It’s a new challenge for the Department for Infrastructure. The promise is both a governmental goal andsomething that would develop the public’s interest ina better transportation infrastructure.
The Department claims:
Lastly, this project is a crucial part of the government’s plan for developing the infrastructure in the North Western region. The £220 million designated by the Department of Infrastructurewhichwill go towards making this carriageway a success is defined in the Regional Development Strategy for 2035. It will have a significant impact on reducing journey times, improving safety, and protecting the environment.
You may be wondering if this new transport infrastructure is really worth the £220 million being spent on it, or if the benefits will truly be felt by the people of Northern Ireland. There are many perspectives to discuss, and Computronic Group’s involvement has put us in a position to answer a few questions – not all.
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Computronic Group is a subcontractor for SWS which is the executive body in charge of the project. Computronic Group was selected to gather essential datathat wasneeded before even beginning the project. High-tech drones were used for aerial photogrammetry which forms the bases of the highway designs. The project (called A6 D2D Dualling) covers 25.5KM of highway! Our fleet of precision drones was used to create a virtual model of the pathway. Designers, engineers, and many more on the project rely on the data that we capture to formulate the next phase of planning.
The department only moves forward witha project like this after it has been verified and voted into action. Once that happens, the department reaches out to the public and lets them know what the project is up against, what needs to be done, and who they need to do it. SWS is a joint venture organisation who is managing the project’s completion; they are Sacyr, Wills Bros Ltd and Somague. Computronic Groupprovides SWS withexcellentsurveys and datasothat they can beconfidentthatother teams will be impressedwith and view the benefits ofthe new age abilities demonstrated by these high-powered aerial photogrammetry drones. The challenge of scanningso much land is no easy feat and accuracy is very important. Our drones have been used for many purposes andthis isn’t the first time we’ve completed a project such as this one. The A6 D2D dualling project is an important development and should be approached with dedication and detail. Computronic Group was more than happy to help with the development.
Further reading:
In early 2017, the Commissioners of Public Works in Ireland initiated a flood defence plan that would see the construction of aggregate River Feale embankments. The plan was first enacted in 1922, following the flooding of the River Feale, acting as a wakeup call for the local authorities. In recent years, it’s become clear that the river needs more reinforcement again due tonew extreme weather conditions. The flood defence plan initialised by Commissioners of Public Works in Ireland was a major step towards mitigating the damage caused by the Feale River Flood. A document titled Aggregate – River Feale Flood Defence Embankments outlines the resources, terms and conditions that must be followed by private partners on this project. This document is 57 pages long and is packed with detailed rules and guidelines that apply to all of the involved suppliers and partners. The plan is designed to protect the population and its surrounding areas from future flooding.
Computronic Group is providing a fundamental service towards the success of the River Feale project by using our expert drone fleet to gather data and geographical datapoints needed forother teams in the project to do their job. As proof of quality, orthographic drones are now being used by the United States Geological Survey to help with the defence against flooding rivers in America.
In some cases, the data collected by drones can also be used to track the progress of clean-up efforts after a natural disaster. The Environment Agencycurrently tracks flooding using gauging stations which allows it to spot when water levels are rising. Although it can also deploy aeroplanes and boats to assess the extent of flooding, abetter solution would be developing drones specialized for tackling the floods and climate change. Weather defence services should utilise ‘cheap’ drones instead of aeroplanes and helicopters to monitor rural areas. By gathering data about the affected area, orthographic drones can help create a more accurate and up-to-date model of the area. This model can be used to plan relief schemes and put in place rescue plans should they be necessary.
According to a McKinsey study, the construction industry struggles with a great deal of inefficiency. Large construction projects typically take 20% longer than expected to complete and are up to 80% over budget. Compared to other sectors, the constructionindustry has been slow in embracing new digital technologies, even though the long-term benefits are significant. Computronic Group believes it is time for disruption and according to the study, commercial drones – or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) – are keyto this. In the past, orthographic drones were mostly used by the military. The use of drones in construction can help speed up projects, improve safety and lower costs, and most importantly contribute significantly to the completion and success of projects like these. Commercial drones can be used for a variety of tasks, such as surveying land, inspection of construction sites and buildings, and delivery of materials.
Another very clever use of high-tech drones is using them to conduct extremely accurate stockpile reports for companies who deal with hard to manage materials. Many organisations have dedicated many resources and time to developing methods to understand how much soil, rock, concrete, woodorother raw materials. Conventional methods may involve individuals hired torecord and manually count or calculate materials, thereafter, forming areport based on those calculations. This has been proven to be inaccurate and prone to mistakes; this can cause gross overestimations which lead tosupply issues and ultimately down-time.
On the other side of the spectrum, robotic techniques for stocktaking aresteadily replacing manual stock takes, especially for larger warehouses anddistribution centres. Robots are more effective than humans when it comesto picking up differences and can also be used to detect and sort inventoryfrom afar. The ability to perform repetitive tasks that require a high level ofprecision and fine motor skills is important when using a robot. In order toautomate the stock taking process, you need an array of supportive systemsthat will control the robots and react to changing environments.
Computronic Group uses high grade survey drones which can even beprogrammed to conduct routine surveys on their own, only being supervisedby a qualified piolet. The benefit of this automation is getting an exact replicaof previous surveys which is advantageous to creating more accurate reportsand comparisons.
In recent years, the use of drones for commercial activities has increased dueto government permission to fly certified and licensed drones. Government contractors and builders alike have been the first people to adopt the use of drone surveys for mapping project areas. A common use is taking pictures of their site which alone provide valuable insights for engineers. Other usesare to take stockpile measurements of various materials lying in the project area.
Computronic Group provides this solution as a service which bypasses companies needing to get their own licensed and certified pilots. Various industries that have outdoor stocks find it difficult to measure the exact quantities that remain, especially vast amounts of materials. More over, when these materials are spread over a large area, it becomes an obstacle for companies to assess correctly. Computronic Group overcomes this headache by using our expert drone surveys to map the area, photograph the land and generate stockpile reports using data collected by the drone survey and accompanying special software.
Computronic Group decided to specialize in using the drones to survey lands and stockpiles as there is a dire need to adopt new, helpful technologies in Ireland.
Drone surveying can analyse stockpiles, get volumetric measurements of said stock and assist in inventory calculations. Examples of practical uses are gathering detailed storm water drainage, planning constructions and measuringlandfill capacity. Choosing the right drone surveyor service is vital and while some businesses employ drone services to fast track their projects, you may besurprised to learn how UAVs may be an asset to your business too. Findinga reliable and competent drone operating service may be tricky. You must determine the right drone service provider after considering some important details unique to your work.
Computronic Group has been serving multiple different industries with our drone fleet. We’ve encountered various industries and we aim to share the benefits that these drones bring to businesses who wish to deliver higher standard supplies or plans to their clientele. Much like how we help our clients generate stockpile reports or assess construction sites. Consider reaching out to us or schedule a meeting to understand the benefits that UAV surveys may bring to your company.
The River Springfield flood relief scheme will provide protection for the surrounding properties in the area. It involves the construction of a flood protection embankment, land raising, penstock / sluice, pump station and associated works at the townlands of Springfield. In 2021, Chief Executive of Clare County Council Pat Dowlingsaid, “Clare County Council is delighted for the residents of Springfield who have suffered for so long from flooding to their homes and property and would like to thankthem for their continued help and assistance throughout this process.”
Today, work on the project is underway (to completion and) to deliver protection to 80% of the surrounding properties which will be protected by this significant investment programme. A vital aspect of the project relies on the understanding of the surrounding environment and progress of the construction efforts. Computronic Group is involved in this solution by providing a bird’s-eye view of the entire project. We use high end drones to capture orthographic imagery that provides other teams with valuable insights. Orthographic drones have a number of advantages over traditional surveying methods. For example, they can be flown at low altitudes, which means they can cover a large area quickly and present high accuracy data. They are also able to fly in tight spaces, which is useful for surveying damaged or hard to reach areas. Additionally, orthographic drones can be equipped with sensors that track environmental conditions, such as temperature, wind speed and rainfall, all of which may be needed during a project to develop protections against flooding.
Computronic Group is assisting with the analysis and documentation of the surrounding areas. We areusing our special drone fleet fitted with various cameras to further our data capturing capabilities. The datathatour drones are able to capture is then processed by our team of experts who use the latest in computer vision software to createa 3D model of the construction area. This model can be used to plan evacuation routes and aid in planning efforts.
Our drones are helping to identify potential risks, challenges and hazards in the area so that we can create a more accurate solution to solveany shortcomings inthe plan that was established years ago. The new map of the area shows clear differences between the initial inspections;this puts more stress on the engineering team as they were fed old, outdated reports. This data will be used to help plan evacuations, help engineers develop blueprints and help geoscientists forecast how the solutions will affect the river as well as the surrounding environment.
The works are expected to be substantially complete in 2022, however the new data provided by Computronic has resulted in new evaluations that need to be considered for the scheme to be effective. It is an important step for any construction or development to first understand the group and environment. Overtime,multiple surveys of an area give scientists a good idea of the challenges that the area experiences. Computronic Group highly suggests the use of UAV drone surveys to first gather essential data.
