UtilAlert - HydromaxUSA

Digging Activity Real-time Feedback and Alerts

How Do You Avoid Costly Damage to Utilities During Excavation?

UtilAlert™ – an innovative Notification System – is a “plug & play” excavator-mounted device, able to:

Discern the movement of digging activities through on-board multiple axis inertial measurement units
Capture the GPS location of the excavator
Transmit the information to a real-time GIS-enabled database through the cellular network.

Software evaluates the excavator location and digging activity with mapping of any connected utility and 811 dig ticket boundaries. When the software identifies a high-risk utility at the location using GIS mapping, the device alerts the excavator operator directly and both contractor and utility damage prevention teams through mobile and desktop apps. All parties can act to prevent damage before it occurs.

UtilAlert™ is the only early warning system you’ll need for your utility excavation project. Our easy-to-use, plug, and play component utilize real-time data from GPS coordinates and data from connected utilities to protect buried utilities.

Digging Deeper: Alerts & Geo-Fencing

Key to damage prevention is UtilAlert™’s onboard multi-axis Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) and patent-pending software that enables alerts and geo-fencing. The operator notification system includes a loud buzzer, flashing lights, and a message screen. Management alerts are flexible and customer-defined through an online interface. Alert systems can be through email or text messaging as selected.

The IMU also provides geo-fencing of fleet storage yards and real-time access to the last known position on mobile and desktop applications- improving fleet management and recovery of missing equipment.

Overwhelmingly Positive Feedback

More than 150 prototype devices have been demonstrated in the field by PG&E and a variety of excavators, including construction companies, agriculture users, and municipalities.

Feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with users praising:

The plug and play set-up
Convenient mobility
Fast response and robustness of the devices
Improving the overall fleet management capabilities

Are You A Contractor?

Benefit from reduced damage due to excavation activity and better equipment management. The UtilAlert™ mobile and desktop apps allow for tracking of the excavator assets in a map view, and the software sends notifications as well.

UtilAlert™ is available on both mobile and desktop apps. As a contractor, UtilAlert™ can minimize the expense of damage to connected utilities, avoid costly delays, and provides enhanced safety to both employees and the public.

Additional UtilAlert™ benefits:

Minimize the cost of damages
Avoid delays to completion schedules

Enhance safety for workers and the general public.
Allows all stakeholders to benefit from enhancing situational awareness and reducing risk

The UtilAlert™ Story

Operations Technology Development (OTD), a member-driven consortium of natural gas utilities working together to develop technology solutions for safe and reliable infrastructure operations, signed an agreement for commercialization of the system with Hydromax USA, a leader in data-centric solutions for inspection of gas, water and sewer utilities. OTD engaged GTI, a leading research, development, and deployment company that has been addressing energy technology and environmental challenges for more than 75 years, to develop the system. Additional support for the system development came from the California Energy Commission and Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E), a California-based utility.