Skip to main content

Quicker ground surveys with GPR

MK Surveys, based in Milton Keynes, is now using an advanced, portable ground penetrating radar (GPR) system. The purchase of Opera Duo, the latest innovation for utility location and mapping by market leaders IDS, further strengthens MK Surveys’ capability in this expanding market.
September 11, 2014 Read time: 2 mins
The versatile GPR unit from IDS offers accurate and quick ground surveys

MK Surveys, based in Milton Keynes, is now using an advanced, portable ground penetrating radar (GPR) system.

The purchase of Opera Duo, the latest innovation for utility location and mapping by market leaders IDS, further strengthens MK Surveys’ capability in this expanding market.

The Opera Duo is designed and engineered for easier and faster collection of deep and shallow depth data, over all terrain, and with the facility for the operator to generate detailed onsite reports.

As early adopters of the original IDS Detector Duo in 2007, MK Surveys has moved again to acquire the latest equipment from the Italian manufacturer of GPR systems.  The acquisition of innovative GPR equipment on release has helped MK Surveys steadily expand its utility services and increase its staffing levels accordingly. A utility department which started with one surveyor and a single unit now employs eight, plus two trainees, with a fleet of Detector Duo GPR units that are in daily use.  

David Rust, Director at MK Surveys commented, “The market has grown steadily since 2007 and now utility surveys are a consideration on virtually all construction projects, for very good reasons. Contractors need to know where the utilities are before breaking ground in order to avoid costly and potentially dangerous mistakes.

Drilline Products have been active in the creation of a GPR Masterclass run by the University of Greenwich. The inaugural course, specifically designed for GPR operators, took place during April 2014 and future courses are due to run every two months. Drilline Products is a leading UK supplier of GPR systems to the surveying and structural investigation sector and is the UK dealer for IDS and American supplier Radius.

Related Content

  • Well-educated personnel are the best investment for the future says the Ammann international training centre
    May 20, 2014
    Far too often, managers will view training as a luxury and not as a competitive and strategic necessity. Lazy team leaders regularly argue that it is a waste of time and money training their people, not least because these same trainees might subsequently leave the organisation. Courses are seen as an interruption, and a good way to delay things. There is always something much more pressing and important on the to-do list and staff can end up feeling forced into the training department. But these are weak a
  • GSSI offers bridge monitoring tool
    May 19, 2015
    GSSI is introducing the sophistictaed BridgeScan condition assessment system. This package is used for concrete inspection and utility mapping of bridges. Said to be both affordable and versatile, this ground penetrating radar (GPR) equipment can be used to assess concrete condition on bridge decks, as well as parking structures. Using this unit offers accurate assessments of concrete condition, which improves repair cost estimation and saves time and money. With BridgeScan, identification of rebar
  • GPS machine control speeds dangerous road improvement
    April 11, 2012
    A Canadian contractor has carried out major roadworks to improve safety on a dangerous stretch of road, using technology to complete the work smoothly. Wiltech Developments, located in West Kelowna, British Columbia, has a great deal of experience. In the contracting sector. The firm works in most. of British Columbia and currently owns more than 40 pieces of heavy machinery, with the majority of these units featuring Trimble Grade Control equipment, a move that has improved its operations.
  • Underground sight
    September 3, 2012
    Innovative mobile radar technology that can detect subsurface problems is now being launched by surveying specialist Data Collection Limited. The system uses a specially designed vehicle to carry out surveys at normal traffic speeds. Ground-penetrating radar is used to generate a cross-sectional profile of the subsurface. This information can be used to assess road condition, helping with planning repairs and re-surfacing.