Suitable social keywords aside, might there be a space these days where approaches to collusion could be a good thing? We have more than a few glossy objects in motion in civil engineering and survey space to consider right now.
Reflections and Historical Futures
The new Infraworks 2018 Update 1, Civil 3D 2018 Update 1, and a lot more are on the way real soon now. For more competency’s sake I stuffed this post with highlight videos. A quick peruse might save you days of rooting around. It provides us all a place to come back to. Most videos here you can cast to the conference room TV from your phone from this page. That may help you avoid a speech recognition faux pas…
They Call it Forge…Not Fergie
What the heck does the Autodesk’s Forge cloud project have to do with our civil engineering and survey project work? I like to think of Forge as …
Cloud-Optimized Intelligent Publish on Demand
Say What?
The following demo example of a Civil 3D dwg at work publically for the first time in the Autodesk Forge Viewer API, by Autodesk’s Augusto Goncalves, is worth serious consideration. This video is from a recent post published in late May 2017.
Civil 3D Data Inside Forge Viewer
This new Civil 3D data behind API access is a new means to capture and publish survey and design reality. That means eventually more hands in the cookie jar… Some might say sooner rather than later. Some might say, “Over my dead body.”
Frankly, I believe the rather trite approval issue scenario addressed by Augusto above is far less important than the eventual contractor data access and validation challenge. I know some drooling estimators. Some great Framework for Civil 3D customers are engineering contractors who are using Civil 3D for good reason. The folk who do As-Built do love the Framework. Yeah. Since you asked. It’s in there.
Gasp of Reality
Maybe you’ve heard about Reality Capture? Is this a gas cloud or a gas giant?
How about a lidar street scan of San Francisco? Every high tech vendor loves to show off in Babylon by the Bay. Their focus groups say it is good for the stock price. The analysts feel right at home although few ride this bus route.
SF Streets from Top Con Lidar in Recap Pro
Cool and short and sweet. There’s a longer and cooler Autodesk Recap marketing clip here that was recorded in Infraworks. Autodesk called it - Points of Wires.
Reality Fair
Ok. I know. That’s not reality fair.
As a matter of fact the City and County of SF Public Works Dept requires all their survey deliverables are dumbed down into small raw AutoCAD files and in a release that is many years old. Sadly, most City Public Works staff couldn’t open the files used to record the video. It’s a progressive city thang.
What about Survey by Drone and all that jazz?
Let’s ReCap…
Maybe all this stuff looks kinda cool. Ok. Maybe even a bit fun.
Who knew your kid’s RC hobby could become a federally certified career overnight? Only in America.
See the Site Scan support page below for the FAA Part 107 - Remote Drone Pilot License Resources
Yet they say Survey by Drone or As-Built by Drone isn’t really ready for prime time?
Who exactly are they? Should you listen to them?
An Autodesk Drone to Design Workflow Playlist
John Sayre’s intro Drone to Civil 3D workflow videos are now almost a year old. Yes, you can pick and play any video from the playlist. Autodesk Recap and Recap Pro are definitely much better since then. We are due for another dot release of Recap 2018 and Remake real soon now. Is the present a quiet before the storm?
That’s Not All Folks
Autodesk actually put millions of Forge Funds into 3DR, Site Scan, and their new Perimeter Scan mode in the last couple of months. Other serious tech investors did too. I am clearly in the wrong business. Can you say vertical photogrammetry?
For those of you working in the foothills of Berkeley, Marin, and the Hollywood Hills who deal with lots of retaining walls, arroyos, bridges (Dooh), and other tall linear structures it might be time to pay attention.
The Site Scan support page includes some very useful and detailed Recap, Infraworks, and even Civil 3D surface building method and practice. Issues like control points and altitude and accuracy are explained there in good detail.
Introducing Perimeter Scan
This month Autodesk also announced more Forge Fund investments in another startup company - SmartVid.io.
What is Smartvid.io
There is Industrial Media and there is Infrastructure Media. You must know someone in Autodesk marketing will snatch that one up. Dooh!
Too Many Points of Light
Don’t go and zone out just yet. I know your eyes have rolled back in your head. WTMI.
The techno push now really comes to shove.
Last week the Autodesk Infraworks teams recorded this.
Feature Extraction in Infraworks 2018.1
The survey equipment biz is definitely not my thing. However, even silly me noticed that things are heating up out there hardware land. Everyone in delivering more for less.
Build a Point Cloud Cheaper
Back in January FARO began shipping the Focus M 70 at a jaw dropping price –cheaper than your new truck. That got people’s attention.
I certainly would be a bit remiss not mention the current rave product in the short range scanning market – the Leica BLK360.
The BLK360 might be cheaper than a late-model used truck and comes in a tiny form factor.
You can put it into new places. You can carry it on to planes. The folk in the business I know say that is more important than you would ever believe. Huh?