From the field up: How RIS brings utility data to life with FME Realize
As an Israeli utility engineering firm specializing in large-scale projects, RIS focuses on ensuring accurate design and detection of underground infrastructure. When Project Manager Dor Avrahami joined RIS seven years ago, the company quickly embraced FME to streamline its workflows. Over time, they began exploring augmented reality (AR) to improve communication between field teams and office systems.
Their early AR solution had promise, but lacked flexibility and ease of use—until FME’s augmented reality application, FME Realize, entered the picture.
A powerful upgrade in AR experience
Working with Safe Software, RIS became one of the first adopters of FME Realize. The team was immediately impressed by the application, which quickly became an integral part of their everyday projects.
RIS deployed FME Realize as part of a major transportation project, focused on building and updating major roads and converting a parking lot into an advanced terminal for electric buses. The site needed to accommodate charging stations and other high-energy infrastructure, requiring a comprehensive understanding of the underlying utilities.
The project itself was of high priority and required RIS to deliver a working solution—and proof of concept—to their client in a short timeframe. With FME Realize, RIS was able to demonstrate real value quickly, helping the client move forward with confidence.
Using FME, RIS converted and delivered daily updates of BIM data to field iPads. Workers can now visualize utility models onsite in 3D, using visual anchors like trees and lampposts to align infrastructure layers with the real world.
Driving efficiency, one tap at a time
For RIS, the benefits of FME Realize quickly became clear:
- Faster communication: Field workers can now open RFIs (Requests for Information) directly from the app. With one tap, they trigger a backend FME workbench that automatically creates an issue in the customer’s project management system, such as Autodesk Construction Cloud.
- Streamlined field-to-office collaboration: FME Realize enables real-time, two-way communication between the field and the office. With built-in options to send updates via project platforms, email, or messaging apps like WhatsApp, teams can raise issues and share context instantly—keeping projects moving forward without delays.
- Rapid adoption: Thanks to its simple interface, multiple users with no FME experience report that FME Realize is easy to use, driving enthusiastic adoption in the field.
- Hardware innovations: To support long field days, RIS designed a custom rig that combines an iPad with GPS hardware and shade protection, improving usability and preventing device overheating.
Looking ahead
Today, RIS sees FME Realize as a foundational part of its field technology strategy. Its intuitive user experience, real-time data delivery, and seamless integration with platforms like Autodesk Construction Cloud give RIS a significant advantage in managing infrastructure projects. Looking ahead, the team plans to expand their use of FME Realize into indoor AR applications, enabling new use cases across building projects.
With FME Realize, RIS isn’t just visualizing infrastructure—it’s reshaping how field work gets done.
