Draw the route.
Get the ground.
Draw your bore line and crossings on the map. Pull in the terrain profile, then develop the shot in 2D and 3D.
REAL APP SCREENSHOTS · MAP INPUT → TOPO PROFILESee how easy auto topo is ↗ HORIZONTAL DIRECTIONAL DRILLING SOFTWARE · COMING SOON
Your ground profile.
Automatically.
Draw your bore line. Add the crossings. HDD Studio pulls in the topography—so you can shape the shot in 2D and 3D, take the plan to the field and finish with a clear record.
Auto topo inputDynamic pitch correctionBrand-agnostic workflow
DESIGNED FORWindowsmacOSiPadiPhone*
*Dynamic Steer on iPhone and iPad. Full planning on Windows, macOS and iPad. AUTOMATIC TOPO. REAL APP WORKFLOW.MAP → PROFILE
01 / DRAW THE LINE & CROSSINGS02 / THE TOPO IS INDraw it in. Bring the ground in.
Then get on with the shot.See the workflow ↗
Then get on with the shot.See the workflow ↗
REAL APP SCREENSHOTS · SELECT TO ENLARGE
BUILT AROUND THE BORE.
Your rig. Your guidance system.
One workflow.
Build the plan around your job, not a hardware brand. Use Dynamic Steer in the field, or bring supported Subsite, DCI and UMAG as-built exports into the same workflow.
AUTO TOPOBORE DESIGNSTEERINGLIVE PROGRESSAS-BUILTSREPORTINGMUD PROGRAM
TWO BIG ADVANTAGES. ONE HDD WORKFLOW.Start with the ground.
Start with the ground.
Keep up with the shot.
Automatic topo gets the design moving. Dynamic Steer turns actual field readings into revised targets for the rods ahead.
Draw the route.
REAL APP SCREENSHOTS · MAP INPUT → TOPO PROFILESee how easy auto topo is ↗A good plan is
half the battle.
Missed the planned pitch? Enter the actual reading. Recalculate the next target with feasible geometry and bend limits in view.
REAL ROD 3 EXAMPLE / PITCH TARGET
−13.547%→−16.522%
Original plan → recalculated target
REAL APP SCREENSHOT · LIVE RECALCULATED TARGETSSee live pitch correction ↗LESS SETUP. MORE DESIGN. / AUTOMATIC TOPOAutomatic topography.
Automatic topography.
A flying start to the design.
Draw your bore line on the map. Add your crossings. HDD Studio pulls in the topography for the route—bringing the surface profile into the planning environment automatically. See how the ground rises and falls, understand cover in context and start shaping your shot sooner. Less manual setup. More time on the design.
Have a survey? Import survey-grade topo through supported CAD files. Need to work away from signal? Prepare downloaded map and topo areas before heading to site.
Automatic terrain is planning context, not survey-grade data. Imported survey accuracy depends on the source, units and coordinate alignment. Verify site conditions and utilities before drilling.
GROUND PROFILEContext first.
Detail where it counts.AUTO TOPO + CAD SURVEY IMPORTSee the real map workflow →
Detail where it counts.AUTO TOPO + CAD SURVEY IMPORTSee the real map workflow →
DYNAMIC STEER / LIVE ROD-TO-ROD PITCH CORRECTIONMissed the pitch?
A good plan is only half the battle.
Missed the pitch?
Recalculate.
Keep moving.
The shot doesn’t always land exactly on the planned pitch. Enter the actual reading at the end of the rod and Dynamic Steer recalculates the correction for the route ahead. Give the driller a revised target to work with, instead of guessing the next move.
See dynamic pitch correction ↗01 / THE PLANStart with the target.
↓The planned pitch and depth give the rod its starting reference.
02 / THE READINGRecord where you got to.
↓Enter actual pitch and depth at the rod end—even when they differ from the plan.
03 / THE CORRECTIONWork from the updated target.
Dynamic pitch recalculates the remaining correction, subject to feasible geometry and bend limits.
A REAL EXAMPLE / ROD 3 · TWO RODS ACCEPTEDThe reading changed.
The reading changed.
So did the target.
The original plan is the reference. The actual readings tell Dynamic Steer where the bore has got to. In this example, the next rod’s pitch and depth targets are recalculated after the earlier rods didn’t follow the intended shot.
ORIGINAL PLAN / ROD 3
- Pitch target
- −13.547%
- Depth target
- 2.8 m
RECALCULATED / ROD 3
- Pitch target
- −16.522%
- Depth target
- 2.988 m
Actual readings in. A revised next target out.
Give the driller the correction for the bore as recorded, with feasibility and steering limits still part of the review.
Real test-job example, not a steering recommendation. Pitch values and corrected depth are visible in the screenshot. Original planned depth of 2.8 m was supplied by the app’s creator and is outside this crop. Depth values are metres below ground.
02 / THE RIGHT TOOLS. WHERE YOU NEED THEM.At the desk.
At the desk.
Beside the rig.
The HDD bore planner for Windows, macOS and iPad. Dynamic Steer as your focused field companion on iPhone and iPad.
HDD STUDIOPLANNING
Your pre-bore plan.
A clearer picture.
Integrated terrain, 2D/3D bore planning and rod-by-rod geometry help you turn the initial route into a considered design.
REAL APP SCREENSHOT · AUTO TOPO AND BORE PROFILEDYNAMIC STEERFIELD
Actual pitch in.
Revised target out.
Miss a planned pitch at the end of a rod? Enter the actual pitch and depth. Dynamic Steer recalculates the correction for the remaining route, giving the driller an updated target while keeping feasible geometry and bend limits in view.
Vertical pitch correction, with pause and resume. The crew monitors left/right steering. Corrections remain subject to a feasible route and bend limits.
YOUR WORKSPACE / THE BIGGER PICTUREAll your projects.
All your projects.
One clear view.
Keep an eye on your HDD projects at a glance. See saved jobs on the project map, spot what’s pending, in progress or completed, and find the next job to open.
HDD STUDIO / PROJECT MAPPLAN · DESIGN · DELIVER
See the spread.
Put the location of your saved jobs in view, from nearby sites to work further afield.
Know what’s moving.
Distinguish pending, in-progress and completed jobs with clear status colours.
Find your next job.
Search for a town, postcode or coordinates, then get back into the planning workflow.
The project map organises saved jobs and their statuses. Connected live drilling updates are a separate feature in private testing.
OFFICE ↔ FIELD / CONNECTED PRIVATE TESTINGWatch the bore happen.
Watch the bore happen.
Keep the team together.
See accepted field readings build the bore against the published plan. Talk through the job in live chat between HDD Studio planners and Dynamic Steer users in the field.
HDD STUDIO / LIVE BORE & TEAM CHATPLAN · CHAT · REVISE · CONTINUE
See it as they drill.
Accepted rods build the recorded bore alongside the design. The office follows the crew’s recorded progress in the same job.
Site issue? Chat it through.
Keep the job conversation with the job. The field crew can raise an issue with the planning team while everyone has the bore in view.
Revise the plan. Update the guidance.
The planner can adjust the route or add the missing site detail, then publish the revision. When connected, the field app receives the updated plan and recalculates the bore guidance automatically.
One shared company job library. Job chat. Published plan revisions. Accepted-rod monitoring.
Connected workflow in private testing; public availability has not been announced. Live updates require connectivity and depend on crew-entered, accepted readings. Offline readings queue for reconnection. Recalculated guidance remains subject to feasible geometry and bend limits; the crew must review changes before acting.FOR PRINCIPAL CONTRACTORS & ASSET OWNERSKeep sight of the bore.
Keep sight of the bore.
Not just the handover.
Your project. Your visibility. No app required.
Keep third parties, principal contractors and asset owners in the loop. Share a read-only web link to the published bore profile, so the people who need progress updates can follow accepted rods in their browser—without installing the app.
SHARED VIEW / CONNECTED PRIVATE TESTINGShare the bore.
Browser sharing is in connected private testing. Depth-deviation and oversteer indicators remain intended behaviour, pending verification and release. The view depends on crew-recorded data and connectivity; it is not independent survey or automatic guidance-system telemetry.
Share the bore.
Keep them informed.
The shared view shows the published plan and accepted rods, which update automatically as the connected crew records progress. Viewers can follow the bore without editing the job or seeing team chat.
01How far has it progressed?Follow the accepted rods as the bore advances.
02Is it following the planned depth?See the recorded profile against the design.
03Are bend limits being exceeded?Planned indicators will flag oversteer from the available recorded data.
THE RIGHT PEOPLE. THE RIGHT VIEW.Keep those who
Keep those who
need to know,
in the loop.
Send the viewing link to your client, principal contractor, asset owner or other third party. They see the published bore and accepted progress in a read-only browser view.
- Live progress. Accepted rods update automatically when connected.
- Read-only. Viewers cannot edit the job or see team chat.
- Choose the duration. Set an expiry and stop sharing when required.
- A separate client view. Keep the working team’s conversation in the app.
Live visibility while they drill.
The full as-built record when they finish.
The browser view answers the immediate progress questions. The as-built report provides the detailed completed record: bore profile, rod data, recorded deviations, crossings and review information.
FOR THE NEXT JOB YOU AWARD
Ask your drilling contractor for HDD Studio visibility.
A clearer way to follow the work in progress and review the finished bore. Shared-view availability will be confirmed at launch.03 / THE WORK DESERVES A CLEAR RECORD.Finish the bore.
Finish the bore.
Tell the whole story.
A useful report should explain the work. Bring the job summary, bore profile, crossing information and rod schedule together, with planned, recorded and corrected values clearly distinguished.
Reporting, built into the workflow.
Pre-bore and as-built PDFs carry the detail: crossing clearances, rod pitch and cover, drill/product steering limits, reported lateral offsets and named, dated review records.
Your guidance system still belongs.
Import supported Subsite, DCI and UMAG as-built exports, even when Dynamic Steer was not used. Keep the planning and reporting workflow open to the equipment you already run.
File and version compatibility applies. Refined report layouts are in next-release preview.PRO TOOLS / NEXT-RELEASE PREVIEWPlan the fluid.
Plan the fluid.
Know what to order.
How much fluid does this shot need? What additives are in the mix, and how many bags should arrive on site?
Mud program uses the bore dimensions and selected ground and fluid inputs to estimate supply. Review the mix, calculate product quantities and convert them into packs to order—before the crew heads to site.
- Bore-specific fluid supply estimates
- With- and without-recycling comparisons
- Ingredient, dosage and mixing-water review
- Pack sizes, order quantities and spare material
Planning estimates need checking against ground conditions, actual water quantity, mix yield and supplier guidance. Next-release preview; public availability has not been announced.
WORKING TOOLKIT. CONNECTED AMBITION.Built already.
Built already.
Going further.
Public launch is coming soon. Here’s what is in the toolkit, what is being tested and what is still taking shape.
The core toolkit.
- Full planning on Windows, macOS and iPad
- Automatic topo and supported CAD survey import
- 2D/3D bore design and engineering checks
- Dynamic Steer on iPhone and iPad
- Reporting and supported as-built imports
- Offline-first field recording
Bring the team together.
- Shared company saved jobs
- Office-to-field plan publishing
- Live accepted-rod updates to planners
- Plan revisions and amendment alerts
- Live job chat between office and field
- Read-only browser sharing for clients and asset owners
- Pending readings upload after reconnection
Private pilot features; public production availability is not yet announced.
The next chapter.
- Mud program and refined report layouts
- Unread chat alerts and conversation reports
- Intended depth-deviation and oversteer indicators
- Account, seat and subscription management
Release and platform support vary. No public release date is announced.
YOUR EQUIPMENT. YOUR WORKFLOW.HDD software.
HDD software.
Independent of brand.
Bring planning, field records and reporting into one HDD workflow, with your choice of drill rig and supported guidance-system exports.
Plan around your rig.
Running a Ditch Witch, Vermeer or Tracto rig? HDD Studio’s planning workflow is independent of rig brand. Set up the equipment, fitted rods and relevant bend limits for the job.
Bring your guidance record.
Use Dynamic Steer, or import supported as-built exports from Subsite, DCI (Digital Control Inc.) and Underground Magnetics (UMAG). Compare the recorded bore with the plan and carry the record into your reporting workflow.
Hand over a useful report.
Build the story from the pre-bore plan to the as-built report: rod schedules, planned and recorded values, corrected targets and lateral offsets where recorded. Give crews, principal contractors and asset owners a clearer record of the work.
HDD Studio is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Ditch Witch, Vermeer, Tracto, Subsite, DCI / Digital Control Inc. or Underground Magnetics. Brand names identify equipment or supported export sources; they do not imply direct hardware connection. Import compatibility depends on the file format and version. Ask us to confirm your export before relying on an import workflow.
Ask about your rig or as-built export →A FEW PRACTICAL DETAILS
Before the first rod.
What is HDD bore planning software used for?
Horizontal directional drilling (HDD) planning software helps develop a proposed underground bore route before drilling. HDD Studio brings automatic topography, survey-grade CAD topo imports, 2D/3D route design, rod-by-rod planning, bend-limit checks and crossing context into a pre-bore plan. Automatic terrain is planning context, not a substitute for a site survey or utility verification.
How does the rod-by-rod planner support Dynamic Steer?
The rod-by-rod planner describes the planned geometry along the bore. Dynamic Steer lets the crew record pitch and depth, compare actual readings with the plan and review dynamic pitch correction for the remaining route. Corrections are subject to feasible geometry and bend limits; they are guidance for the crew, not automatic control of the drill rig.
Can I produce an as-built report without using Dynamic Steer?
Yes. Import a supported guidance-system as-built export into HDD Studio and use the reporting workflow. Supported export sources include Subsite, DCI (Digital Control Inc.) and Underground Magnetics (UMAG). Confirm the particular file format and version with us; support for a brand does not mean every file it produces can be imported.
Do I need to change my rig or guidance system?
HDD Studio is brand-agnostic. Plan independently of rig brand, use Dynamic Steer, or import supported as-built exports from an existing guidance system. Supported Subsite, DCI and UMAG as-built imports are part of the toolkit. Compatibility depends on the export format and version; direct hardware integration is not implied.
Is automatic topography survey-grade?
No. Automatic topography supplies terrain context for planning. You can import survey-grade topo via supported CAD files. Accuracy remains dependent on the survey source and correct units, datum and coordinate alignment.
Can I use Dynamic Steer without cloud sync?
Yes. Bore files can be transferred into Dynamic Steer for local use. In the connected private pilot, recorded readings are retained on the device while offline and queued for upload after reconnection. Download any required map/topo areas before leaving signal coverage.
Will asset owners need the app to follow a bore?
No app installation is needed for the read-only browser view in connected private testing. Share an expiring viewing link so principal contractors, asset owners and other third parties can see the published plan and accepted rods. They cannot edit the job or see team chat. Anyone with the link can view until it expires or sharing is stopped. Proposed depth and bend-limit indicators remain in development. The detailed completed record comes through the as-built report.
When can I download HDD Studio?
Public launch is coming soon. The apps are working and have been locally tested on devices, but a public release date, download links and pricing have not been announced.
Good work starts
below the surface.
HDD Studio is coming soon.
Automatic topo. Considered design. Dynamic pitch correction. A clearer field record.
BE FIRST TO HEAR / PRE-LAUNCH INTERESTYour next bore
Your next bore
could start here.
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LET’S TALK HDD
Contact us.
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