Traditional utility mapping has long been a process fraught with challenges. It's labor-intensive, time-consuming, and often imprecise. For decades, surveyors and construction firms have grappled with the frustration of project delays, the high costs of inaccurate digs, and the inherent safety risks of working blind. But what if there was a system that could transform this process, making it faster, safer, and infinitely more accurate?
Enter Stream UP by IDS GeoRadar – a groundbreaking Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) system that is setting a new global standard for underground utility asset capture. This is not just an incremental improvement; it's a paradigm shift in how we see the world beneath our feet.
The Challenge: Navigating the Unseen Urban Maze
Modern cities are complex, multi-layered environments. As urban populations grow, the demand for efficient land use intensifies, forcing development to go deeper underground. This is vividly illustrated in metropolitan city-states like Singapore, where restricted land availability and high population density make effective use of subterranean space a necessity.
However, to build down, you must first know what's down there. The problem is that historical utility asset drawings often fail to provide reliable data. Coordinates can be inaccurate due to systemic errors accumulated over time, or worse, based on guesswork after trenches were backfilled. This lack of a "subsurface truth" leads to critical issues:
· Safety Risks: Excavating without a clear map dramatically increases the risk of utility strikes, which can cause catastrophic accidents, service disruptions, and endanger workers and the public.
· Project Delays & Cost Overruns: The traditional "dig-to-find" approach, such as vacuum digging or trench surveys, is slow and expensive. A single project can be derailed by unexpected underground obstacles.
· Inefficiency: Standard trench surveys might only inspect a tiny fraction of the work area (as little as 3.3%), leaving 96.7% of the subsurface unknown.
Detecting and mapping utilities is crucial for ensuring safety, minimizing risks, and preventing damage to critical infrastructure. A new approach is needed—one that provides a comprehensive, accurate, and efficient overview of the utility landscape.
HSC Pipeline Engineering Pte Ltd uses Stream UP to map underground utilities in Singapore without disrupting traffic.
Enter Stream UP: A Paradigm Shift in GPR Technology
Stream UP is an innovative multi-channel, multi-frequency, double-polarized, and lightweight GPR system designed specifically for utility mapping over extensive areas. It directly addresses the shortcomings of traditional methods by combining high-speed data acquisition with superior data quality and unparalleled operational efficiency.
Key Features That Redefine Utility Mapping
|
Unrivaled Speed & Efficiency Stream UP is designed to operate in urban environments without slowing down traffic. It can be towed by a standard vehicle at speeds up to 150 km/h, with a suggested acquisition speed of 60 km/h (37 mph) for a perfect balance of safety and data quality. This eliminates the need for road closures and escort vehicles, drastically reducing fieldwork time. |
Superior Data Quality & Coverage Equipped with a dense array of dual-polarized antennas, Stream UP captures incredibly detailed subsurface information in a single pass. Thanks to the new eDAD-S Control Unit and dynamic stacking, it maintains excellent data quality even at high speeds, providing a complete and reliable 3D overview of buried utilities up to 2.5m-3m deep. |
Effortless Operation & Transport With a lightweight shell and modular structure, the system is remarkably easy to transport and assemble. It can be set up on-site by just two people and controlled by a single operator from inside the vehicle using the intuitive uMap acquisition software. The total absence of contact with the ground reduces mechanical stress and maintenance. |
Advanced Safety & Compliance Safety is engineered into its core. An innovative suspended modular frame and embedded anti-collision systems protect the equipment. Crucially, Stream UP is approved by traffic regulations, allowing you to "just mount and go" without time-consuming special permissions or the logistical complexity of escort vehicles. |
The Stream UP Workflow: From Pavement to Point Cloud in Record Time
The operational workflow of Stream UP is a masterclass in efficiency, designed to maximize productivity from start to finish.
1. Rapid Deployment: The modular system is easily assembled and attached to a standard vehicle in minutes. A "Transportation Mode" raises the unit, allowing for safe travel between survey sites at highway speeds.
2. Effortless Acquisition: Once on-site, the system is lowered into "Acquisition Mode." The operator uses the uMap software on a laptop inside the vehicle to remotely control the radar and monitor data collection in real-time, overlaid on a GPS map.
3. High-Speed Scanning: The vehicle drives along the survey path, with Stream UP autonomously scanning the ground. Its wide radar coverage ensures that large areas are mapped quickly and comprehensively, capturing 100% of the intended survey area.
4. Intelligent Data Processing: Back in the office, the powerful IQMaps post-processing software takes over. It transforms raw GPR data into actionable 3D insights with real-time processing and immersive reality visualization, enabling fast and accurate target extraction.
IQMaps software turns complex GPR data into a clear, actionable 3D map of underground infrastructure.
Real-World Impact: The Singapore Success Story
The transformative power of Stream UP is not theoretical. In Singapore,HSC Pipeline Engineering Pte Ltd, a company with 30 years of experience, adopted Stream UP to tackle the city's complex underground environment. The results have been revolutionary.
By replacing slow and costly trench surveys with high-speed GPR scanning, HSC achieved staggering improvements:
· Over 90% cost savings per lane/km compared to traditional analysis methods.
· 100% coverage of the survey area, eliminating blind spots and guesswork.
· Drastic reduction in public disruption, as surveys are conducted at normal traffic speeds.
· Improved safety by providing accurate, non-invasive maps that prevent utility strikes, embodying the "measure twice, dig once" philosophy.
This success did not go unnoticed. For their efforts in leveraging technology to improve how work is done, HSC was awarded the prestigious Techblazer Award 2023 for Best Adoption (SME). HSC found in Stream UP the perfect solution for providing a fast, full scan of work areas and the clearest possible view of underground infrastructures.
The Bottom Line: The use of Stream UP for underground infrastructure analysis led to savings of more than 90% per lane/km and enabled a more sustainable workflow with less disruption to the public.
The Future is Here: Why Stream UP is the Smart Choice
Stream UP by IDS GeoRadar is more than just a tool; it's a comprehensive solution for modern utility mapping. Its combination of advanced hardware, intuitive software, and thoughtful design addresses the critical challenges of accuracy, efficiency, and safety that have plagued traditional methods for years.
For any organization involved in infrastructure planning, construction, or maintenance, Stream UP offers a clear path to a smarter, safer, and more profitable future. It allows you to gain a comprehensive overview of the utility landscape, precisely locating and mapping assets to minimize risks, costs, and disruption.
By embracing this technology, you can stay ahead of the competition, diversify your services, and unleash your business potential. The future of utility mapping is not about digging deeper; it's about seeing clearer. And with Stream UP, that future is here today.
Ready to Revolutionize Your Utility Mapping?
Discover how Stream UP can deliver unparalleled efficiency and data quality for your projects. Explore the full capabilities and see how you can gain a competitive edge.
This article is based on information from the official IDS GeoRadar and Leica Geosystems websites.
Sources:
[1]Supporting Singapore’s urban development with Stream UP for underground truth. | IDS GeoRadar
[2]Grow your business with utility detection and mapping | Leica Geosystems
© 2025. All rights reserved.
Reference
[1]https://idsgeoradar.com/en-us/about-us/case-studies/ground-penetrating-radar-gpr-case-studies/usecase-streamup-singapore https://idsgeoradar.com/en-us/about-us/case-studies/ground-penetrating-radar-gpr-case-studies/usecase-streamup-singapore
[2]https://leica-geosystems.com/en-us/industries/pure-surveying/get-inspired-to-grow-your-business/utility-detection-and-mapping https://leica-geosystems.com/en-us/industries/pure-surveying/get-inspired-to-grow-your-business/utility-detection-and-mapping
[3]https://idsgeoradar.com/products/ground-penetrating-radar/stream-up https://idsgeoradar.com/products/ground-penetrating-radar/stream-up
