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Ditch Assist DIG™ Hardware · Excavators + backhoes

Ditch the laser. Dig up to 75% faster.
Ditch Assist DIG™ Excavator Guidance Kit

The hardware that brings live bucket-grade guidance into the Ditch Assist app: IP67 stick and bucket sensors, RTK/GNSS position, machine calibration, saved profiles, and a setup path built for real excavators and backhoes.

DIG™ is guidance, not hydraulic automation — the operator runs the bucket while the app shows on-grade feedback in real time. Checks happen from the cab, cutting grade-checking time by up to 97%.

Request quote → What's in the kit Excavator mode

Scrapers, ditchers, or tile plows instead? See the Automation & Guidance kits →

Field-proven since 2014 · Trusted in 15+ countries · Engineered & manufactured in Manitoba, Canada

What's in the DIG™ kit

Sensors, position, and app guidance for the bucket.

DIG™ is guidance, not hydraulic automation. The operator stays in control of the machine while the app shows the cutting edge against grade in real time.

Ditch Assist DIG™ IP67 stick and bucket sensors Component 01

IP67 stick + bucket sensors

Sealed inclination sensors mount to the stick and bucket or dogbone linkage and track the geometry needed to calculate cutting-edge grade.

Ditch Assist DIG™ electronics module Component 02

DIG™ electronics + wireless link

The DIG™ module connects sensors, RTK/GNSS position, and the Ditch Assist app so the cab display can show high, low, and on-grade feedback.

Ditch Assist DIG™ GPS pendulum mount Component 03

GPS pendulum mount

Included with the kit. The pendulum mount keeps the GPS receiver level through changing boom and bucket positions, helping position stay reliable while digging.

Emlid RTK GNSS receiver for Ditch Assist DIG™ Component 04

RTK/GNSS receiver + app

Bring a compatible receiver or quote Emlid base-rover GNSS. The Android app is the operator screen for grade, level, Slope-IQ™, LandXML, recording, and resume.

Ditch Assist DIG™ sensor and bucket-grade schematic
Is DIG right for the job?

Qualify the fit before you spec the sensors.

Best for

Excavator and backhoe operators who want RTK bucket-to-grade guidance for farm drainage outlet work, ditch cleanup, culverts, small earthworks, pads, and slopes — without installing hydraulic automation on the machine.

Different job?

Operators who need the excavator's hydraulics automated for them, or a full civil machine-control platform built for large-scale construction work. For hydraulic automation on implements, see the Ditch Assist Automation Kit.

Assembled Ditch Assist DIG GPS pendulum mount with counterbalance plate Ditch Assist DIG GPS pendulum mount bolt, washers, and pivot hardware assembly
GPS pendulum mount

Keeps the RTK receiver level while the excavator moves.

Excavator guidance depends on knowing where the cutting edge is in 3D space. DIG™ includes a pendulum-style GPS mount so the receiver can stay level as the boom, stick, and bucket move through normal digging positions.

  • 01
    Designed for changing machine angles.

    The counterbalanced mount helps avoid extreme receiver tilt as the stick reaches, curls, and returns.

  • 02
    Built into the DIG™ calibration.

    The GPS pivot point is measured as part of setup, and small horizontal offsets can be entered when perfect alignment is not practical on a specific machine.

  • 03
    Serviceable field hardware.

    The tube, flange, bolt, washer stack, grease point, and counterbalance plate are designed for real excavator installation, inspection, and maintenance.

Included with DIG™ Works with compatible RTK receivers Receiver stays upright through the dig
Protected sensor housings

Stick and bucket sensors mounted for excavator work.

The DIG™ stick and bucket sensors are IP67 rated, and the protective mount housings add a physical shield around the installed sensors. The goal is simple: keep the critical angle sensors visible, serviceable, repeatable, and better protected on machines that work in dirt every day.

  • 01
    Stick angle + bucket angle.

    DIG™ combines sensor angle data with RTK position and machine measurements so the app can calculate the cutting edge location.

  • 02
    Fixed positions for repeatable setup.

    Once the sensor brackets are installed on a machine, the system can be calibrated, saved, and recalled later as a machine profile.

  • 03
    Easy visual inspection.

    The installed housings keep the sensors accessible so operators can check hardware, cable exit, and mounting condition during normal pre-use checks.

Ditch Assist DIG stick sensor installed in protective mount housing
Stick sensor in protective housing
Ditch Assist DIG bucket sensor installed in protective mount housing
Bucket sensor in protective housing
Mounting + calibration

Measure the machine once. Save the profile.

DIG™ setup records the machine measurements and calibrates the stick and bucket sensors so the app knows where the cutting edge is. Once a machine is calibrated, save the profile and recall it later.

  • 01
    Install fixed sensor brackets.

    Weld or mount the brackets so sensor positions are repeatable on each machine.

  • 02
    Enter measurements and calibrate.

    The setup process records machine geometry and sensor positions for accurate bucket guidance.

  • 03
    Save up to 10 machine profiles.

    Move the kit between prepared machines and recall the saved profile instead of starting over.

  • 04
    Run the job in the app.

    After setup, operators use Excavator mode in the Ditch Assist app for the actual field work.

Open installation + operation manual →
Ditch Assist DIG™ sensor and bucket-grade schematic
Machine geometry tells DIG™ where the bucket edge is.
Ditch Assist DIG™ calibration screen
Calibration, measurements, and saved machine profiles are handled in the DIG™ setup screen.
Move between machines

One kit can serve more than one excavator or backhoe.

If the machines have fixed sensor brackets installed and saved profiles, moving DIG™ is much simpler. Mount the sensors and receiver, select the matching profile, verify setup, and start work in the app.

Prepared machines

Brackets stay on the machine

Sensor brackets are installed on each excavator or backhoe so the sensor position is repeatable every time.

Saved setup

Recall the machine profile

Store up to 10 calibrated machine profiles so the operator does not re-enter measurements for every move.

Field check

Verify before digging

After moving the kit, confirm the selected profile, sensor status, RTK position, and bucket reference before grade work starts.

John Deere RTK receiver mounted on a mini excavator with Ditch Assist DIG™
Universal GPS compatibility

Use the RTK you own, or add an affordable GNSS package.

DIG™ works with RTK GPS from virtually any manufacturer, so you can keep the equipment you already own or choose the solution that fits your budget. No proprietary lock-ins. If you do not currently have RTK, we offer simple, cost-effective options to get started without high price tags or confusing setup.

Our team helps you pick the right solution for your needs, whether you are new to GPS or already running RTK on other equipment.

Emlid RTK options → Compare kits
01 Survey

Move the rover to an ATV or UTV.

For survey work, take the Emlid rover off the excavator, mount it on an ATV or UTV, and drive the route while the Ditch Assist app records the survey over Bluetooth.

02 Design

Build the profile in Slope-IQ™.

Use the survey in the Ditch Assist app to design the ditch or trench with Best-Fit, Guided, or Freeform tools.

03 Dig

Put the rover back on the excavator.

Return the rover to the machine, open the saved design, and dig with live bucket guidance in the app.

Compatible machines

Any size excavator. Any backhoe.

Use DIG™ on full-size excavators, mini excavators, wheeled excavators, long-reach machines, and backhoes. Long-reach excavators are usually a fit but may require CAN sensor cable extensions. If the machine has a stick and bucket, ask us about the mounting path.

Full-size excavators Backhoes Mini excavators Long-reach excavators Wheeled excavators
Where DIG fits

DIG vs a Ditch Assist implement kit vs full civil machine control.

Operators researching systems such as Trimble Earthworks, Leica iCON, Topcon 3D-MC, or MOBA Xsite are usually comparing broader civil machine-control platforms. DIG™ is a simpler, more affordable RTK bucket-guidance product built specifically for Ditch Assist workflows — not a claim-for-claim replacement for those systems.

Ditch Assist DIG™
For excavators + backhoes
 Ditch Assist implement kit
For pull-type + mounted implements
 Full civil machine control
e.g. Trimble Earthworks, Leica iCON, Topcon 3D-MC, MOBA Xsite
Machine type Excavators and backhoes Pull-type and tractor-mounted implements — scrapers, ditchers, tile plows, blades, land levelers Excavators, dozers, graders, and other civil construction machines, depending on the platform
Hydraulic automation None — guidance only, operator runs the bucket Automatic with the Full Automation Kit, or guidance only with the Guidance Only Kit Often included on the host machine, depending on the specific platform and package
Sensors + position IP67 stick and bucket inclination sensors, RTK/GNSS position, GPS pendulum mount Control module with RTK/GNSS position, plus a proportional hydraulic valve on the Full Automation Kit Platform-specific sensor and valve packages integrated into the machine
App / display Ditch Assist Android app — same app used across every Ditch Assist mode Ditch Assist Android app Proprietary in-cab displays specific to each platform
Design file import Slope-IQ™, LandXML, and the same import workflows as the rest of the Ditch Assist app Slope-IQ™, AGD, OptiSurface™, Ezigrade™, Topcon™ AGForm-3D™, and LandXML Platform-specific design workflows; typically supports common civil file formats
Typical use Farm drainage outlet work, ditch cleanup, culverts, small earthworks, pads, and slopes Farm drainage, tiling, terracing, land forming, and leveling Full-scale civil construction and earthmoving projects
Subscription None — one-time purchase None — one-time purchase Varies by platform

Comparing DIG™ with lower-cost 3D guidance kits such as the FJD Trion G31? Both put bucket position on a screen — so compare the software. DIG runs the complete Ditch Assist app on a standard Android tablet: Slope-IQ™ ditch and trench design, route survey, saved machine profiles, and the same design files and modes used across every Ditch Assist machine. One app to learn, one RTK source shared with the implement kits, no subscription.

Trimble Earthworks, Leica iCON, Topcon 3D-MC, MOBA Xsite, and FJD Trion G31 are named only as examples of systems buyers may also research. Mentioning them does not imply affiliation, endorsement, or equivalence.

Beyond farm drainage

The same kit works construction.

DIG™ was built by drainage people — and the same bucket-to-grade guidance covers the dirt work around it. If the job has a target elevation, DIG™ puts it on the screen.

Trenching

Utility & service trenches

Hold depth to grade for water, sewer, and utility runs — nobody standing in the trench with a grade rod.

Foundations

Footings & basements

Dig to the spec elevation and stop before overdig — no re-fill, no re-compaction, no extra concrete.

Crossings

Culverts & road crossings

Set invert elevations on both ends and cut the fall between them without repeated checks.

Long runs

Pipeline & cable

Survey the route, design the fall with Slope-IQ™, and dig long runs — curves included.

Site prep

Pads & level cuts

Level areas to one target elevation with the same app — pads, ponds, and flat cuts.

Get numbers

Price it for your machine

Tell us the excavator or backhoe and the work you do.

Get a DIG™ quote →

In the cab

The kit puts live bucket guidance in the Ditch Assist app.

Once DIG™ is installed and calibrated, the operator can use the app for quick grade checks, level areas, Slope-IQ™ trench design, LandXML surfaces, job progress, and resume. The target stays in the cab, where the digging decisions happen.

Ditch Assist app Excavator mode guidance screen
Live bucket guidance shows the target, bucket position, profile, map context, progress, and on-grade feedback in the cab.
Ditch Assist app Excavator mode options
Excavator mode includes quick grade, level area, Slope-IQ™ survey/design, resume, and LandXML civil design workflows.
See Excavator mode → Training videos
FAQ

Ditch Assist DIG™ questions.

Compatibility, machine profiles, RTK input, and what DIG does not automate.

RTK compatibility

Does DIG work with my existing RTK receiver?

Yes. DIG works with RTK GPS from virtually any manufacturer that can provide compatible position data. If you do not already have RTK, an affordable Emlid GNSS bundle can be added to the quote.

Guidance, not automation

Does DIG automate the excavator hydraulics, or only guide the operator?

DIG is guidance only. It does not automate excavator hydraulics. The operator stays in full control of the machine while the app shows the cutting edge against grade in real time.

Machine profiles

Can I save more than one machine profile?

Yes. DIG can save up to 10 calibrated machine profiles, so the kit can move between prepared excavators and backhoes without re-entering measurements.

Machine size

Will DIG work on my machine size?

DIG is used on full-size excavators, mini excavators, wheeled excavators, long-reach excavators, and backhoes. Long-reach machines are usually a fit but may need CAN sensor cable extensions.

Civil machine control

How is DIG different from a full civil machine-control system?

DIG is a simpler RTK bucket-guidance product built for Ditch Assist workflows. It is not a claim-for-claim replacement for full civil machine-control platforms such as Trimble Earthworks, Leica iCON, Topcon 3D-MC, or MOBA Xsite, which typically add hydraulic automation and broader civil design workflows.

Subscription

Do I need a subscription to run DIG?

No. DIG is a one-time hardware purchase with no app subscription and no per-mode activation.

Running both kits

Can I use DIG for excavator work and a Ditch Assist implement kit at the same time?

Yes. DIG and the Ditch Assist implement kits are separate hardware that can run on different machines at the same time, sharing one RTK base station.

FJD G31

How does DIG™ compare to the FJD Trion G31?

The FJD Trion G31 is a 3D excavator guidance system with its own in-cab display. DIG™ takes a different approach: it runs the complete Ditch Assist app on a standard Android tablet — Slope-IQ™ design, route survey, saved machine profiles — and shares one app and one RTK source with the Ditch Assist implement kits. Weigh the display, the design workflow, RTK flexibility, and total cost across your machines.

Warranty

What warranty comes with DIG?

A one-year technology warranty — anything defective that fails in normal use gets repaired or replaced. After the warranty period, our out-of-warranty replacement program supplies new modules, sensors, and other components at a significantly discounted price.

Try it live

See the app that runs this kit.

The hardware pairs with the same Ditch Assist app you can try right now in your browser — no login, no install, no hardware required.

Open the app simulator →
Ditch Assist app home screen in the browser simulator