United Robotic Systems
GPS-Guided AI Excavation
Built for South Florida
LiDAR-assisted, sensor-fused autonomous excavation delivering NAVD88-precise trench work, seawall prep, and foundation excavation integrated with a licensed GC workflow.
The Technology
Excavation That Knows
Where It Is, Always
Conventional excavation relies on surveyor stakes, manual grade checks, and operator experience to reach target elevation. In South Florida, where seawall footings require centimeter precision against NAVD88 and standing water complicates visual reference, that model produces rework.
The United Robotic Systems excavator fuses RTK-GPS, LiDAR, and onboard IMU data into a continuous ground model. Target elevation is set once. The machine tracks deviation in real time and self-corrects. Every cut is logged with coordinates, depth, and timestamp, creating a complete chain of record from trench to permit closeout.
Integrated with the GC layer: Every excavation sequence is coordinated with BAM Construction's licensed PE team. Drawings are on file before the bucket touches ground. Inspections are scheduled against the logged dig record, not operator memory.
Core Capabilities
What the Machine Delivers
NAVD88 Precision Grading
Every trench, footing, and graded surface is cut to target elevation referenced against NAVD88. The system compares each bucket pass to the project datum and corrects in the next pass without stopping. Site grading tolerances that previously required multiple surveyor visits are achieved in a single mobilization.
Automated Field Record
Geo-tagged depth logs, timestamps, and elevation confirmations are generated continuously. PDF inspection packages are ready at job close, not days later.
360-Degree Obstacle Detection
LiDAR and ultrasonic arrays scan the full work zone. Incursion into a 6-foot exclusion boundary triggers an automatic hold, protecting crew, equipment, and underground utilities.
Waterfront-Capable Platform
The system operates in tidal and submerged conditions with sealed electronics rated for saltwater exposure. Seawall trench profiles are cut to spec without above-water visual reference.
GC Permit-Ready Output
Excavation logs export in formats accepted by Miami-Dade BORA, Broward, and Palm Beach permit offices, eliminating manual as-built preparation from the closeout workflow.
Applications
Where It Gets Deployed
Six primary use cases, each with a documented precision requirement that manual excavation cannot consistently meet.
Seawall Trench Preparation
Sheet pile and concrete seawall installation requires a trench cut to an exact profile: bottom elevation, side angles, and footing clearance must all meet engineer specifications. In tidal conditions, visual reference disappears. The AI excavator references a pre-loaded design file and cuts the profile autonomously, logging every linear foot for the PE review package.
- ✓ Bottom elevation held to NAVD88 within 15mm
- ✓ Tidal and submerged operation, sealed electronics
- ✓ Trench profile log delivered with permit closeout package
Foundation and Footing Excavation
Residential and commercial foundations in Miami-Dade and Broward require footings at specific NAVD88 elevations to clear flood zone requirements. Manual grade verification adds surveyor calls and delays. The AI excavator reaches target depth and stops, with no over-excavation and no second survey call needed before the concrete pour.
- ✓ Flood zone NAVD88 elevation compliance built in
- ✓ No over-excavation, no footing form rework
- ✓ Automatic hold if underground utility strike risk detected
NAVD88 Site Grading and Utility Trenching
HOA, commercial, and multifamily site grading in South Florida's flat topography requires consistent slope execution to manage drainage and meet finished floor elevation requirements. Utility trench depth must coordinate with grade. The AI excavator runs both operations from the same design file, eliminating coordination errors between the grading pass and the trench pass.
- ✓ Drainage slope executed to design tolerance across full site
- ✓ Utility trench depth coordinated with finished grade model
- ✓ As-built grading record auto-generated at job close
Deployment Process
From Permit Set to Signed Closeout
Design File Ingestion
PE-stamped drawings and surveyor benchmark data are loaded into the system. Target elevations are set to NAVD88 datum before mobilization.
Autonomous Excavation
The machine executes the dig sequence from the design file. RTK-GPS and LiDAR maintain position. An operator supervises and retains override authority at all times.
Real-Time Log Generation
Depth, coordinates, and timestamps are written continuously. Deviation alerts flag any pass that exceeds tolerance before the next bucket sequence begins.
GC-Reviewed Closeout Package
The BAM licensed GC team reviews the logged record, signs off on the as-built, and delivers the permit closeout package to the authority having jurisdiction.
GC Integration
Robotic Precision, Licensed GC Accountability
The gap between autonomous excavation technology and a permitted project is the licensed GC layer. Without a GC of record, the precision data the machine generates cannot be submitted to the permit office, and an inspector has no licensed party to sign the as-built.
BAM Construction closes that gap. The same team that controls the AI excavator holds the Florida GC license, coordinates PE-stamped drawings, schedules inspections, and delivers the permit closeout package. Clients receive one contract, one point of contact, and one liability chain from design-file loading through final sign-off.
Federal procurement-ready: BAM's bonded GC status and DOD performance record satisfy federal contracting prerequisites. The AI excavator is available as part of federal and municipal project packages in Florida.
Common Questions
Questions Before You Engage
Before any excavation begins, the project design file is loaded with utility strike-exclusion zones sourced from Sunshine State One Call (811) locates and PE-reviewed drawings. The LiDAR and ultrasonic arrays monitor the zone during operation. If the bucket path approaches a flagged exclusion boundary, the system halts and alerts the operator. The operator reviews and either approves a modified path or calls for a manual pothole before resuming.
Yes. Electronics are sealed to IP67 for saltwater-splash operation. RTK-GPS operates independent of visual reference, so tidal fluctuation does not affect elevation accuracy. For seawall trench prep and sheet piling work where the trench bottom is fully submerged, the system maintains NAVD88 depth reference throughout the cut. Tidal corrections are applied automatically using real-time datum correction from NOAA benchmarks.
The system generates a geo-tagged depth log in CSV format and a formatted PDF field record that includes trench profile, NAVD88 elevations at logged intervals, timestamps, and deviation summary. BAM Construction's licensed GC team reviews the record, attaches it to the as-built package, and delivers it to the authority having jurisdiction. Miami-Dade BORA, Broward Building, and Palm Beach Building divisions have all accepted this documentation format.
Because the excavation work requires a licensed GC of record for permit submission, the AI excavator is deployed as part of a BAM Construction contract. The GC engagement can be scoped specifically to the excavation scope, with BAM holding permit responsibility for that phase only. For clients who already have a GC of record and want the precision excavation technology, a sub-contract arrangement can be structured. Contact us to discuss the project structure.
The AI excavator is deployed on projects where excavation precision is a permit or engineering requirement, not just a convenience. Appropriate project types include seawall replacement, bulkhead installation, marine pile cap work, commercial and multifamily foundations in SFHA flood zones, HOA site grading with drainage engineering requirements, and federal or municipal site work with documentation deliverable requirements. Minimum project scope for mobilization is typically 80 linear feet of trench or 2,000 square feet of graded area. Larger projects and multi-phase site work are the best fit.
Request Consultation
Discuss Your Project
Describe the excavation scope and we will follow up within one business day with a proposal framework.
Request Received
We will review your project details and respond within one business day.
United Robotic Systems
Excavation That Documents Itself
Every trench, every elevation, every timestamp on record before the inspector arrives. BAM Construction brings the licensed GC layer that turns precision excavation data into a permit-ready as-built.
Miami-Dade | Broward | Palm Beach | Florida Licensed GC | DOD Performance Record