Automated bore planning system for horizontal directional drilling

Abstract

Systems provide for electronic development of a bore plan for use in connection with an underground boring machine. Electronically developing a bore plan involves providing topographical information representative of topography of the bore site and providing bore path information representative of an intended bore path for the bore site. The bore path information includes at least two target points through which the intended bore path is to pass. The intended bore path can define a pilot bore path or a backream path. The target points comprise an entry point and an exit point, and each of the target points is defined by at least a distance value, lateral value, and a depth value.

1 . A system for electronically developing a bore plan of a bore site for use in connection with an underground boring system, comprising 
 means for providing topographical information representative of topography of the bore site;    means for providing bore path information representative of an intended bore path for the bore site, the bore path information comprising at least two target points through which the intended bore path is to pass, the at least two target points comprising an entry point and an exit point, each of the target points defined by at least a distance value, lateral value, and a depth value; and    means for generating bore plan data using the topographical and bore path information, the bore plan data comprising data representative of an intended bore defined generally along the intended bore path and with respect to the representative topography of the bore site.