Published: October 24, 2025
Seeing a project take shape before the first shovel hits the ground can change everything: how it’s designed, how it’s discussed, and how decisions get made.
Across McElhanney, our integrated workflow connects expertise in geomatics and geospatial services with visualization and virtual / augmented reality. By combining drone and terrestrial capture with 3D models and immersive tools like AR / VR and virtual walkthroughs, our teams can place a street, a bridge, or an entire neighbourhood in its real-world setting long before construction begins.
That early view helps interest holders compare options, understand what’s practical, and make decisions sooner, often avoiding redesigns and delays later on.
The video below – created by our Kamloops team – shows how data from the field becomes an interactive model that guides early decisions:
“The ability to capture primary data, turn it over quickly, and have it be the foundation for our visualization tools lets us produce multiple concepts,” says Thomas Dunkley, Kamloops Survey Division Manager. “We believe this brings the real-world and constructability aspect to the amazing visualization tools that our engineering groups use on a daily basis.”
Across projects, these tools are reshaping early planning. Teams can capture data quickly, compare designs side by side, and provide everyone involved – from clients to community members – a clearer view of what’s being proposed and how it would work on the ground.
What once demanded translation now speaks for itself: changing how projects take shape and expanding what’s possible for clients and communities.
Learn more about McElhanney’s integrated geospatial services here.