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NEND | SD Drain user here, have no experience with the other.
SD Drain features
Backsloping - very nice if you want to take the time to backslope your ditches. I know some people who don't want to take the time to. I do, it makes for longer lasting ditches that won't get filled in as quick with tillage. How it works is, you set the ratio of the backslope and the backslope ditch width. I set the backslope ditch width at 10', so once the middle of my scraper blade is more than half the ditch width from the center(bottom) of the ditch, the software automatically raises the blade to match the programmed backslope. There is also a live display of the backslope. This is handy if you want to feather the backslope out to say, 30' from the ditch bottom. You can go out 30' and set the blade on the ground, read the backslope, and adjust it to that number. It's easy to change on the fly too if you have an area of a ditch where you want a drastically different backslope.
High resolution background imagery capable - since it's a Windows based computer with a high res screen, you can load in background satellite images (I use ones I make with ADMS software) that can show flow patterns depressions, proposed ditches, and dump areas.
3D view - although I don't use this view often, it is very handy for seeing where to cut a ditch (I don't use it too often because I usually plan out where to cut ditches at my computer, then save lines on my background images, which saves a lot of time in the field). The 3D view is created with either a LIDAR or RTK elevation data file.
Ability to edit a ditch survey - It's very easy to edit a surveyed ditch. If you want to fill in a small low spot along the ditch somewhere, you just bring up the edit screen, tap at the beginning and end of the low spot, and the software will remove it, and the blade will cut to grade the dirt to fill the hole. It's also very easy to adjust the slope if you want to look at different options and the resulting quantity of dirt removed (which it will instantly show you).
Ability to set a maximum depth of cut - you can set a maximum depth of cut in the machine parameters. I set it to 1-1/2". When you survey a ditch, it will show multiple layers to cut, none exceeding your maximum depth of cut. You can have it automatically step the cuts down if you wish, or select a pass to cut. You also have the ability to nudge the grade line up or down.
With all these features (and I'm sure I'm forgetting some), it is very easy to use however. Find someone near you that has it and ride along, I'd welcome you to ride with me if you are within a distance that you'd like to drive. I'm just not sure when I'll get back in the field with it, supposed to get anther inch of rain tonight.
Edited by bmatteson 9/19/2017 05:26
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Surface Drainage Software - SD Drain or WM Drain
