Excavator data acquisition and control system and process

A method for navigating an earth penetrating apparatus along a predetermined route, the method comprising:

• providing first geographic positioning data characteristic of the predetermined route;
• generating second geographic positioning data representative of an actual real-time position of the earth penetrating apparatus along the predetermined route;
• generating data representative of an underground obstruction along the predetermined route;
• and
• using the first and second geographic data and the underground obstruction data to control a direction of the earth penetrating apparatus along the predetermined route and to deviate from the predetermined route to avoid contact between the earth penetrating apparatus and a detected underground obstruction along the predetermined route.

A control system for mapping an actual route traversed by an earth penetrating apparatus, the system comprising:

• a geographic positioning system that generates real time geographic positioning data representative of an actual real-time position of the earth penetrating apparatus along the actual route;
• a detector unit that generates data representative of an underground obstruction along the actual route;
• and
• memory for storing the real- time geographic positioning data representative of the actual real-time position of the earth penetrating apparatus along the actual route and location data representative of a location of an underground obstruction detected along the actual route.