Since the release of SpatialVideo back in June, which allows you to collect GPS-tracked video from Fulcrum on iOS and Android, we’ve heard dozens of different ways that users are recording video for various projects. For covering large work areas quickly, video is great as it saves time, and allows field staff to capture large volumes of reference data for review and assessment in the back office.
Projects involving asset inventory across municipal areas or county boundaries may include thousands to tens of thousands of asset points. Visiting each site thoroughly takes minutes or more. Depending on project needs, a full re-inspection of assets may be unnecessary. Video documentation can effectively provide a visual overview of an asset’s condition, offering more context than still photos.
SpatialVideo captures GPS tracks alongside footage, enabling surveying of street-side assets with dashboard- or windshield-mounted devices from a vehicle. Inventorying street-side assets, such as telephone poles and attached electric utilities, can now be conducted with a drive-by. This method does not require a surveyor to stop and visit each site individually.
For example, consider sign inventory. Using the web-based video playback tool, a manager in the office can review the video and perform a spot-check on visible assets. The video and map interface, used side-by-side, simplifies correlating the asset in the video with its map location. The map automatically tracks the video’s location as it plays. Scrubbing through the video moves the map to that position, and clicking a specific spot on the track line shifts to the correct video place. This setup allows a data manager to swiftly update asset databases. It’s easy to identify missing assets, assess damage, and dispatch maintenance crews for sign repair or replacement.
SpatialVideo in action
To see more about asset inventory with Fulcrum, check out our case study looking at the work done by Rodriguez Consulting for the City of Philadelphia. They surveyed over 1000 fire hydrants around the city using Fulcrum, and are currently looking at how to incorporate video into their processes.