Andy Seymour

“There’s no substitute for boots on the ground — or for a keen eye to see what others might miss.”

As Technical Manager at Terrain Surveys, Andy Seymour is the person who makes sure every piece of kit works perfectly, every trainee knows exactly what they’re doing, and every new bit of tech is properly tested long before it goes out on site. If it hums, clicks, measures, scans or maps, Andy’s probably had it apart and put it back together again — just to make sure.

Andy first stumbled into surveying by sending out a bold, blanket CV email as a school leaver — landing a trainee role that gave him his first taste of the industry. After seven years and a life-changing stint travelling Australia, New Zealand and Southeast Asia, he found his way to Terrain through an old mate’s tip-off. Eleven years later, he’s still here — helping keep Terrain on the front foot, constantly testing and adopting new technologies to keep the company ahead of the curve.

These days, Andy’s role is a balance of senior surveying, technical management and R&D. He trains new starters, oversees the whole equipment fleet, troubleshoots site problems, and investigates the next big thing — from mobile mapping systems to processing software and the role AI will play in surveying’s future. He’s also the go-to for complex or unusual projects, like his personal favourite: an immense, highly-detailed measured survey of an aircraft-grade aluminium foundry — a project he still calls “my baby”.

Ask Andy what makes a great surveyor and you’ll get three essentials: an eye for detail, a mind for problem-solving, and the adaptability to think on your feet (especially when the weather, site or client throws a curveball). But the biggest difference, he says, is culture: “At Terrain, everyone owns their work — the wins and the snags — and no one’s left to struggle alone. We take pride in what we deliver and help each other out to get it right.”

When he’s not at the forefront of Terrain’s tech, you’ll probably find Andy daydreaming about adventure sports, off-roading, or plotting how he’d run a go-kart track (if he ever won the lottery). He’s also the man to ask about Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, or why The Lion King might just be the best family film ever made.

A massive aluminium foundry in Birmingham — thousands of details, weeks of work, and a final drawing that looked like a microchip.

A seat at the directors’ table — taking Terrain’s technical edge to the next level.

David Attenborough and Robin Williams, with a generous serving of Massaman curry.

Need help with tech, training, troubleshooting or top-notch survey detail? Andy’s your man — just don’t ask him to take the company photos.