A small piece of equipment is making a big impact on the U.S. 69 Tyler County project in East Texas. Pulice – a FlatironDragados company is using robotic technology to support the project’s survey operations.
A New Approach to Layout Work
The survey team is using the TinySurveyor, a robotic layout and marking system that works with survey positioning technology. Project design data is loaded into the system’s controller, allowing the robot to follow the design and paint precise points and lines directly on the ground. These markings give field crews a clear and accurate layout to build from.
The technology changes how the team approaches repetitive layout work. Instead of requiring a surveyor to walk and mark every point individually, the system handles the marking while surveyors monitor its operation and verify the work. This allows the team to cover large areas more efficiently and gives surveyors additional time to focus on establishing control, confirming accuracy, performing quality checks and addressing complex field challenges.
Supporting Safer Field Operations
The technology also reduces the time surveyors spend on foot near traffic and heavy equipment, supporting safer field operations on a large highway project.
“It isn’t replacing surveyors,” Survey Manager Lamar Cruz Jr. said. “Surveyors are still responsible for establishing control, managing the control data and verifying that the data is correct.”
Cruz sees robotic systems becoming a more common part of surveying and construction as teams look for ways to improve safety and efficiency while maintaining accuracy.
“This technology handles some of the repetitive work so surveyors can focus more on accuracy, problem-solving and quality control,” Cruz said. “Ultimately, that will help projects become safer, faster and more efficient.”
Combining Technology and Expertise
By combining innovative technology with the knowledge and oversight of experienced surveyors, the team is improving how layout work is performed while maintaining the accuracy and quality required in the field.
U.S. 69 Tyler County Project Overview
Client: Texas Department of Transportation
Contractor: Pulice — a FlatironDragados company
Project Type: Highway Infrastructure
Significance: The project consists of widening approximately 10 miles of US 69 to a four-lane divided highway, with expanded shoulders that can serve as hurricane evacuation lanes and a wide vegetated median designed to enhance safety and capacity along this section of the Gateway to the Big Thicket corridor.
