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The Ingenious Way 1 Alliance Geomatics Combats Survey Equipment Theft Using a simple technology upgrade to protect survey equipment provides a big payoff.
It happens so fast it hardly registers–one minute your total station is next to your survey vehicle, the next it’s gone, picked up by thieves eager to make a quick profit on lucrative technology. Stolen survey equipment is one of the biggest problems faced by surveying firms of all sizes. It’s also costly. Even if your insurance covers a replacement, you’ll have to pay the deductible and scramble to keep your projects on track. File enough insurance claims, and you might find yourself with a deductible as high as the cost of a new total station–or even dropped from cover- age completely. “It’s a huge concern,” says Jason Nakamura, PLS, president and general manager of 1 Alliance Geomatics. “Total station thefts have just gone through the roof over the last four or five years.” The Bellevue, Wash.-based surveying and mapping firm combines an expert staff with the most advanced technology to provide exemplary service to its clients. With a reputation for seamlessly handling complex infrastructure projects, 1 Alliance Geomatics has played a significant role in a number of major projects in the Pacific Northwest. While safe- guarding its people is paramount, securing its technology investment is also a top priority. The company has even changed some of its processes to protect against theft—for example, surveyors now set up control points well inside projects rather than on the perimeter to make the total stations more difficult for thieves to access. Although this strategy has helped, it isn’t foolproof. Pressured by business concerns and his insurance company to find a way to mitigate the risk, Nakamura doubled down on his search for solutions. With a reputation for seamlessly handling complex infrastructure projects, 1 Alliance Geomatics has played a signifi- cant role in a number of major projects in the Pacific Northwest. The company has standardized on Leica Geosystems technology because of its quality, reliability and efficiency, as well as exceptional support. The development of the LOC8 technology was one more example. Innovative Tracking Technology Shows Promise Nakamura took his challenge to AndrewHurley, global commercial manager and surveying business manager at Leica Geosystems, a Hexagon company. 1 Alliance has standardized on Leica Geosystems technology because of its quality, reliability and efficiency, but also because of the exceptional support across all levels of the company. “When it comes to quality and repeatability, Leica is top of the line,”Nakamura says. “Having one platform that does everything makes things so much easier, and we know any issues we have will be resolved quickly.” In fact, Leica Geosystems had already been working on a solution. Called LOC8, the technology uses the Internet of Things (IoT) to provide remote equipment tracking and locking. Total stations equipped with LOC8 can be tracked to their precise location, with updates every minute. They can be added to safe zones with geofences that alert you anytime equipment is removed from the area. And they can be locked and unlocked remotely through a smartphone or desktop app for complete control over your equipment. 1 Alliance Geomatics, based in Bellevue, Wash., combines an expert staff with the most advanced technology to provide exemplary surveying and mapping services to its clients. Photo: 1 Alliance Geomatics.
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June 2021
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