By Mike Kunkel
Field Services Integration & Survey Manager, RTR Energy Solutions
Field work rarely follows a clean plan. Conditions change, access is limited, and scope evolves once boots are on the ground. Some of the most important decisions on a project are made in real time, standing in the field with the client.
That’s why the part of my role I value most is working directly alongside clients. Being physically present changes the dynamic. When you’re shoulder-length away from someone, conversations are more open and issues surface earlier. You start hearing about challenges before they become problems. That proximity builds trust and allows you to address both technical and operational concerns as they happen.
Field services work isn’t transactional. The quality of the outcome is directly tied to how well you understand the conditions, constraints, and expectations in the field.
Building Capabilities From the Ground Up
When I joined RTR Energy Solutions, the field services and survey function essentially didn’t exist. The previous surveyor had left just days before I started. What followed was building a team from the ground up alongside my partner at the time, expanding well beyond traditional surveying.
Over time, we developed capabilities that included drone inspection, LIDAR, 3D scanning, bathymetry, and other advanced methods of data collection. Those services weren’t added to check a box. They were added because projects demanded safer, more efficient, and more accurate ways to gather data. As our capabilities grew, so did the markets we served—aggregates, oil and gas, chemical production, construction, and especially electrical transmission.
Innovation That Solves Real Problems
Innovation in field services has to solve a real problem, not just introduce new technology. That’s particularly clear in ultrasonic testing (UT) inspections within the electrical transmission world. Traditional UT inspections require extensive resources, including site clearing, matting, bucket trucks, and managing significant safety risks related to height and energized structures.
By advancing UT inspections through drone technology, many of those risks and costs can be reduced. Structures can be accessed remotely, eliminating the need for auxiliary equipment and lowering exposure for field crews. Working alongside our sister company, CATSI, allows us to apply existing expertise in a way that makes inspections safer and more efficient without sacrificing data quality.
Adaptability and Communication: Core Field Skills
Field services also demand adaptability. No two sites are the same. Terrain, weather, and access constraints all affect how data is collected and how deliverables are produced. Sometimes that means navigating hard-to-reach areas with the right field vehicles. Other times, it means understanding how wind or rain will affect LIDAR or 3D scanning results.
Those decisions aren’t found in manuals. They’re learned through years spent in the field, adjusting in real time and understanding how conditions impact outcomes.
Communication becomes just as important as technical ability. Clients need confidence that the job will get done, even when conditions change or work moves outside the original scope. When something doesn’t go as planned, explaining what happened and how it will be addressed builds trust. Clear communication, paired with adaptability, is what keeps projects moving and relationships strong.
High-definition field data collection is a challenging industry. Doing it in unpredictable environments only raises the bar. The ability to adapt and communicate effectively is often why clients continue to reach back out—not because issues never arise, but because they’re handled the right way.
Field-First Thinking in Action
Field-first thinking recognizes that the job site is where plans are tested, risks are managed, and solutions prove their value. When expertise lives in the field, innovation becomes practical, safety improves, and outcomes follow.