Surveying land in order to build large-scale projects is something that has been with human civilization since the time of the ancient pyramids. This would obviously continue up through human expansion, like we witnessed through the Grecian and Roman empires, along with many Asian empires. The Great Wall of China wasn’t just guessed at; the people who built this impressive monument had to survey and measure and get things just right. The only thing that’s really changed in all that time would be the methods by which we survey the land and take our measurements. We have some pretty sophisticated equipment at our disposal today, which makes everyone’s lives just a bit easier.
There is a lot of great equipment that can be easily found at locations like Bench Mark US, such as the classic types of surveying equipment. However, you can also find the new and cutting-edge stuff out there on the market too. For example, you can find great RTK GPS systems that will greatly benefit any size job and workforce. Although, a lot of people aren’t aware of what this piece of equipment is or what it does. So, let’s go over some of the finer points below.
A Look at GPS
Most people know what GPS is, though mostly in a colloquial sense. The Global Positioning System started out called Navstar, and is a satellite-based navigation system that’s owned by the US government. There are a few different navigation systems similar to GPS, but America’s is far and away the most popular and reliable on the market. With over 30 satellites in orbit, the GPS network can cover a lot a ground on Earth, and can do it quite accurately. As that relates to surveying land, this means that a surveyor can get a very large-scale picture of how the terrain looks. Obviously, this isn’t called for when just surveying level land for some smaller project. Though when dealing with huge infrastructure, the GPS readings definitely come in handy.
A Look at RTK
The RTK half of this equipment equation stands for Real-Time Kinematics. Its fully technical name would be centimetre-grade Real-Time Kinematic system. What this means, in shorthand, is that you’re getting an insanely accurate reading with the equipment. It’s a high-precision piece of equipment that cut its bones with a mobile GIS and Bluetooth format for years before becoming more widely available on more devices. RTK is known for using different corrections and transmission methods, which are able to take a basic GPS reading and seriously hone in on it down to a sub-meter range. When you’re considering many square miles of Earth, this accuracy is truly incredible.
Benefits of This System
Let’s go over some of the more notable benefits one would receive by using this combination piece of equipment.
Improved Safety
With this sort of system combining RTK and GPS, what you end up with is a system that dramatically reduces the chances of job-site injuries. It also cuts down greatly on operator error, which can not only lead to injuries but also broken equipment and a lot more time and money spent on the job. Though when it comes to safety, no job is worth someone’s life, and having a piece of equipment that can improve safety over large-scale jobs is incredibly beneficial.
New Surveying Options
Combining RTK and GPS in a piece of equipment can also take your surveying options to new heights, literally speaking. This can really open you up for aerial surveying, which requires fewer people to operate and helps to keep everyone safe and on schedule. Drones equipped with this technology can make short work of even the biggest surveying jobs.
Reduced Time
Time is money with any profession, but especially in a highly competitive field where surveying companies are bidding on contracts. So, they’re already not getting the amount of money they’d like, and thus every bit of lost money cuts into the profit in a bigger way. These systems can help speed the job up greatly, allowing you to get the job’s surveying aspect over with quickly.
Combining the RTK technology with GPS might seem initially confusing, but it’s really simple enough to understand for a piece of sophisticated equipment that can help you out in numerous ways.
