Meet Dennis Shimer and Christian Bachman, Mapping Technicians! This dynamic duo is leading the charge in technological advancements, developing new processes, and crafting/creating 3D worlds that enhance our team’s ability to complete projects more safely, efficiently, and with greater insight into site areas and conditions. How do they achieve this? By leveraging aerial imagery from drones and fixed wing aircraft, combined with traditional photogrammetry techniques (using light and geometry for measurement and drawing). The mapping team produces detailed 3D maps filled with data points and measurements. When integrated with field survey data, these maps form the basemaps and surfaces that our engineering and design departments rely on to create their final deliverables.
Tell us about what you do and your role at GPD?
Dennis: I spent over 35 years at MAN Mapping, before GPD acquired us in late 2023. Transitioning from a small team to a large office was intimidating, but I’ve found it incredibly enjoyable and rewarding. We’ve focused on developing processes to optimize our tasks within the GPD workflow. I love strategizing to find the most efficient ways to work. The variety of jobs keeps things interesting and allows us to interact with different departments. My role involves creating maps of current site conditions using airborne imagery. Our 3D world helps supplement the most tedious, time-consuming, and dangerous tasks.
Christian: Like Dennis, I started my career at MAN Mapping and have enjoyed continuing my career at GPD. I help to create maps that show existing site conditions which our engineers and architects use to develop our projects. To the casual observer, it may look as though I am playing 3D games, but I create precise detailed maps which our teams use to develop our projects. My role also includes developing flight plans for acquisition of photographic imagery and lidar.
How did you decide on this career path?
Dennis: I’ve always loved mapping, math, computers, and photography. As a child, I would rearrange my room by first cutting out shapes and laying them on paper. But how I happened upon this was purely serendipitous. When I was in college, I was taking a shortcut through a building when I saw the mapping machines. I had not decided what to major in, and when I discovered photogrammetry was a combination of all the things I love in one place, I said this is what I want to do.
Christian: I was studying surveying at Penn State, and I was required to take a course on photogrammetry which I found very interesting. My professor inspired me to pursue this path that combined my interests in aviation, photography, and mapping.
What is your favorite part about what you do?
Dennis: One of the exciting things about being at GPD is collaborating with other survey teammates and communicating in real time with “the client” who is often also a coworker in a different discipline.
Christian: I really enjoy adding value to what we do here at GPD Group by providing our maps in a timely and cost-effective manner.
What interesting technology/changes are you seeing?
Dennis: In-house we would like to see if we could display the 3D virtual space in a way that could be used over Microsoft Teams or on a screen during a meeting. If you have 3D glasses, you would be able to see the model clearly. We want to try it in small audiences and possibly take it on the road. I also dream that at some point, there is a stereo mapping station in our Akron office, and we have developed processes that are so simple and so repeatable that someone could come in from the field and supplement or check areas without having to go back out, or use the system to do as much as they can before going out in the field.
We want to take the time-consuming, labor intensive, dangerous, or pain point parts of a survey and do as much as possible from the office. The folks who must go to the site can then focus on things we cannot do, primarily related to levels of precision or detail that can only be gathered in person.
Christian: Digital technology has accelerated our photographic processes. We have long used fixed-wing aircraft, but now, we also have the rapid response and proximity of drones along with ground and airborne laser scanners (LiDAR). Our drone operators, who are also surveyors, can establish ground coordinates on-site, allowing us to begin mapping with minimal lead time. We hope to integrate these technologies across all departments.
What do you enjoy most about working at GPD?
Dennis: I never imagined I’d be here at GPD, but waking up each day to work in such an incredible environment has truly exceeded my expectations. The joy I find in my work here is beyond anything I could have dreamed, especially when you factor in the great benefits. It’s been an amazing experience that has blown me away!
Christian: GPD has so many talented people, and it is refreshing to see the cooperation and humility that each brings to our work environment.
