed decades ago needed to be replaced and part of it required being rerouted through a coal mine. In the past, a feasibility study to start a project like this would have involved negotiation, digging through coal, engineering, and planning. By flying over the site with our LiDAR drone, we were able to view and analyze accurate ground imagery and existing ground contours. What would have taken several months was done in less than two weeks,” said Surveyor and CAD Manager, Bud Miller.

What it really comes down to is adding another tool to the toolbox. Having state-of-the-art technology is one thing. Being able to use it effectively is another. RTR utilizes a proprietary mobile app to record flight data and instantly alert the pilot if the drone is within five miles of an airport. The team is also known for their faster turnaround times. While most vendors take weeks or months to process the data, RTR can turn around most projects in a matter of days.

About RTR

RTR brings extensive experience coordinating the planning, management, and execution of projects in a variety of sectors. The highly skilled team employs extensive QA/QC procedures that have received high praise from customers, which include Fortune 500 companies.