Optimal Ranging, Inc., has introduced a system for 3-D locating and 3-D mapping of buried pipe with what the company says is up to centimeter-level accuracy to depths of one meter, decimeter-level accuracy to depths of three meters and sub-meter accuracy to depths of 15 meters. The Spar — the name of the new method — is expected to be of interest to utilities, including gas distribution and transmission, water and telecommunications. The company says the unprecedented performance of the Spar is made possible by its proprietary FieldSens remote sensing technology integrated with GNSS-derived geographic positions. The new system determines the offset and depth of the pipe or cable and automatically merges it with the global navigation satellite system (GNSS) geographic position to produce a survey-grade subsurface 3-D map, with estimates of both horizontal and vertical RMS error, in GIS or CAD formats for export To locate and begin mapping, the unit only needs to be brought in proximity to the utility line. It automatically displays the location of the utility on the GIS map interface and guides the operator along the lay line of the utility. The system identifies the position of the utility regardless of its orientation to the radiated field, which allows the operator to follow the track even when the utility is behind a fence or covered by impassable vegetation.
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