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Groundhawk: A solution that enables the location of underground cables to be determined with centimetre- level precision.
Cable mapping done in real-time by workers already on site “Cables accidents caused by excavators are a global problem, which is why there is global demand for Groundhawk,” Winquist says. The device consists of an Android smartphone and an attached GPS positioning unit. The innovation is in the software. “In a normal mobile phone, positioning works with an accuracy of 3–4 metres. Groundhawk measures with accuracy of 10 centimetres.” When the 3D measurement is converted into coordinates, and depth using AI, and the information is stored in the grid owners systems. ”Groundhawk is so user-friendly that anyone already on site with the device can handle the cable mapping. If you can shoot a video with your mobile phone, you can use Groundhawk. This accelerates the entire project,” Winquist explains. A globally spreading invention now available in the United Kingdom By creating comprehensive as-built documentation during the construction phase, future infrastructure teams have access to accurate records of existing assets, helping to avoid damage.
high-quality documentation of connection points, for example, can significantly shorten downtime and save both time and resources. Accurate as-built documentation protects the prime contractor’s margins by eliminating costly rework, preventing utility strikes, and speeding up project handover. Can high-quality as-built documentation solve a £2.4 billion problem? Groundhawk addresses a timely global challenge. Underground infrastructure is accidentally damaged hundreds of times a day in the United Kingdom alone. This is estimated to cost the country around £2.4 billion annually. At the same time, it is known that as-built documentation is often still inaccurate. A fibre-optic cable installed today may break tomorrow when the power grid is upgraded for a new electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure. Groundhawk’s business model is to sell the solution to large prime contractors, who then provide the device to their operators. Finnish-born Groundhawk operates in the Nordics, Germany, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. Backed by funding from two impact venture capital investors, the company is accelerating its go-to- market execution.
www.groundhawk.io
When troubleshooting leaks, outages, or other underground infrastructure issues,
Volume 48 No.1 MARCH 2026
109
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