For many civil construction companies, adopting machine guidance technology has traditionally meant navigating high equipment costs, complex systems, and a significant barrier to entry.

Digital Terrain Solutions is helping contractors across Canada and the United States overcome those challenges.

By combining practical implementation support with FJD Trion’s accessible GPS, GNSS, and machine control solutions, the company enables construction teams to improve jobsite accuracy, reduce manual labor, and achieve a faster return on their technology investment.

According to Cody DesRoches, Vice President of Digital Terrain Solutions, the FJD Trion Excavator Pro system can reduce labor requirements by up to 50%, with some customers recovering their investment within a year, or even within a single project. 

Watch the Customer Story

Hear directly from Cody DesRoches as he explains how FJD Trion helps make machine guidance technology more accessible, practical, and valuable for construction companies.

Customer Overview: About Digital Terrain Solutions

Digital Terrain Solutions is a geospatial solutions provider serving customers across Canada and the United States.

The company specializes in GPS, machine control, and GNSS/RTK technology, helping civil construction companies integrate precision positioning and digital construction tools into their daily operations.

Rather than acting solely as an equipment supplier, Digital Terrain Solutions positions itself as a digital construction partner. Its team supports contractors in selecting, implementing, and using cost-effective machine control and survey technologies across real-world jobsite environments.

Company: Digital Terrain Solutions

Representative: Cody DesRoches

Title: Vice President

Region: Canada and the United States

Industry: Geospatial Solutions and Construction Technology

Core Expertise: GPS, GNSS/RTK, Machine Control, Precision Construction

Featured Solution: FJD Trion EC100 Excavator Guidance System

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Digital Terrain Solutions has worked exclusively with FJD Trion products in Canada and the United States for four years. 

The Situation: Construction Companies Needed a More Accessible Path to Machine Guidance

Accurate positioning and machine guidance are becoming increasingly important in civil construction.

Contractors are under constant pressure to complete work faster, reduce rework, control labor costs, and deliver more consistent results. GPS, RTK, and machine control technologies can help address these demands by giving operators clearer, real-time guidance during excavation and other precision construction tasks.

However, advanced construction technology has not always been easy for every contractor to adopt.

Before working with FJD Trion, Digital Terrain Solutions saw an industry that remained heavily dependent on traditional measurement methods and higher-cost technology from established manufacturers.

For many construction businesses, the issue was not whether machine guidance could improve their operations. The issue was whether the technology was affordable, practical, and accessible enough to justify adoption.

The Challenges:

High Costs and Barriers Were Slowing Technology Adoption

Traditional machine guidance and measurement systems often presented several obstacles:

High Upfront Investment

The cost of equipment and supporting technology could make implementation difficult to justify, particularly for small and mid-sized construction companies.

Higher Barrier to Entry

Complex technology, installation requirements, and training demands could discourage teams that did not already have extensive experience with machine control systems.

Limited Accessibility

Contractors interested in improving precision and productivity did not always have access to a solution that balanced performance with affordability.

Difficulty Scaling Across Jobsites

When systems were costly or difficult to use, construction companies faced greater challenges deploying them across multiple machines, projects, or operator teams.

As Cody explained, competing technologies were often expensive and came with a higher barrier to entry. 

The Solution: Why Digital Terrain Solutions Chose FJD Trion

Digital Terrain Solutions began working with FJD Trion because the company offered more than an accessible product portfolio.

The partnership was also built on FJD Trion’s willingness to listen, improve, and respond to real customer feedback.

According to Cody, FJD Trion stood out from other brands because the team took recommendations seriously and implemented requested changes.

For Digital Terrain Solutions, that commitment to continuous improvement made FJD Trion a stronger long-term technology partner.

The core value of the partnership can be summarized in four areas.

1. Usability

Machine guidance technology only creates value when operators and teams can use it confidently in the field.

FJD Trion solutions are designed to make GPS, RTK, and machine guidance workflows more approachable for construction companies. This helps reduce the operational friction associated with adopting new technology and supports faster integration into daily jobsite activities.

As Cody summarized:

“FJD’s key value is usability.”

2. Affordability

The FJD Trion Excavator Pro system gives contractors access to advanced machine guidance capabilities at a more accessible price point.

This lower barrier to entry makes it easier for construction companies to evaluate, adopt, and scale the technology without the same level of financial commitment associated with many traditional systems.

For contractors, affordability is not simply about reducing the purchase price. It can also shorten the path to measurable return on investment.

3. Compatibility and Integration

Construction fleets often include equipment from multiple manufacturers.

FJD Trion’s ability to work with major brands helps customers integrate machine guidance technology into their existing equipment and operational workflows.

This compatibility reduces the need for companies to completely restructure their current setup before introducing more precise digital construction tools.

Cody highlighted that FJD Trion works well with major brands while providing customers with ease of use and straightforward integration. 

4. Continuous Improvement and Support

Digital Terrain Solutions also places significant value on FJD Trion’s sales and support team.

The partnership extends beyond equipment delivery. FJD Trion supports the company’s growth, ambitions, and ongoing work with contractors in Canada and the United States.

Customer feedback is treated as an input for product development rather than an isolated support request.

This approach enables solutions to evolve around practical needs observed in real construction environments.

The Product: The FJD Trion Excavator Guidance Systems

Among the FJD Trion solutions used by Digital Terrain Solutions, the Excavator Guidance systems are the most important products for the company’s business.

The systems bring machine guidance into the excavator cab, helping operators perform digging and grading work with clearer positioning information and greater confidence.

For construction companies, the value lies in the combination of:

• Accessible machine guidance
• Practical jobsite usability
• Compatibility with existing equipment
• Improved excavation accuracy
• Reduced dependence on manual grade checking
• Lower labor requirements
• Faster return on investment

Digital Terrain Solutions uses FJD Trion technology to support customers with:

• Excavator machine guidance
• GPS and GNSS-based positioning
• Precision construction workflows
• Equipment integration
• On-site productivity improvements

Explore the FJD Trion EC100 Excavator Guidance System 

How It Creates Value on the Jobsite

From Manual Processes to More Efficient Excavation

Without machine guidance, excavation work can require frequent manual measurements, grade checks, and support from additional personnel.

These interruptions can slow production and create more opportunities for inconsistency or rework.

With machine guidance in the excavator cab, operators gain access to real-time positioning information while performing the work.

This can help construction companies:

• Reduce repeated manual grade checks
• Lower dependence on additional ground personnel
• Complete excavation tasks more efficiently
• Improve consistency across the jobsite
• Minimize avoidable rework
• Make better use of equipment and labor
• Move projects forward with greater confidence

The result is not simply greater positioning accuracy. It is a more efficient operating model for construction teams.

Business Results

1. Up to 50% Lower Labor Requirements

According to Cody, the Excavator Pro system can help reduce labor requirements by up to 50%.

By giving the operator direct guidance inside the machine, contractors may be able to reduce the number of people required for repeated measuring and grade-checking tasks.

This allows teams to allocate labor more effectively across the project.

2. Faster Return on Investment

Construction technology must produce measurable business value.

Cody noted that there are relatively few products capable of delivering ROI within one year—and that some contractors may recover their investment within a single project.

This potential for faster payback strengthens the business case for machine guidance, particularly for contractors that may previously have considered the technology too costly or difficult to adopt.

3. Improved Accuracy and Efficiency

Machine guidance supports more controlled excavation by helping operators understand their position relative to the project design.

Improved visibility can contribute to:

• More accurate digging
• Faster task completion
• Fewer repeated checks
• Reduced rework
• Better use of equipment time
• More consistent results between operators

4. Greater Access to Construction Technology

By combining usability and affordability, FJD Trion helps make machine guidance available to a broader range of contractors.

This allows smaller and mid-sized companies to participate in the digital transformation of construction without facing the same barriers commonly associated with traditional high-cost systems.

The stated labor-reduction and ROI results are based on Cody’s experience and customer observations and may vary depending on the project, equipment, workflow, and site conditions. 

Results at a Glance

Up to 50%	Within One Year	Within One Project	Four Years	Two Markets
Potential reduction in labor requirements, according to the customer.	Potential return on investment for some customers.	Possible payback period in certain project environments.	Digital Terrain Solutions has sold FJD Trion products exclusively in Canada and the United States for four years.	Construction customers supported across Canada and the United States.

“One of the main reasons we chose FJD Trion was their commitment to continuous improvement. They really listen to customer feedback and continue making changes that improve the product. That commitment has made a big difference for both our business and our customers.”

Cody DesRoches

Vice President, Digital Terrain Solutions

A Four-Year Partnership Built Around FJD Trion

Digital Terrain Solutions has built its business around FJD Trion products and has sold the brand exclusively across Canada and the United States for four years.

That level of commitment reflects more than satisfaction with an individual product.

It demonstrates confidence in the wider combination of product performance, usability, affordability, compatibility, sales support, and continuous development.

As Cody explained:

“We built our entire business around FJD Trion products. We’ve now been four years selling FJD Trion exclusively for Canada and the US, and we recommend it to everybody.”

More Accessible Technology. Stronger Construction Outcomes.

The experience of Digital Terrain Solutions illustrates how machine guidance can create value beyond positioning accuracy alone.

By reducing barriers to adoption, contractors can access technology that supports:

• Lower labor dependence
• Better jobsite productivity
• More precise excavation
• Reduced rework
• Faster technology payback
• Easier integration with existing equipment
• Greater confidence in digital construction workflows

FJD Trion combines practical technology with continuous product improvement and customer support.

This allows partners such as Digital Terrain Solutions to help more construction companies adopt machine guidance without the cost, complexity, and accessibility challenges traditionally associated with advanced construction systems.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an excavator machine guidance system?

An excavator machine guidance system provides the operator with real-time positioning and design information inside the cab. It helps the operator understand where and how much to excavate, reducing dependence on repeated manual measurements and grade checks.

How can machine guidance reduce labor requirements?

Machine guidance can reduce the need for additional personnel to perform frequent grade checking, staking, or measurement tasks. The exact labor impact depends on the project, workflow, team structure, and site conditions.

How quickly can an excavator guidance system deliver ROI?

The payback period varies by company and project. Digital Terrain Solutions reported that some customers may recover their investment within one year, and in some cases within a single project.

Can FJD Trion systems work with different equipment brands?

According to Digital Terrain Solutions, FJD Trion works well with major equipment brands and supports easier integration into customers’ existing machinery and workflows.

Bring More Precision and Efficiency to Your Excavation Work

Discover how FJD Trion machine guidance solutions can help your construction team improve excavation accuracy, reduce manual work, and accelerate return on investment.

Discover more: FJD Trion EC100 3D Excavator Guidance System