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Though Version 3.1 was just released, our Software Development Team has already begun the push for the next wave of workflows and features that will be added to the Katapult Pro platform.
With the next version of our software, we're looking to bring the dynamic nature of the platform into robust offline deliverables to assist key decision-makers, sub-contractors, and construction crews to interact with pole data, make ready engineering decisions, and post-construction surveys without needing a comprehensive understanding of the platform.
We've broken this down into three distinct deliverables that we believe allow Katapult Pro users to share more of their engineering work in a powerful way:
Post-Construction Surveys
The challenge here is to revisit poles that were already surveyed as efficiently as possible. Typically, this step will be conducted to make sure make ready construction was completed correctly and that no deficiencies were created, but it will also be a critical measure to ensure that OTMR applicants and contractors are acting in good faith.
While the optimal workflow to collect post-construction data is still in development, I'll share a mock-up below of an example that highlights both the initial survey and an audit of the construction performed. In many situations, a height stick would not be necessary to calibrate a post-construction photo, as many of the measured heights from the first survey can be recycled to fully calibrate the new photo. This would allow solo crews to collect the data, lowering the cost of this crucial type of survey.
Photo Forms
Over the years, we've found that annotated photos of utility poles are an invaluable tool for utilities, attachers, and engineering/construction contractors. Having a defensible account of existing conditions on the pole makes it much easier for all parties to come to an agreement about a comprehensive make ready plan.
Our next version of Photo Forms will be generated as a PDF file featuring the high-resolution image, height markers pulled from the annotations, and the attributes found in the node information panel. Users will be able to customize the colors, logo, and attributes used in this deliverable, and can customize different Photo Forms for different scopes of work. We're looking to embed smart links to allow crews to touch a link and instantly snap an as-built photo from the field following construction.
New Map Deliverable
While our online deliverable features the map and photos side-by-side, many of our clients still deliver CAD prints to their construction crews and other stakeholders.
Our next software push will include a dynamic map deliverable interface that will allow users to configure custom maps with markups to create robust, multi-page designs. Users will be able to configure the styles/legend displayed and will have full control of creating and editing map markups and leaders. The resolution of these items will be fixed to a specific scale, unlike our standard design labels that hold the same relative size as you zoom and pan around the map. You can see one example of these new maps below.
Thanks for reading! Questions or comments? Call us at (717) 432-0716 or send us an email at contact@katapultengineering.com