Ditch Assist DIG™ Excavator Guidance

What does DIG™ do?

The bucket becomes the grade checker.

DIG™ gives the operator the three answers that matter while digging: where the bucket is now, where grade is, and whether the work is finished enough to move on.

01
Up to 75% more efficient.
When grade checking happens from the cab, the excavator spends more time digging and less time stopping, waiting, and re-checking — cutting grade-checking time itself by up to 97%.
02
High, low, or on grade.
Clear live feedback helps the operator stay on grade and stop before overdig.
03
One app from quick cuts to complex work.
Use the Ditch Assist app for simple grade targets, level work, designed trenches, mapping, saved progress, and imported files.
04
Universal by design.
Because DIG™ is guidance, it can bolt onto almost any excavator or backhoe without needing newer machine electronics or hydraulic integration.

Ditch Assist app excavator guidance screen showing bucket grade feedback

Ditch Assist DIG™ excavator sensor and bucket grade schematic

Excavator training videos

Step-by-step DIG™ workflows.

See DIG™ handle the core excavator jobs: survey and Slope-IQ™ design, digging to a saved design, quick grade work, level areas, and LandXML surface work.

Survey + Slope-IQ™

Survey and design with Slope-IQ™

Record the proposed route with the excavator, or move the rover to an ATV or UTV and survey over Bluetooth, then turn that data into a Best-Fit, Guided, or Freeform trench design. If a previous survey is loaded, the operator starts this same process at the Slope-IQ™ design screen.

What this walkthrough covers

This DIG™ walkthrough shows how an operator records a proposed excavation route, verifies RTK accuracy, saves the survey, confirms water-flow direction, sets minimum grade, and creates a Slope-IQ™ trench design.

1. Survey with the machine or rover Use the excavator itself, or move the RTK GPS receiver to a vehicle or ATV and connect to it over Bluetooth from the Ditch Assist app.
2. Verify RTK before recording Confirm the Survey Start screen shows connection and RTK accuracy before tapping Start and driving the proposed route.
3. Record the route Survey straight or curved routes in either direction. For wider cuts, drive the survey along the center of the planned excavation path.
4. Save and orient the survey Stop at the end of the route, save the survey with a custom name, and confirm or change the intended water-flow direction.
5. Set minimum grade Enter the minimum grade used by Slope-IQ™ to enforce drainage in Best-Fit and Guided designs. This can still be changed later inside Slope-IQ™.
6. Use Best-Fit design Let Ditch Assist follow existing ground where enough natural slope exists, then create minimum-grade cuts where the ground does not meet the target.
7. Adjust design parameters Review depth offset, minimum grade, bottom width, side slope, cut-volume estimate, and minimum/maximum depth limits.
8. Compare Guided and Freeform Use Guided to anchor the design to selected ground points, or Freeform for manual control when the operator wants to shape the profile directly.

Design guidance

Dig a saved design with Slope-IQ™

Open the saved design, calibrate the excavator to the original survey surface, and dig with the bucket shown against the designed profile. The walkthrough shows the map, profile chart, grade guide, target bar, audible on-grade cue, progress painting, autosave, and resume workflow.

What this walkthrough covers

This DIG™ walkthrough shows how an operator uses a completed Slope-IQ™ design in Excavator mode, including the map, terrain profile, grade guide, calibration to the surveyed surface, progress recording, and resume.

1. Open the excavator grading screen The map shows the machine position along the original survey route, while the profile shows existing ground and the Slope-IQ™ design grade.
2. Read the grade guide The bucket and stick graphic moves with the real machine, and the yellow target bar shows the required elevation at the current location.
3. Match the bucket to target When the digging edge touches the yellow bar, the bucket is at the design elevation for that point on the run.
4. Calibrate to the original survey Before digging, touch the bucket edge to an undisturbed surveyed area and calibrate the excavator elevation to the design surface.
5. Start guidance and dig Use the map, profile chart, and grade guide together to see where the machine is along the run and how close the bucket is to target grade.
6. Track progress and resume As work is completed, the app paints progress on the map, saves the job automatically, and lets the operator stop and continue later.

How operators use DIG™

Open Excavator mode, enter the target, and DIG™.

The same Ditch Assist app covers the fast jobs operators used to do with a laser, and the bigger jobs where design, maps, files, progress, and resume matter.

Quick work

Grade, depth, or level

Enter the target for short trenches, spot fixes, pads, footings, pond bottoms, and level cuts, then use live bucket feedback to stay on grade.

Percent grade or fixed depth Level target for pads and ponds Live bucket high, low, on-grade cues

Trench design

Straight, curved, or multi-slope

Survey the route, let Slope-IQ™ build the profile, then dig to the design with bucket position visible against grade as the work progresses.

Best-Fit, Guided, or Freeform profiles Curved drainage and utility trenches Designed target visible in the cab

Civil + multi-day

Import surfaces and keep progress

Load finished-grade surfaces, work with map context, mark completed areas, and return later with the target and progress still attached.

LandXML finished-grade surfaces Completion marks and achieved grade Saved jobs with resume function

Guidance options

Choose the amount of guidance the job needs.

The Excavator mode menu keeps simple grade work, Slope-IQ™ design, saved jobs, and civil imports in one place, so the operator can pick the job type and get straight to bucket guidance.

Excavator mode menu

Most of the Ditch Assist job power, tuned for an excavator operator.

Start from a new survey, open a saved survey or design, resume yesterday's job, enter a quick grade, hold a level target, or import a civil surface. The operator chooses the job type and DIG™ turns it into live bucket guidance.

New Survey Load Survey/Design Resume Job Enter Grade Only Dig Level Area Import Civil Design

New Survey

Record the route, design it in Slope-IQ™, then dig the result.

Use the excavator to drive the proposed route, or transfer the GPS rover to an ATV or UTV and record the survey over Bluetooth. From there, Slope-IQ™ can build the design using Best-Fit, Guided, or Freeform methods.

Use it forNew drainage, utility, or trench routes

DesignBest-Fit, Guided, or Freeform Slope-IQ™

Operator seesDesigned grade and bucket position together

Load Survey/Design

Open work that was surveyed or designed ahead of time.

Load a previously recorded survey and begin at the Slope-IQ™ design screen, or open a saved design when the excavator is ready to dig. This is useful when survey and design happen ahead of the actual excavation work.

Use it forPlanned jobs, repeat visits, pre-designed routes

TargetSaved survey or saved design

Operator seesThe loaded design ready for digging guidance

Resume Job

Continue a job without rebuilding the work from scratch.

Reopen a previously started job with the saved design and completed progress restored. The operator can see what has already been built and continue from the same job context.

Use it forMulti-day trenches and civil excavation

TargetSaved design, benchmark, and progress

Operator seesCompleted work and the remaining target

Enter Grade Only

Set a reference point, enter the slope, and start digging.

Set the bucket at a reference point such as an existing culvert base or benchmark, optionally enter a depth offset, choose uphill or downhill slope from that reference, and DIG™ guides the bucket from there.

Use it forCulverts, service lines, short drains, quick cuts

TargetReference point, depth offset, slope, direction

Operator seesBucket position against the entered grade

Dig Level Area

Hold one elevation anywhere the bucket works.

Set the bucket to a reference point with an optional depth offset, or enter a target elevation directly. DIG™ then guides the operator to stay on that elevation wherever the bucket moves.

Use it forPads, pond bottoms, floors, footings, flat cuts

TargetReference elevation, offset depth, or target elevation

Operator seesCut/fill guidance to a level target

Import Civil Design

Load LandXML surfaces and dig from the finished design.

Import a LandXML final surface and dig to the design elevation under the bucket. When before and after surfaces are available, the app can show cut/fill context, and a cell-based marking system lets the operator tap completed areas after they are built and verified.

Use it forCivil pads, ponds, commercial sites, design surfaces

TargetImported LandXML final surface

Operator seesLive design elevation, cut/fill, and completion marks

Excavator using Ditch Assist DIG™ guidance

DIG™ vs full 3D

Not a full 3D system, and that's deliberate!

Full 3D machine-control systems have their place. They also bring significant complexity: model prep, coordinate alignment, machine integration, training, and cost. Many excavator owners, drainage contractors, municipalities, utilities, farms, and sitework contractors think they need all of that, then discover the system is too expensive, too complex, or too easy to avoid using.

DIG™ is built for the work most excavator operators actually do: see grade, trust the target, and keep digging. Use design data when it helps. Do not turn every trench, pad, or footing into a 3D production.

QuestionFull 3D systemDitch Assist DIG™

Quick grade or level workOften more setup than the job needs.Enter the target and dig.

Machine fitOften easiest on newer machines with the right electronics and integration path.Guidance for almost any excavator or backhoe, with the operator still in control.

Design filesOften built around prepared models.Available when useful, optional when not.

Best fitHigh-volume model-based contractors.Operators who need accurate grade without making every job complicated.

Researching systems such as Trimble Earthworks, Leica iCON, Topcon 3D-MC, MOBA Xsite, or the FJD Trion G31? The same questions apply — setup time per job, machine fit, design-file needs, and total cost across your machines. DIG™ answers them with one app shared across every Ditch Assist machine. Third-party names are examples only and imply no affiliation or equivalence.

DIG™ kit

Bolts onto the machine. Leaves the operator in control.

DIG™ uses IP67 stick and bucket sensors, RTK positioning, and the Ditch Assist app to show live bucket grade. It does not need hydraulic taps, valve commands, or a newer machine with factory 3D integration. Setup, calibration, and saved machine profiles are handled through the DIG™ module's built-in web interface in a browser on any device.

IP67 stick + bucket sensors Excavators and backhoes No hydraulic integration Compatible RTK options Built-in web setup on any device Save and recall up to 10 machine profiles

DIG™ installation + operation manual → Mounting + calibration

Ditch Assist DIG™ excavator guidance kit components

Machine fit

Fits most excavators and backhoes.

If the machine has a stick and bucket, DIG™ is usually a fit. Full-size excavators, mini excavators, wheeled excavators, backhoes, and long-reach excavators are common fits. Long-reach machines usually require CAN sensor cable extensions.

Full-size excavators Backhoes Mini excavators Long-reach excavators Wheeled excavators

Unsure about your machine?

Send us the machine model, boom/stick setup, bucket linkage, and RTK receiver details. We will confirm the mounting path and whether any cable extensions are needed.

Call 1-833-DITCH-AS Contact form

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 receiver 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 ditch or trench in Slope-IQ™.

Use the survey in the Ditch Assist app to design the grade with Slope-IQ™, including Best-Fit, Guided, or Freeform profiles for straight, curved, or multi-slope work.

03 Dig

Put the rover back on the excavator.

Return the Emlid rover to the machine, open the saved design, and dig with live bucket guidance in the app so the operator can see high, low, and on-grade as they work.

More than excavators

DIG™ guides the bucket. Ditch Assist can run the rest of the grade work.

Many operators start with DIG™ on the excavator, then add a Ditch Assist Automation or Guidance Kit for the scraper, blade, tile plow, ditcher, land leveler, or contour work. The kits are different, but the app experience, RTK setup, support, and job data stay familiar across the machines doing the dirt work.

Surface drainage

Ditching + Terracing

Survey a route, let Slope-IQ™ design the grade, then cut drainage ditches or terrace channels with automated or guidance-only implement control.

Ditching Terracing

Earthmoving

Land Forming + Grading + Leveling

Build pads, planes, and finished surfaces with RTK blade feedback, Auto-Nudge™ pass staging, cut/fill maps, and imported design files.

Land Forming Simple Grading Leveling

Water management

Tiling + Contour Guidance

Use the same app family for tile plow control, contour-guided jobs, levee lines, paddy dikes, and conservation ridges.

Tiling Levee

Fit check

Do you need full 3D machine control?

For most trenching, drainage, and dirt work — no. Full machine-control platforms automate the bucket, but they cost several times more, require hydraulic integration, and stay tied to one machine. DIG™ bolts onto almost any excavator or backhoe and gives the operator the part that actually saves the time: live bucket-to-grade feedback, from the cab, on any machine.

Best for

Excavator and backhoe operators who want live bucket-to-grade feedback — quick grade checks, designed trenches, level areas, LandXML surfaces, and multi-day jobs — without hydraulic integration or a full 3D build-out.

Different job?

Grading with an implement — scraper, ditcher, blade — instead of a bucket? That’s the Automation & Guidance kits with full hydraulic control — start with Ditching. Already running full 3D machine control on your big iron? DIG™ is the fast way to put grade at the bucket on the machines that don’t have it.

FAQ

Excavator guidance questions.

Answers for operators looking at machine profiles, sensors, RTK input, backhoe fit, and LandXML design workflows.

Machine profiles

How do machine profiles work with DIG™?

The DIG™ module stores stick and bucket sensor calibration, geometry, and offsets as a saved machine profile. Up to 10 profiles can be saved and recalled through the module's built-in web interface, so one kit can move between machines without recalibrating from scratch.

Sensors

What sensors does DIG™ use?

IP67-rated stick and bucket sensors mounted to the machine's linkage track boom, stick, and bucket position. There are no hydraulic taps or valve commands — sensor position feeds the Ditch Assist app for live bucket grade feedback.

RTK input

What RTK GPS does DIG™ accept?

DIG™ works with RTK GPS from virtually any manufacturer as long as it provides standard position output. There is no proprietary lock-in — use RTK equipment you already own, or ask about an Emlid-based bundle if you need to add RTK.

Backhoe use

Does DIG™ work on a backhoe?

Yes. Backhoes are a common DIG™ fit alongside full-size, mini, wheeled, and long-reach excavators. If the machine has a stick and bucket, DIG™ is usually a fit. Long-reach machines typically need CAN sensor cable extensions.

LandXML / design

Can DIG™ use a LandXML design file?

Yes. Import Civil Design loads a LandXML final surface and shows the design elevation live at the bucket. When before and after surfaces are available, the app can show cut/fill context, and completed areas can be marked as the work is verified.

DIG™ vs full 3D

Is DIG™ the same as a full 3D machine-control system?

No. DIG™ is RTK bucket-to-grade guidance built into the Ditch Assist app, not a full civil machine-control platform like Trimble Earthworks, Leica iCON, Topcon 3D-MC, or MOBA Xsite. Those systems fit high-volume, model-based work; DIG™ fits operators who need accurate grade without turning every job into a 3D production.

Already have survey or design data?

Send it before you commit to DIG™.

If you already have a survey, saved design, trench profile, LandXML surface, or civil design file for the excavator work, send us the file before you buy. We can check whether Ditch Assist DIG™ can load it directly, and if not, we will look for the simplest path to make it usable.

What to send

Survey, design, or LandXML.

Send the exact file you expect to use, plus what it represents: original survey, finished surface, trench route, before/after surfaces, benchmark, coordinate system, and units if known.

What we test

Can the app turn it into guidance?

We check whether the design imports, whether the target surface or profile makes sense, whether the file is too large or missing required data, and which DIG™ workflow fits the job.

If it needs conversion

We look for a solution.

If the file does not load cleanly, we will look for a practical fix: a better export, a simplified surface, a coordinate-system correction, or a different workflow inside the Ditch Assist app.

Ditch Assist DIG™ shows the operator exactly where the bucket is relative to grade.