When you think of construction engineering, you picture blueprints, concrete, and machinery—not solar flares. Yet, during this week’s NOAA-issued G4 geomagnetic storm watch, surveyors and engineers across Grand Rapids learned how space weather can throw job sites into chaos. GPS rovers dropped signals. RTK fixes drifted. Machine control systems froze mid-grade.
For a city growing as fast as Grand Rapids, where every inch of downtown space matters, even a small GNSS hiccup can cause big delays. This story isn’t about astronomy—it’s about accuracy. And for construction engineers, accuracy is everything.
Why Space Weather Matters to Construction Projects
GNSS, or Global Navigation Satellite Systems, guides almost everything we do in the field—staking foundations, checking elevations, mapping utilities, even flying drones for progress photos. But solar storms can shake that foundation.
During a geomagnetic storm, charged particles from the sun hit Earth’s upper atmosphere. They bend and scatter the satellite signals that GPS relies on. The result? Rovers struggle to “fix” their position. Readings jump inches—or even feet—off target.
In downtown Grand Rapids, that’s no small problem. Between reflective glass towers, tree canopies, and tight alleyways, satellite visibility is already tricky. Add a solar storm, and your layout crew could spend hours chasing ghosts.
Plan Ahead: Check the Sky Before You Stake
Smart construction engineers start their day not just with weather apps but with space weather reports too. The NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center posts daily Kp-index alerts—a simple 0–9 scale showing geomagnetic activity.
When the Kp index hits 6 or higher, GNSS accuracy can drop fast. That’s the time to warn your field crew. If you see that alert before heading to a downtown site, plan for a hybrid workflow. You might still get work done—but not by depending only on GPS.
Plan A and Plan B: Build Redundancy Into Every Job
Construction engineering is about solving problems before they stop the job. That’s why seasoned crews always prepare two workflows.
Plan A is your standard routine—connect to Michigan’s MDOT CORS or MSRN network for real-time kinematic (RTK) corrections. Under normal sky conditions, that gives centimeter-level accuracy.
Plan B is your backup: a total-station control traverse or short baseline survey. It might take longer, but it keeps the project moving when GNSS turns unreliable. Switching between these plans is like having both a generator and solar panels—you’re ready either way.
Strong Control Points = Strong Results
When satellites act up, your local control becomes your safety net. In a downtown core like Grand Rapids, set ground control points about every 60–100 meters, especially near tall buildings and crane zones. These act as permanent checks to verify GNSS accuracy throughout the day.
It’s also smart to tie your project control into known NOAA or MDOT CORS benchmarks. That way, even if satellite signals drift, you can reset your data to a trusted reference.
Clients love hearing this because it shows you’re not just following a procedure—you’re protecting their investment. Every re-stake avoided is money saved.
Drone Surveys? Use Them Wisely During Storms
Drones have become a core part of construction engineering—great for tracking grading progress, checking stormwater ponds, or inspecting tall façades. But drones rely on GPS too.
When space weather spikes, fly smarter:
- Increase your ground control point (GCP) density.
- Fly with higher image overlap (both sidelap and frontlap).
- Delay flights that need high vertical precision until the Kp index calms down.
This extra caution pays off. A single bad data set can delay a pay app, confuse your grading plan, or cause a reshoot later. It’s better to pause a flight than to reprocess a whole model.
Keep Your RTK Workflow Clean
Even on calm days, RTK systems need attention. During a storm, good habits make all the difference.
Construction engineers should double-check their NTRIP connection, confirm the correct MSRN mountpoint, and log RINEX data for backup post-processing. Keeping a clean workflow ensures that when the signal stabilizes, your baseline data remains solid.
And remember: GNSS troubleshooting isn’t just a “surveyor thing.” Every construction engineer should understand why a fix fails and how to recover accuracy fast. It’s part of being a true professional, not just a technician.
Verify Everything Before You Sign Off
At the end of each day, check your work the old-fashioned way. Shoot at least two known control points to confirm your accuracy. If you see more than a small deviation, document it, adjust, and report the issue.
That level of diligence is what separates a licensed construction engineer from someone just collecting coordinates. It’s the confidence that your foundation corners, storm lines, and grade stakes all sit where the design intended—no guesswork, no surprises.
Turning a Problem Into a Competitive Advantage
The best firms don’t just survive tough conditions—they stand out because of them. When you can explain to a developer or GC how you maintain accuracy through solar storms, tree cover, or downtown interference, you build trust.
Imagine a client asking, “How do you make sure our as-builts are right when GPS goes crazy downtown?” Now you have the perfect story:
“We monitor NOAA’s geomagnetic reports daily. If the Kp index spikes, we switch to total-station control. We also tie into MDOT’s CORS benchmarks for redundancy. That’s how we keep every inch accurate—no matter what’s happening in space.”
That answer wins bids. It shows foresight, technical skill, and reliability—three traits every owner wants from a construction engineering firm.
The Takeaway for Grand Rapids Projects
The next time a solar storm hits—or even when clouds roll through downtown—remember that accuracy isn’t luck. It’s preparation.
Construction engineers face tight footprints, strict city inspections, and fast-track schedules. When GNSS falters, those who plan ahead keep working while others wait. They don’t panic when a rover loses fix—they switch workflows, confirm control, and keep the schedule intact.
As the city keeps growing skyward, more glass, more steel, and more signal interference will challenge your layout teams. But with the right playbook, you’ll stay grounded—even when the satellites aren’t.
