Question 1

Can you accommodate infant/child sections and cremains areas where features may be smaller or shallower?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Sentry Mapping can survey infant or child sections and cremains areas by using high-frequency GPR with tighter scan spacing, then tying results to precise GPS coordinates. We map these smaller, shallower features in your cemetery GIS as clear plot types. Detectability still depends on soil and how the interments were installed.

Sentry Mapping’s cemetery mapping approach can be applied for infant and child sections and for cremains areas where features can be smaller or shallower than standard casket burials. During a ground penetrating radar cemetery survey, we use high-frequency antennas and can tighten scan line spacing to capture more detail. In many cemeteries, graves in the typical 3–6 ft range are well within reach, and scans can read to about 12 ft when conditions allow.

For these sections, we pair GPR grave locating with above-ground “as-built” mapping and any records you have, so the final burial plot mapping matches your real layout.

After processing, you receive a printed master map plus digital cemetery mapping layers delivered through a searchable web map. With our cemetery management software program, you can tag plot types (infant, child, cremains), add custom data fields, attach documents, and track availability status. This makes it easier to protect sensitive areas, avoid accidental re-use, and answer families with confidence.

Question 2

Can you map overgrown or abandoned cemeteries where many markers are hidden by vegetation?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Sentry Mapping can map overgrown or abandoned cemeteries even when headstones are buried in vegetation as long as the ground is clear enough for our GPR scanner to navigate the surface like a push mower would. We use ground penetrating radar cemetery surveys plus precision GPS to locate marked and unmarked graves without digging, then deliver a printed master map and an interactive web map your staff and visitors can search.

Sentry Mapping’s cemetery mapping is a strong fit for overgrown or abandoned cemeteries because we do not rely on visible headstones. Using ground penetrating radar cemetery scanning, we survey the grounds in a grid and pinpoint soil disturbance and voids that indicate burials, supporting unmarked grave detection even when markers are hidden, broken, or gone. The GPR scanner needs to roll across the ground much like a push mower, so if vegetation is too dense to navigate safely, you typically only need light trimming or mowing in the scan lanes — not excavation.

We then combine subsurface results with survey-grade GPS and drone mapping for a high-resolution aerial view of paths, sections, and remaining monuments. This produces practical, shareable deliverables: updated burial plot mapping, cemetery GIS mapping layers, and a clickable, searchable web map, plus a printed master map for the office.

For ongoing recordkeeping, you can manage everything in a cemetery management software program. We serve cemeteries across the 48 contiguous U.S. states.

Question 3

How can I locate unmarked graves in an old cemetery without disturbing the ground?

Accepted Answer

Use high-frequency ground-penetrating radar (GPR) to scan the cemetery surface, then overlay the subsurface reflections on a precise GPS/GIS map. This non-invasive method detects unmarked grave shafts, outlines each burial plot, and creates a digital record—so you find every grave without digging or disturbing the soil.

Ground-penetrating radar cemetery surveys are the gold standard for unmarked grave detection because they read what lies below the turf instead of moving it. During a Sentry Mapping cemetery survey, technicians roll a high-frequency GPR cart across each walkway and row.

The antenna sends radio waves about 12 ft deep; when the signal hits a disturbed soil column (the signature of a grave shaft) it bounces back, creating a hyperbola visible on screen. We record every reflection with survey-grade GPS, then feed that data into our cemetery GIS mapping workflow. Within days you receive a digital cemetery mapping file that pinpoints each burial plot—marked or not—overlaid on recent drone imagery. Because the process is contact-less and lightweight, there is zero damage to headstones, landscaping, or fragile historic soil layers.

Beyond the map, you get a printed master plan, a searchable web map, and two free years of Chronicle cemetery management software. Staff can click any plot to view burial details, upload documents, or confirm availability before selling a space. This combination of GPR grave locating and intuitive software eliminates guesswork, prevents accidental disturbance, and preserves heritage while maximizing usable ground, all without a single shovel hitting dirt.

Question 4

What are the best practices for protecting fragile monuments, flat markers, and landscaping while crews grid and scan each section for mapping?

Accepted Answer

For fragile monuments and flat markers, protect the grounds by using Sentry Mapping's non-invasive ground penetrating radar cemetery scanning. Our crews push a radar cart across turf like a stroller, with no digging and no contact with stones.

Best practices for protecting fragile monuments, flat markers, and landscaping during cemetery mapping start with a pre-walk and clear boundaries. Sentry Mapping’s Cemetery Mapping with GPR is non-invasive: a radar cart is pushed across the turf like a stroller and sends low-energy, non-ionizing radio pulses (like Wi-Fi), so nothing touches headstones and no digging is required.

Note any unstable stones, sunken ground, sprinkler heads, and new sod. Set simple no-go zones and safe travel lanes for our team.

After fieldwork, your Burial Plot Mapping and Cemetery Survey & Drafting outputs can be published as web maps for cemeteries and managed in our optional cemetery management software program, reducing repeat foot traffic and future wear.

Question 5

What surfaces can Ground Penetrating Radar be used for?

Accepted Answer

Ground-penetrating radar scans accurately through most cemetery surfaces—lush turf, bare soil, gravel drives, asphalt lanes, concrete walkways, and even brick or paver plazas—without disturbing the grounds. Whether your plots sit under manicured lawn or beneath a paved road, Sentry Mapping's GPR equipment can still detect every marked or unmarked burial.

Ground penetrating radar cemetery surveys work on virtually any surface you’ll encounter in a burial ground. The high-frequency antennas Sentry Mapping uses read clean echoes through manicured grass, compacted soil, sand, clay, or loam. Because the radar signal is transmitted and received from a wheeled cart that rolls along the ground, it also performs well over hardscapes such as asphalt drive lanes, concrete walkways, gravel paths, brick or stone pavers, and even thin decorative slabs. This versatility lets our technicians scan every corner of your cemetery—between headstones, under tree canopies, through columbarium plazas, and across parking areas—without cutting, coring, or excavation.

Moisture, surface texture, and minor topography rarely pose problems; in fact, slightly damp soil can improve signal clarity, allowing unmarked grave detection down to eight or ten feet. By combining this all-terrain GPR capability with centimeter-grade GPS, Sentry Mapping delivers precise burial plot mapping and digital cemetery mapping that integrates seamlessly with our optional cemetery management software. The outcome: a complete, searchable grave locating map staff and visitors can trust, while the grounds stay pristine and undisturbed. Contact us for a free estimate to plan your project with confidence.

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Understanding Your Cemetery’s GPR Profile

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GPR: Uncovering History

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