Advantages Of Digital Survey Equipments Over Conventional Equipments

Modern surveying instruments provides faster and more precise surveying than conventional instruments. Their types and uses are discussed in this article.
In conventional surveying, chain and tape are used for making linear measurements while compass and ordinary theodolites are used for making angular measurements. Leveling work is carried out using a Dumpy level and a leveling staff. With such surveying instruments, survey work will be slow and tedious.
Hence modern surveying instruments are becoming more popular and they are gradually replacing old surveying instruments such as compass and Dumpy level. With modern surveying instruments, survey work will be precise, faster and less tedious. Some of the modern surveying instruments are discussed in this article.
Modern Surveying Instruments and Their Uses
Following are the modern surveying instruments which are used for surveying:
Electronic Distance Measurement (EDM) Instruments
Total Station
Global Positioning System (GPS)
Automatic Level
1. Electronic Distance Measurement (EDM) Instruments
Direct measurement of distances and their directions can be obtained by using electronic instruments that rely on propagation, reflection and reception of either light waves or radio waves. They may be broadly classified into three types:
a. Infrared wave instruments
b. Light wave instruments
c. Microwave instruments
a. Infrared Wave Instruments
These instruments measure distances by using amplitude modulated infrared waves. At the end of the line, prisms mounted on target are used to reflect the waves. These instruments are light and economical and can be mounted on theodolites for angular measurements. The range of such an instrument will be 3 km and the accuracy achieved is ± 10 mm.
E.g. DISTOMAT DI 1000 and DISTOMAT DI 5