From DIY Pole Camera to 600 Manholes: How UIS Upgraded Their Inspection Game

Case Study

Based in East Tennessee, Utility Inspection Services (UIS) is a family-owned business with a legacy dating back to the 1960s. With a team of approximately 20 employees, UIS has built a reputation for treating staff like family and delivering exceptional quality to their clients.

While their core business focuses on sewer cleaning and CCTV inspections, covering over one million linear feet of sewer annually, UIS recognized the need to expand their capabilities. To stay competitive in municipal bidding and offer comprehensive infrastructure solutions, they needed to upgrade their approach to manhole inspections.

Limitations of DIY Solutions

Before partnering with TREKK, UIS relied on a “rigged together” DIY pole camera setup for manhole inspections. While this method allowed them to perform basic checks, it came with significant operational headaches that hindered growth and efficiency.

The primary challenge was video instability. “With pole cameras, the footage can move around a lot,” explains Josh Stallard, Vice President of UIS. “The video quality just isn’t as consistent or professional.” This shakiness made it difficult to provide the high-quality condition assessments that UIS prides itself on.

Furthermore, the DIY setup was labor-intensive. Effectively operating the pole camera often required multiple crew members to manage the equipment and ensure safety, driving up labor costs and reducing the profitability of inspection contracts.

As UIS prepared to bid on a major project in Rockwood, Tennessee, involving approximately 600 manholes, they knew their current equipment wouldn’t cut it. They needed a solution that was professional, efficient, and capable of handling the volume required to make the project a success.

Before

Pole camera

DIY rigged setup

Operator

Safety

Equipment

crew members

Unstable, shaky footage hard to use for assessments

Multiple crew needed to manage equipment and safety

Slow setup and breakdown over a long day

Higher labor costs cut into contract profitability

"The video quality just isn't as consistent or professional."

Josh Stallard, VP — Utility Inspection Services

After

TREKK360

Professional system

Operator

Not needed

crew member

✓

Stable, professional footage clients and engineers trust

✓

Single operator runs full inspections start to finish

✓

Breaks down and sets up fast across all terrain types

✓

Lower job costs, higher profitability per contract

"Being able to run inspections as a one-person unit has helped us reduce job costs and stay efficient in the field."

Josh Stallard, VP — Utility Inspection Services

A Solution for Stability and Speed

After scouting the market and visiting the TREKK booth at the WWETT Show, UIS identified the TREKK360 system as the ideal upgrade. Impressed by the technology and competitive price point, they purchased the system to tackle the Rockwood project.

The TREKK360 transformed UIS’s inspection workflow immediately. The system’s design addressed the core issues of stability and maneuverability.

Motorized Reel: The self-leveling reel system eliminated the manual struggle of lowering cameras, providing a smooth, controlled descent that a hand-held pole simply couldn’t match.
Adaptable Design: The system’s tripod and adjustable components allowed the crew to set up quickly, even in “hard access” jobs like wooded easements or uneven terrain.
One-Person Operation: Perhaps the most critical feature was the system’s ease of use, allowing a single operator to conduct full inspections.

Arrive on site

Fast setup — any terrain

One operator deploys the tripod and system. Adjustable components handle wooded easements, uneven ground, and hard access jobs with no extra crew.

Deploy

Lower with the motorized reel

The motorized reel provides a smooth, controlled descent. No hand-held pole, no camera shake, no second person needed to stabilize equipment.

Capture

Record stable, professional footage

Clean, consistent video captured throughout the descent. No shakiness, no distortion. The kind of footage clients and engineers can rely on for condition assessments.

Retrieve

Pull up and move on

Retrieve the camera, break down fast, and move to the next manhole. No manual data entry or post-processing required on site.

Process

Generate inspection report

Footage is processed into a professional deliverable. Clear, high-quality video reports that meet municipal standards and stand out against competitors.

Deliver

Professional report to client

Municipalities receive clean, consistent inspection data that supports infrastructure decisions.

Result: 600-manhole Rockwood project completed ahead of schedule by a single operator

Result: Higher Quality, Lower Costs

Implementing the TREKK360 delivered immediate, measurable improvements to UIS’s operations.

Professional grade deliverables

The stability provided by the tripod and motorized reel meant clients received clear, professional video data, a dramatic improvement over the shaky pole camera footage.

"The video looks cleaner and more professional — especially compared to a pole camera."

Josh Stallard, VP — Utility Inspection Services

Increased efficiency and reduced labor

One operator now runs what used to require a full crew. Daily production rates increased, keeping the 600-manhole Rockwood project ahead of schedule and under budget.

"Being able to run inspections as a one-person unit has helped us reduce job costs and stay efficient in the field."

Josh Stallard, VP — Utility Inspection Services

Competitive advantage

UIS can now confidently bid on contracts that include manhole inspections, positioning them as a well-rounded provider for municipalities that lack internal infrastructure manpower.

"With TREKK360, we're consistently getting higher-quality, more stable footage."

Josh Stallard, VP — Utility Inspection Services

Before

DIY pole camera

Rigged together setup

Unstable footage

Shaky video made professional condition assessments difficult

Multiple crew required

Needed 2-3 people to safely manage equipment on site

Slow setup and breakdown

Lost time across every site over a long inspection day

Struggled with hard access

Wooded easements and uneven terrain caused delays

High labor costs

Multi-person crews cut into contract profitability

Limited bid capability

Not competitive enough to win large manhole contracts

After

TREKK360

Professional system

✓

Stable, professional footage

Motorized reel delivers smooth, consistent video every time

✓

Single operator

One person runs full inspections from setup to completion

✓

Fast setup and breakdown

Saves meaningful time across a full day of inspections

✓

Works in any terrain

Tripod and adjustable design handles hard access jobs easily

✓

Lower job costs

Reduced crew size improves margin on every contract

✓

Confident to bid on large projects

Won and delivered a 600-manhole project in Rockwood, TN

A Strategic Investment in Efficiency and Professionalism

For Utility Inspection Services, the TREKK360 was more than just a new camera; it was a strategic investment that unlocked new levels of efficiency and professionalism. By moving away from DIY methods, they reduced labor costs and elevated the quality of their deliverables, ensuring their family-owned business remains a leader in the industry.

Crew size

Before 2–3 operators per inspection

↓

After 1 operator runs full inspections

Footage quality

Before Shaky, inconsistent video

↓

After Stable, professional deliverables

Site setup

Before Slow, complicated in hard terrain

↓

After Fast breakdown and setup anywhere

Contract capability

Before Avoided large manhole contracts

↓

After Confidently bids and wins at scale

600

manholes completed on first major contract

2→1

crew members needed per inspection

1M+

linear feet inspected annually

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