Plateau Excavation

Plateau People, Paul Shepard, UAS Specialist

With a strong foundation built on people, quality craftsmanship, and innovation, Plateau Excavation has become a leader in tackling advanced, large-scale and complex site development projects, but it is our people that truly make the difference and have moved the company forward.

  • How many years have you been at Plateau? 3 ½ years
  • What’s your job title? UAS Specialist
  • What exactly do you do at our company? I head up all things drone related and help coordinate data sharing between the drone and estimating divisions.
  • So far, what has been your favorite project? My position is unique, in the fact that I typically get to visit every site Plateau is working on at some point in the life of the project.  It’s hard to pick one, but the Facebook/Meta sites are impressive.
  • How would you describe your team or the people you work with? Dedicated and committed to getting the job done right.
  • What advice would you provide to someone interested in getting into this industry? If specifically interested in drones for construction, learn the business and use case first!  Don’t be so focused on learning the drone technology and then asking “How can I create a drone business?”  Make contacts in the industry, get to know their needs, then apply what you’ve learned to help them achieve their goals.
  • What is your favorite aspect about your job, Plateau, or the industry? It has to be the never-ending learning curve of technology. I enjoy learning new hardware/software and implementing those to “fine-tune” our existing workflows.
  • What drew you to Plateau originally? I had been working in the GPS technology industry since 2006 and had specifically worked in the construction technology space for 3 years before starting with Plateau.  I heard they were looking for someone to help with the implementation of drone technology regarding topo data specifically.  At the time, that was exactly what I had been doing for the previous 3 years and I thought it would be a good fit.  Looking back, I have no regrets, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the journey.
  • What is something unique about you (a fun fact) that few people are aware of? Although I’m semi-retired from it, I’ve spent the last 10 years participating in the world of triathlon.  The hard work and dedication required for this have truly shaped the person I am today.
  • Anything else to share? I’ve finally discovered the old saying is true: “Find something you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life!”

I’ve finally discovered the old saying is true: “Find something you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life!”