Kier [Hayter, Phillip] Facilities Services Ltd had a requirement for a quick and reliable method of recording and presenting Phase 1 Habitat survey data for 155 sites[Hayter, Phillip] for [Hayter, Phillip] the Welsh Government ETS portfolio across Wales. Previously, similar work was undertaken with the use of paper maps that were annotated on site and then digitized into GIS upon return to the office. This process was not only time consuming but allowed some inaccuracy of plotting data manually, for damage to initial site recordings (due to weather) and potential loss of survey papers. The AECOM GIS team decided to use mobile GIS software and PDAs to capture this survey data in the field. Customized drop down menus were created and periodic database syncing was implemented. This synced data was used to set up a data driven pages template, to facilitate the production of 155 Phase 1 Habitat maps. The implementation of these techniques not only reduced the amount of potential human error by eliminating “double handling of data”, but also cut the field-to-report processing time.

1. Improving the Phase 1 Habitat Survey to
Reporting Process using Mobile
Technology
Cathy Coldrey - AECOM
Gerwyn Macey - AECOM

2. THE CHALLENGE
Map the Bio-Diversity of 155 sites of Welsh
Government Land across the country in 6 weeks

3. PROJECT REQUIREMENTS
• Collect Data on Site
• Store Data in Central Database
• Map production for 155 sites

4. STANDARD METHODOLOGY
• Paper Maps
• Office Digitising
• Map production for 155 sites

5. ISSUES WITH THIS METHODOLOGY
• Paper Maps
• Office Digitising
• Lack of Accuracy
• Inconsistent Data
• Map production for 155 sites

6. ISSUES WITH THIS METHODOLOGY
• Image of someone working
with weather writer in wind
and rain.

7. ISSUES WITH THIS METHODOLOGY
• Image of someone working
with weather writer in wind
and rain.

8. AECOM BESPOKE SOLUTION
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•
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•
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File Geodatabase
OS basemapping
Drop-down menus in feature class
ArcPad 10 & PDA Trimble Juno 3D
Snapping of features
Email AXF file to GIS analyst
Sync data existing Geodatabase
Create working mxd with data-driven pages
Export map to PDF

9. AECOM BESPOKE SOLUTION

10. AECOM BESPOKE SOLUTION
Drop-Down Menus
• Work with Field Surveyors to determine
contents of feature class
• Domains
• Add drop-down boxes to column in attribute
table
• Enter a default value

11. AECOM BESPOKE SOLUTION
ArcPad 10
• Prepare data for ArcPad 10 – using ArcPAD
manager
• Train surveyors

12. AECOM BESPOKE SOLUTION
Use on Site

13. AECOM BESPOKE SOLUTION
Use on Site

14. AECOM BESPOKE SOLUTION
Bringing Data Back from the Field
• Weekly email
• Import AXF file
• Sync with existing geodatabase
• Update metadata in both the feature class
and excel spreadsheet

15. AECOM BESPOKE SOLUTION
Data Driven Pages

16. AECOM BESPOKE SOLUTION

17. AECOM BESPOKE SOLUTION

18. AECOM BESPOKE SOLUTION
Background Mapping
• Ordnance Survey (1:250k to 1:10k)
• Administrative Boundaries
• Terrain and contours

19. RECEPTION
Regulator Approved
• Saved Time and Money (50% - £10K)
• To be used as standard for future work

20. THANK YOU
Cathy.Coldrey@aecom.com 0117 901 7000
Gerwyn.Macey@aecom.com 029 2067 4600