Stunning photogrammetric 3D models of undersea structures

In recent years, Vectrino d.o.o. has been intensively using remotely operated underwater vehicles (ROVs) to provide clients better monitoring and insight into the state of their undersea property. A team of engineers in Croatia developed a method for managing underwater property in shallow coastal areas (up to 300m below the surface) significantly easier. Utilising Vectrino's technology and domain  expertise, survey images are obtained and used to create a 3D model that allows clients real insight into the state of underwater buildings and structures.  Vectrino creates 'digital twins' of buildings and structures located underwater.  It’s as if the water is "drained", allowing the 3D model to provide precise insight into the state of the area captured. Any damage or deterioration can then be detected easily, allowing timely planning of repairs and maintenance.

The Nira.app platform makes it easy for Vectrino to share their stunning images and models with both their clients and other stakeholders. We spoke with Josip Rukavina, director of Vectrino, about his experiences using the platform and its business benefits.

To start with, can you tell us something about the work you do?

In essence, Vectrino is a company that makes asset management professionals' jobs easier. The equipment and technology we use gives us access to hard-to-reach locations within buildings and structures that we survey.  We specialise in aerial and underwater property surveying by using drones and submarines (ROVs). Our clients manage property that is extremely difficult to supervise. This makes planning and maintenance a demanding job. We are able to do underwater surveying at depths up to 300 metres. We also perform a variety of inspections that includes nearshore outfalls, pipelines, coastal walls, underwater port, and harbour inspections. 

Our clients expect that the images we provide them are of excellent quality so that damaged areas are easy to detect. By also providing a 'digital twin' of their property, they can also inspect all of the surfaces and plan future steps from the comfort of their office.   If we find damage, it's important that the damage be documented by both type and geolocation. The faithful representation of these 3D models makes our clients decision-making processes much easier.

How do you use the Nira.app platform in your work?

We make amazing undersea photogrammetric models. Without Nira.app, it was not possible to easily view or share them. As civil engineers, we use Nira.app to show all stakeholders how the surveyed structure looks and what condition they are in — right down to the finest detail. Nira is a revolutionary technology compared to what was previously possible, no other online tool offers the ability to view every bit of the captured detail like Nira. Typically, when sharing 3D models, you’re forced to reduce your models file size down to 500MB or less. You can imagine how much data is lost when reducing our source data down from 50 GB down to 500 MB.  Reducing the quality would result in a huge reduction of the faithful accuracy of the representation. Until now, we didn't have a tool to upload such large data sets.

How have your clients reacted to using this platform?

We distribute all of our models to our clients via Nira.app. We also provide our clients the original data, but Nira.app allows them to access it instantly and easily on any device. They praise how they find Nira to be easy to use, intuitive, and quick. I really like how supervisors and contractors can review the project at the same time and provide feedback. 

Do you use Nira.app for anything else besides B2B communication?

Nira.app has proven to be an excellent tool for our marketing campaigns. We have been receiving inquiries about our methodology and services from all over the globe.  Now we can finally share our finished digital twin projects as part of a presentation. We often post on LinkedIn, drawing a large number of experts from across the globe who are interested in similar work.

Nira.app can process all our biggest models, so you can see all the details in real time. Regardless of who we share a link with, anyone can open it and gain insight into what we've done. It all works very fast, and in today's age, that's a huge added value and advantage.

A few years ago, we created a 3D model of the Cathedral of St. Jacob in Šibenik (Croatia). This was used to create three 3D printed physical models showing the three phases of the cathedral's construction. So far, we have only been able to share our images of the cathedral (which were made using precise drone flights) with the public as a video or photograph. But today, thanks to Nira.app, we can finally share it as a 3D model of the space and structure that can be examined down to the last detail.

Which projects from your Nira.app portfolio have drawn the most interest?

That is definitely the first digital twin of a small port in Croatia. The level of detail that you can examine on this 500-metre-long coastal wall in 50 seconds is fascinating and with a level of precision down to just a one centimetre margin of error when compared against the real physical structure.

Everything located underwater can be seen with crystal clarity, and it's incredibly impressive. For us, Nira.app is an important, high-quality tool to process all the work that we do in the field. Using this platform has significantly improved our business and communications with both our clients and the public.

What are your future plans with the business and the equipment that you use?

We're a company that is always thinking one step ahead and using the newest technology. Many of the tools that we need for specific tasks are developed in-house in our R&D department. We like to adopt anything that increases efficiency.  For us, having a detailed 3D model that is accessible at anytime is a big step forward in efficiency.  We will continue refining the methodology that we've devised. As it is the only one of its kind in the world, there has been great interest on the international market from various countries. In the next few years, we are planning to expand to foreign markets with our undersea survey model, as well as licensing and training to implement our methods of inspecting underwater buildings and structures.