Transforming Structural Assessments: How gNext Elevated Consor’s Inspection Process
Consor is a water and transportation infrastructure consulting firm offering structural assessment, planning, engineering design, program management, and construction services. According to Fred Meek, a Senior Bridge Inspector at Consor, the firm is focused on going above, below, and beyond the surface to move people and communities forward through future-ready infrastructure.
With a team of approximately 1700 across North America, they tackle public infrastructure needs across the lifecycle of transportation and water projects, including roadways, bridges, treatment facilities, water storage and distribution, conveyance, and drainage systems.
Technological advancements have significantly transformed operational efficiencies and client deliverables in engineering and inspection. Consor navigates these changes with the aid of innovative technology provided by gNext.
In this case study, we will explore the challenges Consor encountered during inspections and the impact that gNext’s solution had on their overall operations.
The Challenge Before gNext
Before integrating gNext into its operations, Consor faced several challenges in its inspection process. Using previous software solutions, it struggled to achieve clean output models from drone-captured images, especially when dealing with the vertical faces of structures. Processing times were lengthy, taking up an entire day in some cases, which hampered efficiency and delayed the sharing of critical data with clients.
Discovering gNext
Meek’s quest for a more efficient solution led him to discover gNext at the Commercial UAV Expo in 2021/2022. He was immediately impressed by a demo showcasing the ability to create detailed 3D models and terrain through stacked photos—a stark improvement over what they previously used. The potential for enhancing their inspection processes was clear.
The Transformation of Infrastructure Inspection Data
The adoption of gNext brought about several benefits that directly addressed Consor’s pre-existing challenges:
- Efficiency in Processing: The time taken to upload and process photos was drastically reduced from a whole day to just 15 minutes to an hour.
- Improved Client Deliverables: The ease of sharing deliverables without requiring additional logins enhanced client satisfaction significantly.
- Quality of Models: The details in the models produced using gNext were noticeably of higher quality than before.
- Accessibility: Accessing gNext from anywhere—be it on the phone or through a browser—added unparalleled flexibility to their operations.
Additionally, Meek highlighted the gNext team’s responsiveness and support as instrumental in achieving best practices for drone operations. Their expansive network also facilitated valuable industry connections.
Impact on Business Results
gNext integration will soon become a part of workflows because it has streamlined Consor’s inspection processes while elevating its service offerings to clients. By providing high-quality models quickly and efficiently, they’ve been able to enhance project delivery times while maintaining accuracy and detail—key factors that contribute positively to client satisfaction.
A Future with gNext
Looking ahead, Meek hopes to leverage gNext’s capabilities on larger projects. Consor is particularly interested in seamlessly combining topside and underwater models—a task that presents challenges but promises comprehensive insights into bridge conditions.
Consor’s journey with gNext exemplifies how embracing innovative technologies can improve operational efficiency and client service delivery within the engineering sector. By overcoming initial processing times and model quality challenges, Consor has elevated its structural assessment practice.
As they look to integrate technology like gNext on more projects, Consor is at the forefront of engineering innovation—demonstrating that it’s not just about adopting new tools but transforming challenges into opportunities for growth.
