For Quintin Winsloe, Manager at Ryal Bush Contracting, the turning point came about four years ago during a large earthworks job rebuilding stop banks near Invercargill in New Zealand. “We were predominantly using manual set out survey pegs,” he says, “and we found that it just wasn’t cutting it. We needed to adapt.” That decision to invest in GPS technology, starting with a skid steer fitted with a SharpGrade blade, changed the way the business operates across every division. Today, Ryal Bush runs a tight, self sufficient operation. Rather than waiting on surveyors or subcontractors, the team handles their own set out and progress measurements in house. “I think one of the main benefits of the equipment is
For Kent Blackler, Managing Director of OnGrade, the decision to invest in GPS machine control technology wasn’t just about keeping up. It was about stepping up. “On Grade’s relationship started with Aptella about eight years ago now,” Kent recalls. “We moved into a subdivision that we really felt we needed to step up with the technology.” Today, OnGrade operates a fleet equipped with Aptella’s latest machine control systems, including two dozers. Their older dozer runs the Topcon MC² with a mast-based machine control setup, while on the newer machine Kent opted for the Topcon 3D-MC MAX integrated mastless dozer system, the very latest in precision grade control. Working on large scale subdivision developments like Falcons Run in Rolleston,
Scanning a wharf from a moving boat isn’t how most survey teams spend their week. But for Beca, one of Australasia’s largest engineering consultancies, it’s exactly the kind of job the Lixel L2 Pro SLAM scanner was made for. With nearly 15 years in reality capture, Nathan Cossar, Beca’s Spatial Technology and Innovation Lead, knew precisely where the L2 Pro would earn its place. “It’s an extension of our toolkit. For the right application, it enables us to undertake tasks in a far more efficient manner.” That right application can vary greatly. Road corridors captured in under half an hour. Bridge inspections where clients need basic geometry without a full survey mobilisation. Waterfront structures scanned from a boat because a tripod
From Argentina to Australia, A Passion for Making Technology Accessible Yamila Fernandez wasn’t supposed to stay in Australia. The engineer and surveyor from Argentina had planned a one year working holiday, travelling the country before returning home. Then COVID-19 and a job at Aptella changed everything. What began as an extended stay became a new chapter in her career; one that’s now shaping how drone operators across Australia access critical support when they need it most. “I was the only woman in some of my classes at university,” Fernandez reflects on her journey into engineering. “It’s something I got used to.” That early experience in male dominated spaces prepared her for an industry where she often finds herself
3G Network Shutdown in New Zealand. Will your survey and machine control systems be affected? New Zealand’s 3G mobile network is being retired in early 2026 by all telecommunications providers including 2degrees, One NZ and Spark. Spark – March 31st, 2026 One (Vodafone) – December 2025 – 31st March 2026 (staggered across regions) 2Degrees – Now completed Many countries are implementing this change to enable the rollout of faster, more reliable 4G and 5G services. Importantly, 3G devices cannot be upgraded to work on 4G or 5G, so they will stop working when the network is shutdown. For more information visit https://www.3gshutdown.co.nz/ Will your survey and machine control systems be affected? This change may impact some older survey and
Topcon Version 10 Webinar Did you miss our webinar? Fill out the form below to access the on-demand recording. Hear from our experts, get answers to common questions, and walk away with the confidence to use this powerful software platform to its full potential. Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.Name *FirstLastCompany *Email *Phone * CountryCountryAustraliaAfghanistanAlbaniaAlgeriaAmerican SamoaAndorraAngolaAnguillaAntarcticaAntigua and BarbudaArgentinaArmeniaArubaAustriaAzerbaijanBahamasBahrainBangladeshBarbadosBelarusBelgiumBelizeBeninBermudaBhutanBolivia (Plurinational State of)Bonaire, Saint Eustatius and SabaBosnia and HerzegovinaBotswanaBouvet IslandBrazilBritish Indian Ocean TerritoryBrunei DarussalamBulgariaBurkina FasoBurundiCabo VerdeCambodiaCameroonCanadaCayman IslandsCentral African RepublicChadChileChinaChristmas IslandCocos (Keeling) IslandsColombiaComorosCongoCongo (Democratic Republic of the)Cook IslandsCosta RicaCroatiaCubaCuraçaoCyprusCzech RepublicCôte d’IvoireDenmarkDjiboutiDominicaDominican RepublicEcuadorEgyptEl SalvadorEquatorial GuineaEritreaEstoniaEswatini (Kingdom of)EthiopiaFalkland Islands (Malvinas)Faroe IslandsFijiFinlandFranceFrench GuianaFrench PolynesiaFrench Southern TerritoriesGabonGambiaGeorgiaGermanyGhanaGibraltarGreeceGreenlandGrenadaGuadeloupeGuamGuatemalaGuernseyGuineaGuinea-BissauGuyanaHaitiHeard Island and McDonald IslandsHondurasHong KongHungaryIcelandIndiaIndonesiaIran (Islamic Republic of)IraqIreland (Republic of)Isle of ManIsraelItalyJamaicaJapanJerseyJordanKazakhstanKenyaKiribatiKorea (Democratic People’s
DON’T MISS OUR $17K TRADE IN OFFER!* Have you been waiting to upgrade your total station but needed a little incentive? How does $17,000 off your new Topcon GT-700/1500 or Sokkia iX-700/1500 sound when you trade in any working robotic total station? Need a little more incentive? Here are a few benefits you will enjoy from your new total station: Quick tracking and smart motor control with Topcon’s new silent drive technology Compact and lightweight for easier handling onsite GNSS hybrid ready so you can handle any job site Get Offer Fill in the form and we’ll contact you soon! Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.Name *FirstLastemail *phone * Company *Country *Country*AustraliaNew ZealandIndonesiaMalaysiaPhillipinesAfghanistanAlbaniaAlgeriaAmerican SamoaAndorraAngolaAnguillaAntarcticaAntigua
In the rugged hinterland of Australia’s Gold Coast, an engineering marvel is redefining adventure tourism. Happitat Adventure Park—the world’s first fully suspended cliff park—stretches across a breathtaking 200 metre vertical cliff face at Binnaburra in Lamington National Park, offering thrill seekers an unprecedented way to experience nature’s grandeur. This spectacular ecoadventure attraction immerses visitors in the ancient Gondwana rainforest while suspended high above the forest floor. Behind this groundbreaking achievement stands innovative surveying technology from Aptella that made the seemingly impossible not just possible, but crucially precise. A Vision on the Edge “The project we worked on is called Happitat Adventure Park, the world’s first cliff park,” explains Michael Neururer, Director of Naviq, the visionary company behind this
