Nunavut Harbour Surveys

Project Snapshot

Project Overview

Introduction

Underhill Geomatics supported pre‑construction planning for new small craft harbours in Resolute Bay and Grise Fiord, Nunavut, the two northernmost communities in Canada. Delivered for Worley Consulting Ltd. and the Government of Nunavut, this project involved high‑resolution topographic surveying and control establishment to support the future design and construction of critical marine infrastructure, including breakwaters, docks, and boat launches.

Project Challenges

Conducting survey work in Canada’s High Arctic presented significant logistical and environmental challenges. Extreme weather conditions, including below‑freezing temperatures and snowfall in August, impacted field operations. Compounding these challenges, airline cancellations resulted in only half of the survey equipment arriving on site, requiring the team to adapt quickly with limited resources. Remote access, high mobilization costs, and wildlife presence (including polar bears) further increased the project’s complexity.

Underhill’s Approach

A visit to the local recycling depot/solid waste facility provided the necessary materials to accurately
replicate missing equipment, such as tripods and survey poles. The field crew demonstrated exceptional problem-solving skills, and innovation adapting quickly to complete the task with limited resources.

Underhill deployed a highly experienced single‑person field crew with advanced UAV and GNSS expertise, supported by a multidisciplinary geospatial team working remotely. A new GNSS control network was established using static baselines, forming the foundation for all subsequent survey work and future construction activities. UAV data collection formed the core of the topographic survey, supplemented with ground‑based GNSS observations for critical features. Land‑based data was seamlessly integrated with bathymetric information collected by Frontier Geosciences to generate a comprehensive harbour plan.

Notable Outcomes

Underhill successfully captured GNSS data and integrated Canadian Hydrographic Service monuments
that had not been observed since the 1970s. This significant achievement represents a crucial advancement for the Canadian government in supporting positioning and navigation in Canada’s High
Arctic.

The use of UAVs played a pivotal role in the success of the project and allowed for the collection of high resolution imagery that was delivered to the communities to aid in future development. The current
imagery and topographic maps will serve as valuable resources for infrastructure planning, community
development and provide essential data for informed decision-making in the region.

Team Involvement

Typically, a project of this complexity would require a two-person crew. However, due to the remote
location and the high costs associated with sending multiple personnel, Underhill was limited to deploying a single surveyor for this project. This task demanded an individual with extensive UAV expertise, a passion for the work, and experience in remote environments.

Serianna Schroh was selected as the Underhill representative for this project in Canada’s high arctic. As a Canada Lands Surveyor in training with years of UAV experience, a strong commitment to her craft, and the ability to work independently, she was well-suited for the challenge.

Thael Hill, a Canada Lands Surveyor with extensive experience in Canada’s Arctic, played a crucial role by providing valuable knowledge and guidance.

The geospatial team, driven by their diverse backgrounds, worked cohesively to support Serianna on-site and ensure project success. Their collaborative efforts and shared dedication to excellence proved to be an indispensable asset to the overall project team and enabled them to overcome challenges and deliver high quality results.

Technical Highlights

• UAV‑based topographic survey using DJI Mavic 3 Enterprise
• Static GNSS control network established with Trimble R10 and R12i receivers
• Orthophotos, point clouds, and ground‑only surfaces generated using Agisoft Metashape and Topodot
• Network adjustment completed in Trimble Business Center
• Final topographic plans drafted in Civil 3D
• Integrated terrestrial survey data with marine bathymetry for a unified harbour dataset

Project Impact

This project delivered critical baseline data to support safe, resilient harbour development in some of Canada’s most remote northern communities. The resulting topographic and control datasets will inform design, construction, and navigation for decades to come, while demonstrating Underhill’s capacity to deliver innovative, reliable geomatics solutions in extreme and logistically challenging environments.

Client Testimonial

“I just wanted to touch base and pass on my (and our teams) thanks for Serianna’s attitude and efforts in the field during the recent field work in Resolute and Grise fiord.

As you know, she had that missing container (even though it was shipped in plenty of time) and while
items were missing, she got on with it with little to no fuss collecting the data that we required. Even
without knowing that we could source tripods, she was working towards practical solutions. She also
adapted on the fly when the survey area was expanded at Resolute Bay!

While I thanked her for efforts in the field and on departure, I just wanted to pass on the thanks and
recognition for her efforts to you, as it was much appreciated.”

Jon Woods, P.Geo
Worley Consulting