A drone or laser scan of the site
The monitoring runs on a point cloud of the ground. A 360° walk alone will not do.
Site drainage and rain
Where Will the Water Go When the Rain Comes?
Most sites find out after the storm. With a drone survey or a laser scan of your site, SpatialSense shows how water will flow across the ground, where rain will pond at each rainstorm warning level, and what changes with a temporary barrier. A 360° camera is not enough on its own, because a photo carries no ground levels.
- Needs a drone or laser scan
- Enterprise plan
- Shown to you on a live demo
- Rainstorm warning level 1
- Rainstorm warning level 2
- Rainstorm warning level 3
The short answer
Water on a site follows the ground, and the ground changes every week as you dig, stockpile and backfill. A drainage drawing from the start of the job does not show this week’s low spots. A fresh scan does. Point cloud monitoring in SpatialSense takes the scan of your site and shows water-flow arrows across it, the areas where rain will pond at each rainstorm warning level, and the difference a temporary barrier makes compared with no barrier. It needs a point cloud of the ground from a drone survey or a laser scanner; 360° photos alone carry no ground levels.
What point cloud monitoring shows
- Where water flowsFlow arrows and animation across the scanned ground, coloured by intensity.
- Where rain will pondThe areas that fill at each rainstorm warning level.
- Barrier or no barrierTest a temporary barrier against no barrier before anyone builds it.
- The low ground at a glanceColour the point cloud by elevation, intensity or RGB.
- What you needA point cloud of the ground from a drone survey or a laser scanner. It sits in the same project as your walks and issues.
Why do sites flood where nobody expected?
Drainage is planned for the finished site. The site you have this week is a different shape.
The ground keeps changing
Excavations, stockpiles and haul roads move the low spots every week.
Checks happen after the rain
Ponding is usually found by walking the site after a storm, once the water is already where it should not be.
Temporary works are a guess
Sandbags and bunds go where someone thinks the water will come from.
Running the rain on this week’s scan turns drainage from something you react to into something you plan, with time to move a pump or build a bund before the forecast arrives.
From scan to action
See the shape of the ground
Cut a height profile across the site to see the levels along any line, as the ground is this week.
Act on it from site
Raise the low spot as an issue from the phone, with photos and its place on the plan, even with no signal.
Planning for rain two ways
The same storm forecast, met two ways.
| From this week’s scan in SpatialSense | From the drawings and experience | |
|---|---|---|
| The ground it uses | The site as scanned this week. | The design levels, or memory. |
| Where water goes | Flow arrows across the scanned ground. | A judgement on site. |
| Where it ponds | At each rainstorm warning level. | Found after the storm. |
| Temporary barriers | Tested against no barrier first. | Built, then checked. |
| What happens next | An issue on the spot, with an owner and a due date. | A call or a message. |
See it on your site
Monitoring runs on a scan of the ground, so start with the most recent one you have.
- Book a demoTell us about your site. Point cloud monitoring is part of the Enterprise plan.
- Get a scan of the groundA drone survey or a laser scan, as E57, LAS, LAZ, PCD or PLY. A 360° walk alone will not work.
- See it on your scanOn the demo we show the flow arrows and the ponding at each rainstorm warning level.
- Try a barrierCompare a temporary barrier against no barrier.
- Fix it before the rainRaise each low spot as an issue and assign it.
Frequently asked questions
How can I tell where water will pond on a construction site?
Use a recent scan of the ground. In SpatialSense, point cloud monitoring shows how water will flow across the scanned site and where rain will pond at each rainstorm warning level.
What data do I need?
A point cloud of the site from a drone survey or a laser scanner, as E57, LAS, LAZ, PCD or PLY. A scan from this week shows this week’s ground.
Can I do this with a 360° camera?
No. A 360° photo shows what the site looks like, but it carries no ground levels, so water flow cannot be worked out from it. You need a point cloud of the ground from a drone survey or a laser scanner. Your 360° walks can sit in the same project, next to the scan.
Can I test a temporary barrier before building it?
Yes. Compare a scenario with a temporary barrier against one without it, and see where the water goes in each.
Does this guarantee the site will not flood?
No. It shows where water is likely to flow and pond on the ground you scanned, so you can plan drainage and temporary works before the rain. Keep following your site’s drainage plan and weather procedures.
Which plan includes it?
Point cloud monitoring is part of the Enterprise plan, which is priced for your project. Book a demo with a recent scan of your site and we show it to you on your own ground.
See where the water goes on your site
Bring a recent drone or laser scan to a demo, and leave with a list of the low spots to fix before the next storm.