“I have fond memories of my time in the field, especially working on rural cadastral projects in the Canterbury back country. A helicopter trip to access control marks along the Kaikoura Ranges was a particular highlight!  Working for a larger NZ company allowed for relocating between offices, and we were fortunate to spend 2.5 years in Nelson, which exposed me to challenging land development projects on steep terrain” – Lennon Bedford

Throughout the first 5 years of my career, I worked hard on the projects that were required to become a Licensed Cadastral Surveyor.  Licensing is a big responsibility and required a wide variety of experience which built on my degree.  After becoming a Licensed Cadastral Surveyor, I was ready to see the world. I took a punt applying for a role at the Leica Geosystems headquarters in Heerbrugg, Switzerland and, to my shock and excitement, was offered the job.

I spent the next nine years in Switzerland working on the development of GNSS systems, including reference stations, rovers and machine control solutions, drawing on my experience to help shape the products that many Surveyors around the world are using today.

I never expected my survey degree to take me to Finland to install GNSS guidance systems on drill rigs or ski fields in the Austrian Alps to test GNSS guided snow groomers!

What is your current role?

I have a dual role at Global Survey. The customer-focussed component is leading our Reality Capture team (working with drones, airborne LiDAR, static and mobile laser scanners) and I am also the Branch Manager for our South Island office based in Christchurch, as part of the Senior Leadership Team I’m involved in strategic planning and developing the business nationally.

What does your role entail?

My role is focused on helping our customers succeed. That starts with meeting with Surveyors and other professionals and developing a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities they face in their business, then equipping them with the right technology and supporting them with training and technical support to help them get the best possible return on their investment.

I’m a technical specialist in what we term Reality Capture technologies. This includes laser scanners, UAV’s and advanced software for data processing and delivery.  I need to keep on top of the technologies and customer applications, to be the expert means making time for my own training and development, it’s a big part of my work.

One of the things our team is most proud of, is the launch and growth of the Autonomy & Reality Capture Hub (ARCH NZ). This user-group offers genuine help and advice via webinars and in-person events, supporting Reality Capture practitioners from all sorts of industries.  Especially rewarding is witnessing the time and effort invested by NZ professionals into sharing their projects and expertise for the benefit of the community.

How long have you been with Global Survey?

I’ve been with Global Survey for eight and a half years.  The time has flown by!

What products and services does Global Survey provide?

Our mission is to help drive a geospatial technology-led transformation of the construction industry.

We are the Leica Geosystems distributor for New Zealand and provide a full suite of measurement and positioning technology, backed by a nationwide team of dedicated experts who service the instruments and provide high quality technical support to our customers.

Global Survey also owns and operates SmartFix, New Zealand’s largest Network RTK service, with 128 stations located close to where our customers work.

What are some of the challenges and rewards in what you do?

Technology moves incredibly quickly these days. Whether it’s new hardware, software, GNSS signals, cloud-hosted services or communication technologies, it’s important for us to stay focused on what our customers actually need and provide the guidance and support that helps them thrive in a competitive industry.

Working with a high calibre team is pretty rewarding, we’re all focussed on the same thing – seeing our customers succeed with the help of our technology and expertise. I really enjoy opening peoples’ eyes to the possibilities that technology solutions deliver, that lightbulb moment when they understand the benefits.

I feel fortunate to have with helped with the laser scanning of both the Forsyth Bar stadium in Dunedin and the new Te Kaha stadium in Christchurch and various pro-bono heritage projects such as the Lyttleton Tug and the Akaroa Lighthouse. I’ve flown UAVs over the Castle Hill rocks for a university research project and scanned the underground tunnel network at the fortress on Ripapa Island in Lyttleton harbour. The diversity of the projects our customers are involved with always keeps my job interesting!

How did your background prepare you for this?

Working as a Surveyor gave me a strong understanding of the challenges and pressures Surveyors face day to day and the consequences when technology fails. I know what it’s like to have a concrete truck waiting to pour while your survey controller refuses to connect to the instrument.

My years at Leica Geosystems also gave me an in-depth understanding of how survey technology works behind the scenes, along with a strong global network of experts that I still rely on today.

What opportunities are available to graduates and industry professionals at Global Survey?

Working for a technology provider can be a rewarding career for people who enjoy problem solving and working closely with customers. We’re also fortunate to be deeply connected with the wider surveying community and get hands on with a variety of projects, everything from day-to-day work up to major infrastructure projects.

I’ve also had the privilege of attending various international conferences and trainings around the world to stay up to date with the latest technology. It’s a perk of the job I don’t take for granted.

Finally, the fact that Surveyors are such a good bunch of people to work with makes the job really enjoyable. The industry offers a great mix of technology, innovation and practical problem solving and I never hesitate to recommend the profession to young people looking for an exciting, varied and rewarding career.

This article was first published in The Measure Magazine by Survey and Spatial New Zealand