Make Broadband Design Smarter: 5 Ways to Use GIS and Drones Effectively

The broadband industry has entered a new era.  As deployment demands escalate and funding pressures increase, providers can no longer afford to waste time or miss opportunities due to bad data or disconnected systems. Gone are the days of relying solely on outdated drafting tools and static maps. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and drone technology now sit at the center of smarter, faster, and more accurate broadband builds. But truth is: GIS alone isn’t enough.

As Dustin Heath, Director of Customer Success - Engineering at CHR Solutions, notes, GIS reaches its full potential only when paired with real-time data sources, advanced analytics, and tools like drones. By combining these capabilities, providers can create detailed, actionable plans that reflect real-world conditions and adapt to changes on the fly.

Here are five ways forward-thinking providers are using GIS and drones to power intelligent broadband design:

1. They Collaborate in Real Time with GIS
Unlike legacy tools, GIS platforms allow multiple users to access and update shared data simultaneously. Engineers, field crews, and project managers can now work from the same digital map, in real time. Field teams equipped with tablets and apps like Esri’s Field Maps can collect data on-site and sync it directly with office systems—eliminating redundant steps like scanning and redrawing plans.

This collaborative power breaks down silos and streamlines workflows. But to truly stay ahead, providers must go a step further by integrating GIS data into project dashboards and analytics platforms.

2. They Speed Up Make-Ready with Drone Imagery
While GIS offers the foundational framework for network planning, drones bring that framework to life. Drones can quickly gather high-resolution images, photogrammetry, and even LiDAR data that provide a dynamic, real-world view of the environment. These images help teams spot pole clearance issues, encroachments, and terrain features that aren’t visible on a static map.  Tree cover and vehicles are a couple of obstacles that stand in the way of utilizing drone or LiDAR imagery. Boots on the ground is still required to gather that last 10% of the data that aerial imagery sources cannot gather. Arming those field teams with IKE4 GPS devices helps bridge the gap and keep all of your data in a GIS and digital format. 

CHR combines this drone data with GIS platforms to create up-to-date designs and digital dashboards—reducing guesswork and keeping construction on track.

3. They Make Smarter Decisions with Integrated Dashboards
A static GIS map can’t tell the full story. But when integrated with live dashboards and broadband analytics, GIS becomes a powerful decision-making tool. You can monitor permitting progress, flag environmental risks, and ensure compliance with local and federal requirements—all in one place.

CHR incorporates NTIA maps, federal and state data, and proprietary insights to help planners evaluate right-of-way concerns, environmental overlays, and permitting requirements early—so they can move forward with confidence. 

4. They Identify Market Opportunities with Greater Precision
GIS doesn’t just help with buildout; it can also offer guidance where to build. With the right broadband analytics, service providers can layer in FCC data, economic indicators, and competitor presence to identify high-potential expansion zones.

Want to find communities where:

• Only DSL or cable providers operate?
• Speeds fall below 50 Mbps?
• Median household income exceeds $40,000?
• Housing density supports profitable builds?

CHR’s advanced GIS systems can isolate these opportunities in minutes, cutting weeks off the planning process and helping you act faster than the competition. 

5. They Design Future-Proof Networks with Data-Driven Planning

Too often, GIS maps rely on static or outdated data. That creates blind spots and costly missteps. By enhancing GIS with drone imagery and real-time analytics, providers can produce digital designs that reflect what’s actually happening in the field.

CHR’s engineers use this integrated approach to account for legal frameworks like rights-of-way and easements, as well as environmental overlays and construction timelines. These fully informed, data-rich designs help teams avoid delays, manage budgets, and scale their networks for future demand.
 

Why GIS Alone Doesn’t Cut It Anymore

As Dustin Heath explains, traditional GIS tools like Google Earth or AutoCAD provide useful geographic context—but they fall short in several ways:

• Static data doesn’t reflect on-the-ground changes
• Limited detail can’t support complex fiber designs
• There are no real-time updates, making it difficult to pivot quickly when conditions shift

To overcome these limitations, broadband providers need to enhance GIS with drone imagery, data analytics, and demographic overlays. This allows for a full-spectrum view of network potential, risk factors, and growth opportunities—at every stage of the project.
 

Smarter Tools. Faster Builds. Stronger Networks.

GIS has become a vital part of broadband infrastructure planning—but it’s only one piece of the puzzle. Providers that integrate GIS with drone technology, broadband analytics, and real-time dashboards gain the insight and agility needed to design more efficiently, execute faster, and stay ahead of competitors.

At CHR Solutions, we help providers bring all these tools together. Ready to build smarter? Let’s talk.