Understanding Industrial Equipment

Land surveying is used to find, measure and create maps of the positions of points of a section of land, including the distances between those points and the angles relative to each. Land surveying services can be hired to undertake different types of common surveying jobs. For example, surveying for construction or engineering involves checking for property line alterations, the location of a building and determining the appropriate depth for a building foundation. Or, it may involve surveying road locations along with grade and topography. If large sections of land need to be surveyed, satellites and aerial imaging will be used in a geodetic survey. Finally, surveyors who map out the location of property lines are widely used in all kinds of private and commercial development projects, and in aiding in buying and selling real estate. A professional land surveyor uses specific pieces of equipment that are suited for these purposes. 

Main types of land surveying equipment used

What kind of equipment does a land surveyor use? Most commonly, it includes a measuring tape, a theodolite and a level. Other pieces of equipment commonly used include a total station, tripods, prisms and prism poles, GPS (global positioning system) or GNSS (global navigation satellite system), 3D scanners, and CAD software to draw up the maps. Measuring tapes, whether digital or traditional, are used to measure small distances, while the theodolite and transit level are both used to measure angles on the horizontal and vertical planes. In general, a theodolite is a more accurate measuring tool than a level, and a total station more accurate than a theodolite. A special tripod is used to mount and support theodolites, levels and total stations. Here is a closer look at some of the aforementioned surveying equipment:

• A theodolite is a telescope that aligns to a measuring rod by moving along the vertical and horizontal axes. By measuring angles along both of these planes, surveyors are able to triangulate the distances or location of positions in an area, allowing it to be mapped.
• The level that is used by land surveyors is another type of telescopic instrument that has a spirit level built into it. There are different types of surveying levels used, including automatic level, transit level or laser level. As multi-purpose tools, levels are used not only in land surveying but also by builders, pool contractors and the home handyman, too.
• A total station is a highly versatile and functional tool, doing the job of a theodolite, an automatic level and a distance meter all in one. They are more accurate than a theodolite, and make the job of surveying more efficient. The positions of specific points and their distances can be measured and recorded from a point of reference.
• A surveying prism is also known as a retro-reflector or corner cube, and they are used with a surveying pole. It measures distances via the electronic distance measurement (EDM) tool and works by reflecting a measuring beam back to it. 
• A prism pole, or surveying pole, is used along with a level to measure the grade or elevation of ground.