The benefits of remote diagnostics and fleet monitoring for HDD contractors
For HDD (horizontal directional drilling) contractors, productivity and uptime are everything. Whether you’re boring beneath a road or installing utilities under a riverbed, a delayed drill or a breakdown on site can mean missed deadlines, spiralling costs, and frustrated clients. That’s why remote diagnostics and fleet monitoring tools are fast becoming essential for trenchless technology operators.
At Vermeer UK, we’ve seen first-hand how connected equipment and digital platforms are transforming the way HDD contractors manage their fleets, troubleshoot issues, and optimise performance across multiple job sites.
Reducing downtime with remote diagnostics
Remote diagnostics tools enable equipment dealers or internal service teams to monitor HDD rigs in real-time. Alerts can be set up for everything from engine temperature fluctuations to hydraulic pressure drops, allowing teams to spot issues before they lead to costly failures.
Instead of waiting for a fault to escalate or sending a technician out for a manual inspection, the machine itself sends data back to a central platform. In many cases, problems can be diagnosed remotely, meaning the correct parts or service tools are sent to site the first time, reducing downtime and wasted labour.
Smarter decision-making with fleet monitoring
Modern HDD fleets increasingly rely on telematics to monitor machine utilisation, idle time, fuel consumption and service intervals. With this data, contractors can identify underused assets, redeploy equipment more efficiently, and make data-backed decisions on when to service, upgrade or retire machines.
Operators can also benchmark performance across different rigs and crews, helping to identify training needs or opportunities to increase efficiency. Take a look at our HDD project planning tips for more on planning your project smarter.
Supporting compliance and maintenance
Digital service logs and maintenance tracking not only streamline fleet upkeep, but also support compliance with UK regulations such as PUWER (Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998). Fleet monitoring platforms can schedule alerts for upcoming inspections or maintenance events, ensuring nothing is missed.
The Vermeer approach
To learn more about how Vermeer UK supports HDD contractors with connected equipment, service packages and drilling solutions, visit: https://vermeeruk.co.uk/new-equipment/horizontal-directional-drilling-
