Drain, Service Cables and Pipes, mapping App?

[steveR]

Can anyone recommend a low cost or free Android app for a simple, basic surveying/mapping assistant? I would not be using the tablet GPS I hasten to add!! ;-) I realise there are any number of apps out there, but most seem to have serious issues, ads being a prime one! The ability to export the data is also something that is not always the best from reading reviews...

Would need to output the data to a hard copy for the archives! I am thinking that my successors would appreciate the info. where we have dubious mapping records at present on the farm!

Happy to run around and map the fields etc myself, if using OS or other copyright maps are a problem. I did thing an overlay printout would be perfect!!

 

[Pheasant Surprise]

ReachView (Android and iOS) has a simple survey function built in which is probably fine for what you want. Catch is you need to use the Emlid receivers.

I use FieldGenius personally. It is however a full blown surveyors level app, that works with virtually any instrument, however it’s not free.

 

[steveR]

Daughter No. One suggested QGIS which some of her work colleagues are using and AIUI, one has been contributing to the open source software. Looks like a very comprehensive bit of work, but possibly the learning curve will be rather steep for a simple son of the soil...

There is an android QGIS app, but it seems very much in Beta, but there are several other easier apps I am having a play with...

 

[Pheasant Surprise]

I’ll sell you my pair of Reach RS units (excellent condition) and then you can RTK survey all your fields, drains and features using ReachView.

 

[steveR]

Yeah, I looked at your suggestion of ReachView last w/e, looks nice... but Emlid/Reach users only as you mentioned...

I would be VERY interested in your offering, other than it being a requirement of the STEPS grant scheme that I buy new... So in effect your two units would in effect need to be at least half the (new) price of another setup, whatever it might be...!

 

[fermerboy]

I use Field Area Measure Pro on Android.
There is a free one too but for the cost of a couple of quid to get rid of the ads.

It records areas either manually on screen or by using the GPS. Everything is shown over a google maps image so you can see if it is accurate to a point like a gateway etc. While its not survey accuracy using a phone or tablet, its a lot better than you'd think.
It also records lines and I use this to record drains etc if I have them dug up, plus you can mark points, so this is useful for say a junction or a coupling in a water pipe.
The files can be exported to PC Google Earth and saved on the computer if you want. Think they are a standard format.
It won't be 100% accurate but might get my sons to within a couple of metres of that old 6" drain we had dug up in 2019, when dad can't remember!!

 

[Brisel]

Surely you'd need RTK for accurate mapping? The uncorrected GPS of a mobile phone will be circa 3m accuracy only.

 

[fermerboy]

Surely you'd need RTK for accurate mapping? The uncorrected GPS of a mobile phone will be circa 3m accuracy only.

I'd tend to agree with you, but drive round a plot with a rtk tractor, with your phone next to the antenna with phone GPS switched on, a while to settle, and a clear sky, and then overlay the routes on the computer and they will be very similar. Area measured will be near enough the same too.

Obviously its not going to be inch accurate, but the OP wanted a basic free or cheap app to do a basic map of his farm.
I have tractors with RTX, Egnos, but for recording a drain route etc, the handiness of the phone is hard to beat.

 

[Northern farmer]

"Very similar" is a very vague statement but perhaps accuracy to an inch is similar to accuracy to a few metres?

For area measurement a significant error (position offset) does not make any difference as long as the offset remains the same. If you drive around the field (a small field), the offset does not change a lot. Could be "near enough" for the area measurement, equally might not.

Of course much better to know the drain pipe location at the accuracy of a phone GPS than no idea about the location at all.

 

[steveR]

I use Field Area Measure Pro on Android.
There is a free one too but for the cost of a couple of quid to get rid of the ads.

Merci Bucks, I have the free version of Field Area on the tablet already I had not really used it after installing the app, as I tend to measure area with Field Navigator or FieldBee.

On the points about accuracy, I find the Garmin Glo* to improve accuracy greatly, and may well have something better by next Spring if a grant application goes through... ?

I have been speaking with the family GIS expert (Daughter No1) and she is firmly of the view that I should get pipes and cables as accurate as is possible... The aim is to identify stop taps etc, so wanting under 0.5m accuracy I guess... She can take any data points and lines and pop them on a proper map for me... or no Christmas presents!!


*Near enough from the recent RPA inspection...

 

[steveR]

The files can be exported to PC Google Earth and saved on the computer if you want. Think they are a standard format.
It won't be 100% accurate but might get my sons to within a couple of metres of that old 6" drain we had dug up in 2019, when dad can't remember!!

And that, in a nutshell, is what I want to achieve.

The farm drainage maps are surprisingly good where there are reference point notes, but inevitably, hedges have gone etc... Lots of stuff gone in over recent years as well that will be accurately surveyed (I hope) that can also be overlaid in a GIS program. OS maps are were also used for drawings of drains and are useful and easier to add from.

 

[fermerboy]

And that, in a nutshell, is what I want to achieve.

The farm drainage maps are surprisingly good where there are reference point notes, but inevitably, hedges have gone etc... Lots of stuff gone in over recent years as well that will be accurately surveyed (I hope) that can also be overlaid in a GIS program. OS maps are were also used for drawings of drains and are useful and easier to add from.

Its possible to add a note on your line saying something like" 10m from the tree" or similar detail to add a definite reference point if the accuracy isn't good enough.
Not sure really on getting garaunteed 0.5m accuracy cheaply though.
Having spent today looking for a field drain till the digger burst a hose with no luck, a basic map of the drainage is a godsend

 

[fermerboy]

"Very similar" is a very vague statement but perhaps accuracy to an inch is similar to accuracy to a few metres?

For area measurement a significant error (position offset) does not make any difference as long as the offset remains the same. If you drive around the field (a small field), the offset does not change a lot. Could be "near enough" for the area measurement, equally might not.

Of course much better to know the drain pipe location at the accuracy of a phone GPS than no idea about the location at all.

Agree completely "very similar" is a bit vague, I get what you are saying about the poorer signal being off to the side, but I have done the drive round a field thing and then overlayed the tracks created by my tractor and my Samsung phone, to see how far off the phone was and it wasn't really off much at all. Maybe I just got lucky that day!
And yes any map created by my phone is an improvement on my dad saying "the drain is here" and wasting an hour digging 10m along from the real spot.

 

[Northern farmer]

Could you clarify if the reference tractor was using RTX, EGNOS or something else for correction?

 

[steveR]

And yes any map created by my phone is an improvement on my dad saying "the drain is here" and wasting an hour digging 10m along from the real spot.

Hell, it's even worse when it's ME that say's "the drain is here", an hour later, still not found it and run out of depth on the bloody mini digger.... only 2 weeks ago!!

Got Hawkins coming in to put a new system in 2 weeks time, on some land that was screwed up when a massive sewer was put in during the early 70s. I'll get them delving with their 5t digger as its too wet for a JCB!

 

[steveR]

Its possible to add a note on your line saying something like" 10m from the tree" or similar detail to add a definite reference point if the accuracy isn't good enough.
Not sure really on getting garaunteed 0.5m accuracy cheaply though.
Having spent today looking for a field drain till the digger burst a hose with no luck, a basic map of the drainage is a godsend

Said notes are what are on the various farm maps!!

Should have thought RTK will get sub 10cm... but yes, Garmin will struggle to do better than 0.5 - 1M...

Basic map of ALL services will be useful for my successors too...

For just 300 odd acres, we have a mass of underground services because of the close proximity to Telford new town and it's bloody infrastructure! 2 major foul sewers, 2 minor foul sewers, 1 storm sewer, 1 massive surface water open cut that is draining North Telford etc etc... Numerous power cables... Then we have OUR services, water, power, phone etc...

Steph (daughter) used to work for WPD digitising all their legacy analogue maps and records and was shocked at the powerlines crossing us, over and underground!!

 

[fermerboy]

Said notes are what are on the various farm maps!!

Should have thought RTK will get sub 10cm... but yes, Garmin will struggle to do better than 0.5 - 1M...

Basic map of ALL services will be useful for my successors too...

For just 300 odd acres, we have a mass of underground services because of the close proximity to Telford new town and it's bloody infrastructure! 2 major foul sewers, 2 minor foul sewers, 1 storm sewer, 1 massive surface water open cut that is draining North Telford etc etc... Numerous power cables... Then we have OUR services, water, power, phone etc...

Steph (daughter) used to work for WPD digitising all their legacy analogue maps and records and was shocked at the powerlines crossing us, over and underground!!

You have my sympathies.

We are 1 mile from the second largest sub-station in Europe and the supply lines are a bowl of spagetti on a map!!!
They are still building and adding to it but getting harder to get access routes in with new lines for wind farms etc.
So far we arent too bad, 2 gas mains, 2 water mains, 1 pylon line, and various over and under supply network lines, but more are planned.

 

[Kaupoi]

This isn't helping much, but for underground mapping I've used windows laptop and some old version of OziExplorer. As gps source I've had an Outback guidance equipment (EGNOS). Nowadays I have Ardusimple rtk with own base and 3cm accuracy.

 

[steveR]

This isn't helping much, but for underground mapping I've used windows laptop and some old version of OziExplorer. As gps source I've had an Outback guidance equipment (EGNOS). Nowadays I have Ardusimple rtk with own base and 3cm accuracy.

Gosh, I haven't played with OziExplorer for years!! I suspect I have a long retired la[top with it on somewhere...

 

[steveR]

You have my sympathies.

We are 1 mile from the second largest sub-station in Europe and the supply lines are a bowl of spagetti on a map!!!
They are still building and adding to it but getting harder to get access routes in with new lines for wind farms etc.
So far we arent too bad, 2 gas mains, 2 water mains, 1 pylon line, and various over and under supply network lines, but more are planned.

Ditto on the mutual sympathy fest.... ?

They really are a PITA with all the services and then we get told that as they are underground, they have no impact on farming operations....!!! That was from SRW who are talking about a new pumped sewer across some outlying land. I pointed out to teh GeoEngineer that I had far too much experience of such things and that it was not as simple as digging a trench and popping in a pipe!!