Surveying
Affinis Survey Crew Previews New Topcon Solution
Posted on Wednesday, November 4th, 2020 by Aubrey MeyerIn Surveying, tagged in

Members of our survey crew, Garrett Spease and Justin White, recently beta tested Topcon’s new workflow solution, which includes GT-1200, MAGNET Field, and FC-6000. As a long-time partner, they wanted our feedback on its performance, so we evaluated it out in the field. The new total stations include a new field computer, a full-version update to […]
New HyDrone Equipment Increases Safety and Accuracy for Survey Team
Posted on Wednesday, October 14th, 2020 by Brandon GannIn Surveying, tagged in

The Affinis survey team has been using a new, remote-controlled Unmanned Survey Vessel (USV) to gather measurements on bodies of water. This new tool, called the HyDrone, increases safety, efficiency, and accuracy in the field. We recently asked Garrett Spease, Field Crew Member and GIS Specialist, to share more about how it’s used and why […]
A Look at Professional Land Surveyors
Posted on Wednesday, March 18th, 2020 by Kristen KocenIn Surveying, tagged in

Founded by the National Society of Professional Surveyors (NSPS), National Surveyors Week is an annual, week-long celebration of the surveying profession. It was designed to raise awareness and encourage others to consider this career path. In recognition, we asked our professional surveyors to share their favorite projects and the new technology and trends they’re excited to […]
8 Items to Consider Before Deploying a Drone
Posted on Wednesday, February 12th, 2020 by Brandon GannIn Surveying, tagged in Tags: drone, photogrammetry, survey

The Affinis team uses drones to survey clients’ sites and capture invaluable information. They take aerial surface images and then transform them into models with photogrammetry software. While drones are important assets to our firm, their usage is controlled by a series of requirements issued by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to increase public safety. […]
New Photogrammetry Software Takes Surveys to New Heights
Posted on Wednesday, August 28th, 2019 by Chris FarneyIn Surveying, tagged in Tags: orthomosaic, photogrammetry, pix4d, survey technology

In recent years, there has been a push for communities to maintain their existing infrastructure. But, assessing conditions across a city can take time. With drones and new photogrammetry software, Pix4D, our team can cover a lot of ground more quickly. The results of those efforts are multi-functional, offering valuable data long after a project […]
Our 9 Step Approach to Utility Relocation
Posted on Wednesday, August 21st, 2019 by Mike McKennaIn Surveying, tagged in Tags: utilities, utility coordination, utility relocation

Utility relocation plays a large role in many of our projects. As a result, we’ve developed a tested process for coordinating with utilities. Here are the nine steps we take each time: We start by communicating early and often. During the survey process, our team will make the “one-call,” survey the flagged areas, prepare a […]
New Survey Equipment Saves Time & Offers Enhanced Capabilities
Posted on Wednesday, April 3rd, 2019 by Robert UbbenIn Surveying, tagged in

We have recently added new equipment to enhance our survey team’s capabilities and save time in the field. In addition to two robotic total stations and two field data collection tablets, we also upgraded our unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and added a new truck. The new robotic total stations and field data collection tablets allow […]
Co-Worker Interview: National Surveyors Week
Posted on Wednesday, March 20th, 2019 by Kristen KocenIn Surveying, tagged in

In honor of National Surveyors Week, we interviewed two of our co-workers, asking them why they chose the profession and how it has changed over the years. Here’s what they had to say: Why did you decide to become a surveyor? Aubrey Meyer: Like so many in the land surveying profession, it sort of found […]
Survey Team News
Posted on Wednesday, March 21st, 2018 by Robert UbbenIn Surveying, tagged in

In honor of National Surveyors Week, Affinis Corp will be participating in an effort to help improve the National Spatial Reference System (NSRS). The National Geodetic Survey (NGS) has a call out to the survey community across the United States to place Global Positions Systems (GPS) on published NGS benchmarks and collect current data. The […]
Railroad Survey Works to Protect BNSF Engines
Posted on Wednesday, March 7th, 2018 by Robert UbbenIn Surveying, tagged in

Over time, three, parallel tracks at the Burlington Northern Santa Fe’s (BNSF) Argentine Yard in Kansas City, Kansas had been sinking. The rails run through a large, on-site building where fluid changes are performed on the trains. As engines pulled in for maintenance, the trains were beginning to bottom out on two of the three […]