Underground Utility Mapping Market - Growth, Trends, COVID-19 Impact, and Forecasts (2022 - 2027)

The underground utility mapping market is projected to grow at 9.4% CAGR during the forecast period of 2021 - 2026. Underground utility mapping is used to determine the utility location such as pipework or electric wires buried underground. The underground utility mapping is a crucial part of the civil engineering process, which saving time and money on costly reparative work caused by striking utilities. With the help of an accurate utility map, the project planners can accurately plan costs for work to be done. However, the accuracy of records and mapping are some of the problems for surveyors as mapping the location of hidden utility objects is a task inherently laced with difficulty.

Key Highlights

• Over the past few years, the subsurface utility engineering (SUE) industry has developed innovative ways of tackling the challenges of mapping underground utility infrastructure. Geophysical technologies like electromagnetic locators and ground-penetrating radars are used alongside non-technical means, like historical records, to gather sufficient subsurface infrastructure information.
• With the proliferation of smartphones in the last few years, the vendors are taking an opportunity to develop app-based mapping solutions to ease an engineer’s task. For instance, in July 2019, Radiodetection, a manufacturer of underground utility mapping tools, launched its Android mapping app compatible with the RF marker locator range and the cable, pipe, or RF marker range. The app uses Bluetooth connectivity to create, in a real-time map of buried utilities.
• Underground utility mapping can be benefitted through the significant adoption of cloud-based technologies. For instance, in 2019, in a major project in Toronto, a cloud-based data storage and inspection system called “Builterra” was used to standardize and centralize a considerable amount of inspection data and photos of the existing buried utilities. This cloud-related trend will create more opportunities fo this market in the coming years.
• With the increasing density of urban areas, some public infrastructures like utility lines are moving underground to free up space above. In the big data and data analytics era, the 3D mapping data can help understand the complex urban area. For example, the “Digital Underground” project at Singapore developed a 3D framework for utility data governance. The framework had used to manage the work progress status from the underground data capture to data usage.
• At the time of the COVID-19 pandemic, the underground utility mapping players are offering GIS-based mapping solutions to deal with the crisis. For example, Hexagon’s Geospatial division has developed publicly available map-based applications that can visualize the latest information regarding COVID-19.
• In April 2020, National Informatics Centre’s (NIC) Utility Mapping division has developed the GIS-based COVID-19 care integration in the “OneMap Greater Noida” portal for Greater Noida Authority. The newly developed portal enables the Authority to deal with the situation appropriately.

Key Market Trends

Ground Penetrating Radar Solution is Expected to Grow at a Significant Rate Over the Forecast Period

• Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) is the method of choice for utility mapping, which emits directional electromagnetic waves in the MHz and GHz range. GPR uses the electromagnetic signal to return to identify where underground utility infrastructure is located.
• The GPR technology is significantly accurate, and it can locate metallic and non-metallic utilities. Utility surveyors tend to prefer using ground-penetrating radar to conduct utility mapping surveys as it offers rapid data acquisition, less operation cost, and high-resolution imagery.
• The growth of the GPR segment of the market is attributed to new technology-based innovations by prominent players in the market. For instance, in June 2019, Hexagon AB introduced the Leica DSX, a portable ground-penetrating radar solution for underground utility detection. The newly developed product is designed to simplify the data capturing process and automate data processing.
• For detecting underground utilities, drone manufacturers are developing GPR-enabled drones, which will further create opportunities for the segment in the coming years. For instance, in March 2020, Terra Drone has completed a pilot project with the newly developed drone equipped with a ground-penetrating radar system. GPR-equipped drones can be used at different altitudes and speeds to locate underground utilities at a particular location.

North America Geographic Segment is Expected to Hold a Significant Share Throughout the Forecast Period

• The primary driving forces for the growth of the North America regional segment are the rising urbanization and significant presence of technology providers. These players are investing in research & development activities to offer innovative solutions to stay in the competitive market landscape.
• According to the record of the National Underground Asset Registry Advisory Group, the uncertainty to locate underground utilities costs the US economy on an average USD 50 billion annually, with more than 1,500 injuries, and near to 400 deaths over the past 20 years. This uncertainty is a major cause of highway construction delays owing to missing or inaccurate information about the mapping of underground utilities. These uncertainties of mapping utilities are bolstering the growth of cutting-edge technology-based solutions in the region.
• In the region, significant initiatives are taken to develop ways to share data about the underground utilities that are captured during construction. For example, the City of Chicago has launched a pilot program to deploy a platform for collecting data and sharing a 3D map of the underground.
• The region's players are also focusing on inorganic growth strategies to capture a significant share in the market, which further boosts the growth of this regional segment. For instance, in August 2019, Ground Penetrating Radar Systems had acquired Master Locators, a significant provider of private utility locating, vacuum excavation, concrete scanning, and SUE.

Competitive Landscape

The underground utility mapping market is moderately competitive and comprises a significant number of global and regional players. These players account for a considerable share in the market and focusing on expanding their client base across the globe. These players are focusing on research and development, strategic alliances, and other organic & inorganic growth strategies to earn a competitive edge throughout the forecast period.

• In June 2020, ProStar and Centerline Mapping entered into a strategic partnership to offer an educational platform that gives Civil Engineering students some professional-level courses with a focus on detecting the precise location of underground utilities.
• In March 2020, IDS GeoRadar, which is a Hexagon company, announced the launch of IQMaps. IQMaps is the latest GPR data analysis software that significantly improves productivity and provides real-time processing and visualization. This newly built software will help to provide customized analysis for the non-skilled & skilled utility mapping users.

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