Vocus, a provider of mission-critical private networks across Australia’s mining regions, uses Trendspek to digitise site inspections, cut mobilisation time, and centralise site data, empowering stakeholders to plan with confidence before
setting foot on site.
We spoke with Mark Gasseling, Underground & METS Solutions Team Lead at Vocus.
Vocus delivers private LTE networks that support autonomous haulage, real-time sensors, and production systems in some of the most remote areas of Australia. Managing these networks requires careful planning and oversight to ensure reliable operations.
“Many Vocus private LTE networks are running mission-critical operations at mines,” explains Mark Gasseling, Underground & METS Solutions Team Lead at Vocus.
For Vocus, identifying and planning critical upgrade work meant sending multiple engineers and specialist contractors to remote sites for pre-inspection. This involved coordinating multiple contractors, managing OHS paperwork, transporting heavy equipment, and collating enough data to plan work.
“Before we do any work at a remote site, we do a full pre-site inspection – the hut, the available space, and how we'll run the cables. When we’re working so remotely, we have to plan everything in advance and know exactly where every piece of equipment will be installed before we arrive.”
“There’s a lot we need to do before we climb a tower to install equipment. Capturing a 3D model of the tower by drone in advance removes the need to get a rigging team out to do that work.”
Whilst Engineers received photos and reports from contractors, these often lacked context, making it difficult to measure, plan, or fully understand site conditions.
“In the past, it could be hard to make sense of what you were actually looking at – we’d have a bunch of close-up photos with no perspective and no real sense of the space. Without that three-dimensional context, the pictures just didn’t tell the full story.”
Mark Gasseling
Underground & METS Solutions Team Lead, Vocus
Vocus
Inspections completed in under two hours instead of half a day or longer
Inspection programs cut from two
weeks to one
Rigger callout costs removed for pre-inspection work
High-risk climbs eliminated during
inspection and planning
With digital records to eliminate
variability
Exact measurements and supply
lengths ordered without re-visits
Vocus adopted Trendspek’s platform to digitise the pre-inspection process and create a single source of truth for all site data.
Using drones and 3D modelling, the team could capture high-resolution imagery, contextual measurements, and azimuth orientation of equipment. This allowed Vocus to annotate, measure, and verify hardware placement, all within a secure, cloud-based workspace hosted in Australia.
“Now we have 3D models that anyone can refer to years later and immediately understand. This is so helpful because every site is a custom design; no two sites are the same.”
By combining drone captures with Trendspek’s collaborative tools, Vocus is eliminating the reliance on multiple file shares, spreadsheets, and fragmented photos. All stakeholders, from owners, to engineers, to contractors, could now view the same visual record, annotate key points, and plan projects with confidence.
Trendspek has enabled Vocus to reduce the need for personnel in high-risk areas by replacing traditional rigging-based pre-inspections with digital inspections. This not only improves safety but also significantly reduces the complex logistics of coordinating contractors in remote locations.
“Mining sites have strict safety requirements – they have preferred rigging contractors, specific compliance paperwork, and because tower climbing is classified as high-risk work, there are a lot of steps to work through before anyone goes up. On top of that, there’s the logistics of getting riggers’ equipment out to remote mining locations, which adds time and cost before the work even starts.”
“By capturing the data ourselves with a drone, we eliminate the need to bring in a rigging team – which can cost several thousand dollars a day.”
Inspections that once took half a day can now be completed in under two hours, allowing Vocus to capture multiple sites in a single day and reduce mobilisation from nearly two weeks to one.
Mark Gasseling
Underground & METS Solutions Team Lead
Vocus
With Trendspek, engineers can measure cable runs, verify hardware placement, and annotate 3D models to plan projects before arriving on site.
“Where we used to estimate cable lengths by eye, Trendspek now lets us measure everything precisely – so we can order exactly what we need rather than over-ordering and cutting back on site.”
“The azimuth projections… we can mark up each antenna and verify exactly which direction it's pointing – which is critical for confirming that what was physically installed matches what was designed.”
“It’s been easy for our team to adopt – the team has a strong background in CAD, so the transition wasn't a big leap.”
Engineers and contractors can plan lifts and material needs ahead of site visits, which is critical in remote areas where unplanned adjustments can be costly, or impossible.
“Working in remote locations means planning has to be exact – you can't make a second trip if something's been missed. Having the model lets us draw everything up and arrive on site knowing precisely where each piece of equipment is going.”
Trendspek centralises site data in a secure environment that ensures compliance for sensitive industrial and government projects. Engineers, project managers, and site contractors can annotate, review, and reference the same 3D environment.
“Having that data in a clear visual format – rather than flicking through folders of photos on SharePoint – means the team back in the office can work a lot more efficiently.”
“More people get a genuine understanding of the site and the scope of work – rather than trying to piece it together from a handful of flat photos,” adds Mark. “When we do bring in a rigging team, they can access the model too – so they arrive on site already knowing how they're going to approach the job.”
This shared visibility improves workflow efficiency, reduces the risk of miscommunication, and provides a living record of sites for future projects. Repeat captures have allowed Vocus to track changes, maintain hardware, and plan long-term interventions.
Teams can also view the 3D model alongside raw images, making it easy to cross-check details and verify information quickly.
“We looked at alternatives, and Trendspek stood out on ease of use. You can navigate directly to any point on the model, open the photo browser, and see every image captured at that location. Other platforms we evaluated made it harder to get to the raw images when you needed them.”
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