Soarvo and the spatial revolution – why everyone’s invited

“Surveying isn’t just about surveyors, right?… it’s about the power of spatial understanding for everyone.”

That’s what Barry Bassnet published on LinkedIn recently – and let’s just say his post sparked more interest than a KOREC consultant arriving on site with a bag of warm doughnuts! And why did he make this comment? Because he’d just seen a demonstration of Soarvo, a new cloud-based platform that reimagines how 3D spatial data should look, feel and function for a much broader audience, one that’s well beyond the usual circle of geospatial professionals.

Barry suggested that we’ve become so laser-focused on CAD deliverables that we risk reducing rich, multi-dimensional data into flat lines on a page. Accurate lines, for sure -but certainly less accessible to the many people who could actually benefit from the data; a list that includes project managers, planners, environmental consultants, utility specialists and even the general public. These are the typical stakeholders who need to understand space and context so why not give them a format that makes sense, and why not ensure that the software that provides this information is truly visual with a user interface so intuitive that nobody needs expensive training on how to use it?

…and the solution is Soarvo

Here at KOREC we have the means for our customers to do exactly that thanks to Soarvo. Humans are visual creatures (we process visuals 60,000 times faster than text) and Soarvo taps into that by presenting survey data from any number of different sensors in an intuitive, interactive 3D environment that even the non-technical can navigate with ease. Remember how Google Earth revolutionised map navigation…that’s what Soarvo can do for survey data.

We’ve already talked about Soarvo functionality in an earlier blog ‘Born of Frustration’, and how it can unlock the full value of geospatial data but today we’re not here to talk about some hypothetical use case, it’s time to show the results from real world projects and where better to start than with a Soarvo highlight – the drone workflow.  

We therefore despatched our KOREC drone specialist to undertake two drone focused projects that would not only showcase Soarvo’s data handling and processing but also the Wingtra Gen II drone with VTOL:

Drone project 1: Into the woods

Our first mission? A dense forest survey to assess tree density and map the terrain for flood risk analysis. For this, the Wingtra Gen II, fitted with a LiDAR sensor, was the obvious choice thanks to its ability to penetrate through thick canopy and deliver multiple returns.

Once complete, the LiDAR was swiftly swapped out for Wingtra’s premium RGB61 camera and the site was re-flown at 100 metres (up from 80m). Same flight plan, fresh perspective.

Processing the Data

Data was processed in the Wingtra LiDAR app, then seamlessly uploaded into Soarvo – a simple drag and drop – and instantly ready to be explored, analysed, and shared with a far wider audience, all with zero fuss.

Soarvo standouts on this project

1. See the forest and the ground: The Wingtra Gen II with LiDAR cuts through the forest’s canopy to ground level. Once in Soarvo, the point cloud can be colourised by height and then a clipping plane used to show data just at ground level for better assessing flood risk.

Point cloud colourised by height

• Focus only on what you need: Soarvo has the ability to read point cloud classifications and remove the ones not relevant to your application from view. In this case we created a purely ground level view to analyse the natural drainage within the forest and to examine where the ditches converge and assess what is happening in these vulnerable areas.

Showing the natural drainage within the forest

• RGB data rendered in seconds: With the RGB61 sensor data, we produced an ultra-accurate 3D model of the forest that loads and renders impressively fast. Bonus: Soarvo allows you to drape the orthomosaic over the terrain, offering a rich, contextualised visual that’s miles ahead of a flat 2D map.

                   Orthomosaic draped over the terrain

• Snapshots with measurements: The ‘Snapshot’ tool came in handy for exporting JPEGs with embedded measurements. This function is ideal for briefing teams and stakeholders – no confusion, just clear visuals with context.

• Buit in GIS – done properly: Unlike most platforms, Soarvo includes full GIS functionality. Create features, draw polygons, and record detailed attribute data – not just vague notes. A great time saver, everything in one place, exactly where you need it.

Permission to fly the forest kindly granted by Phillip Wilcox-Moore, Managing Director, Axter Ltd. We’ll be covering this community story in an upcoming case study.

Drone Project 2: No stone unmeasured

Next up, a quarry stockpile survey. This time, it was all about volume calculations with a single flight using the RGB61 sensor. Just 7 minutes and 152 images later, the job was done.

Processing the drone data:

This data was processed in Soarvo by simply uploading the raw images in a zip file. Once loaded, Soarvo takes care of the rest generating an orthomosaic, 3D mesh and point cloud. No third-party software required, no CAD skills required and all processed and ready for sharing in typically, under an hour.

Soarvo standouts on this project

1. Calculate volumes, fast!  Let’s start with the main aim of this project, volume calculations – a regular need in quarry operations because that’s where the value lies. With Soarvo, it’s refreshingly easy, simply draw a polygon around the stockpile base, hit ‘calculate volume’, and you’re done. As accurate as traditional GPS-based surveys only faster, easier, safer and with the option for putting down more points for even higher accuracy, all completed from the desk.

• Context matters: Unlike many platforms, Soarvo shows your drone generated point cloud in full context – no black voids, just clean, continuous terrain on a choice of background mapping that adds the sort of extra context you need for a true real-world view, ideal for planning access, security etc.

• More ways for easy visualisation: Simply use the ‘snapshot’ function with added notes or measurements for easy insights without any technical expertise required.

Quarry point cloud shown in context to surroundings – no black void!

‘Snapshot’ with measurements

Calculating stockpile volumes – add as many points as you wish

Volume calculation report

And general to both projects – four more Soarvo benefits

No limits on the number of people who have access to the data

It’s all about making spatial data more accessible to more stakeholders – securely and without limits. Anyone you grant access can view the data straight from a web browser, no installs, no restrictions.

Security is vital, so it’s named user access only

Importantly, by avoiding use of a hyperlink, security is increased and Soarvo users can share this data only through named user access. Data security has been a key building block in the development of Soarvo since its conception.

Unique to Soarvo – merge and view ALL your data in one place

With Soarvo, you can bring together all your datasets – regardless of sensor type – into a single, cohesive view. But it doesn’t stop there. You can create layers of other key information too, like CAD-based topo surveys, GIS data with feature and attribute details (eg, boreholes), or even supporting documents like drainage reports. Just click to open with no digging around. It’s a genuinely useful feature, and a unique one that sets Soarvo apart.

Add context to your data – no black voids here                                            

Soarvo provides context around your dataset and positions it in the real world rather than a giant black void. For example, your laser scan point cloud doesn’t sit in a black space, it’s positioned on to the background map of your choice from OS to Google to Bing. This opens up new doors with your clients who may need great data to check access to site etc.

And to sum up….

Undoubtedly CAD remains vital to our industry and is understandably widely popular, but as technology evolves, it becomes only part of a far richer story. The real value lies in how we make our geospatial data accessible, visual, and useful to everyone, not just specialists. And simply, that’s what makes Soarvo so exciting and relevant to an industry that needs its data to work harder and smarter – for us all.

Find out more about Soarvo by contacting KOREC for a chat or demonstration and visit Soarvo Stand G361 at GeoBusiness 2025.