Question 1

What is the minimum specification for a phone or tablet to run the UKHab Survey App?

Dave Kilbey · Accepted Answer

The UKHab Survey App should run on most contemporary devices. However, here are a few of the key things to look out for:

With the current version of Coreo you will need a device with a Sim card so that you can access records, maps and submit data in the field. The alternative is to tether or hotspot from another device that does.
Your device must have a GPS chipset. For example, the non-cellular (Wi-Fi only) iPads do not have a GPS.
Check the device’s battery life. Look for a device that has better than average battery life. If you’re using the device all day in the field, you need to make sure that the battery will last. Generally speaking tablets have superior battery life to phones.
In terms of storage, processing speeds and RAM always aim to get the best specification you can comfortably afford. These will all enhance your experience of using the application.

Question 2

Does the app support the import of existing boundaries?

Dave Kilbey · Accepted Answer

Yes, you can export boundary files from your current GIS and then import them for use in the UKHab Survey. You can import:

Shapefiles (in either EPSG:4236 or EPSG:27700)
GeoJSON (in EPSG:4236)

In the Records view of your UKHab project in Coreo, select the Import button from the toolbar, choose the appropriate form to import your data into (almost always the pre-survey form) and then work through the import process. This also allows you to map any existing attributes if you wish.

Question 3

Do you have to redraw polygons that have been uploaded to register them as having been surveyed?

Dave Kilbey · Accepted Answer

No.

Uploaded polygons will be imported as pre-survey data. When doing a survey using the app you base your full survey on a pre-survey habitat feature. When you do this you copy the pre-survey geometry, you don’t use it directly. This allows you to e.g. adjust the feature’s extent if required. Your pre-survey data remains untouched and another record (your full UKHab survey record) is created.

Question 4

What are the shapefiles like when downloaded? The ones from Survey 123 have a vast number of nodes that are not easy to edit.

Dave Kilbey · Accepted Answer

This will entirely depend on a) the condition of the shapefiles you import or b) how many nodes you add when you digitise your polygons in Coreo. Coreo doesn’t automatically create boundaries from mapping so it’s up to you how many nodes a polygon would contain when adding them.

Question 5

How do I get my survey results back into my GIS?

Dave Kilbey · Accepted Answer

It's easy to get your survey results into your GIS. In Coreo, we have several output formats for you to use:

The UKHab Survey Results presents your data in the UKHab data model and is ideal for exporting as a Shapefile. You can pull this straight into your GIS. If you have a template set up to create styled habitat maps using UKHab codes then everything should just work, straight off the bat.
The UKHab Condition Assessment Results format provides you with an output file that neatly presents all the data you need to feed into NE's Biodiversity Metric 3.1 Calculation Tool.

Question 6

Does the app measure area and length of habitats?

Dave Kilbey · Accepted Answer

Yes. When you add polygons or lines Coreo calculates the area or length of the feature on submission.

Question 7

Are the outputs compatible with Phase 1 surveys?

Dave Kilbey · Accepted Answer

The habitat outputs from the App use the UK Habitat Classification (“UKHab”). Correspondence tables exist to help with translation into UKHab of habitat data collected using NVC and Phase 1. These are provided free on the UKHab website https://ukhab.org/. However, it should be noted that translation between survey types is not recommended, since information will always be lost in the process.

Question 8

Is there a limit on storage within Coreo?

Dave Kilbey · Accepted Answer

Simply put, no. Coreo allows you, your team or your audience to submit as much data as you like. This makes Coreo one of the most powerful, flexible and scaleable data collection tools on the market. However, there is a difference between the total number of records you can submit between the different tiers.

Question 9

What specification of device would you recommend we use with Coreo?

Dave Kilbey · Accepted Answer

In general, we would recommend going for the best device you can afford within your budget. As Coreo surveys vary so much, we can only offer ideas on what to consider when making your choice, so hopefully the following will help inform your decision.

Apple or Android?

Both Coreo and the UKHab Survey will run on either iOS or Android. So, personal preference, your existing technology ecosystem and budget play a large part in the choice here.

iPhone and iPads generally come at a premium and are generally renowned for their quality, user-experience and overall simplicity of use. And because only Apple makes and sells Apple devices there’s a limited number of models to choose between, which makes for a simpler choice. The Android market, however, is awash with manufacturers and variations on a theme which means that you can get a device to suit almost any budget/requirement.

iOS and Android also tend to have a different ‘feel’ when it comes to apps. We’d recommend trying some of your favourite or key applications on both operating systems before making your decision. You’ll likely find that you prefer one OS over the other.

Tablet or phone?

Certain Coreo surveys will benefit from using a tablet over a phone as the greater screen space available makes life easier when mapping detailed habitat areas.

GPS

If accurate location recording is important to your projects, then you might want to consider avoiding budget Android devices. These devices can have unreliable GPS chipsets, so investing in mid/top range devices with better chipsets should give more reliable location recording. It’s not easy to find or understand detailed information on GPS hardware but as a general rule you get what you pay for.

Storage

This depends on many factors, not least what else you might be using the device for. In general, it's easy to calculate how many photos, videos, or apps your device can store. For example, assuming an average image file size of 5MB, you can store 20,000 images with 100GB of storage. Similarly, one minute of 1080p video at 30fps is roughly 100MB, which means more than 16 hours of video can be stored in 100GB.

Lower-end Android devices often offer the ability to increase storage with removable SD cards, but flagship devices and Apple products tend not to, so choosing the appropriate capacity up front is important.

Data

Most devices support both WIFI and mobile data. If you’re purely going to use WIFI on your device then paying extra for a mobile data plan may not be necessary. The new version of Coreo (coming in late Feb 2023) will be completely functional offline so using mobile data might be considered as non essential.

However, you will also want to weigh up whether you want to download new surveys or submit data in the field. If so, a mobile data plan could be important but you might be happy to tether/hotspot off a phone or other device that has WIFI/mobile data available for this.

If you do opt for a mobile data plan then going for the most data you can afford comfortably makes sense. Lots of map usage, or uploading/downloading lots of images in the field could use a lot of data so having a healthy allowance will probably give you reassurance in peak survey season.

Many plans will offer a set amount of data that can be used each month, and if you go over this amount, you will be charged extra fees. It's important to understand how much data is included in the plan and what the overage fees will be. You should also consider if there are any options for adding more data to your plan if you find that you are running low.

Camera

If you intend to record media files along with your Coreo records, there are a number of things to consider with regards to the camera on your device.

First, the resolution of the camera is important. A higher resolution camera will produce clearer and more detailed images, which could be especially important if you might need to zoom in on objects when observing from a distance. However, higher resolution images will be larger and take up more storage space on your device. Note, however, that Coreo allows you to submit images with records without storing them locally on your device automatically (although that option is available).

Some cameras come with image stabilisation options which can help reduce blur in photos and videos, especially when shooting in low-light conditions or when moving or zooming in on subjects.

The camera software provided can be a useful thing to consider. Many smartphones now come with advanced camera software that can enhance images and videos, such as HDR and portrait mode, but many third party apps are also available to help enhance your images before submitting them to Coreo.

Question 10

Can I run data collection projects on any subject?

Dave Kilbey · Accepted Answer

Yes you can. Coreo is a subject agnostic platform and has been designed for collecting and sharing data of any structure. We might be a bit biased but we think it's the best platform on the market for the collection of spatial data.

If you have any questions get in touch to find out more.

Question 11

Are there any limits to the number of surveys I can build?

Dave Kilbey · Accepted Answer

There are no limits to the number of surveys (projects) you can build and run in the Fundamentals, Professional or Enterprise tiers. The Starter tier, which is intended for people who have very simple requirements, or are testing the water, is limited to two surveys.

For a full breakdown of what each tier contains visit our Pricing page.

Question 12

Can I update my surveys after I publish them?

Dave Kilbey · Accepted Answer

Yes. Coreo allows you to change your surveys at any time. You will always be able to add new questions. However, if you have a question in your survey that already has data associated with it, you'll be warned that the data will also be deleted.

Any subscribers using your survey will get the new configuration after re-syncing the survey.

FAQs for UKHab

UKHab