EDM and Total Station Basics

SGRA University of Engineering and Technology, Rasul
EDM, Total Station and GPS

EDM: Electronic Distance Meter
Introduction:
Direct measurement of distance using tape is difficult when the terrain is rough or the site is
congested. Indirect measurement of distance using optical method is not suitable for high
accuracy measurement. Thus, to obtain high accuracy measurement in difficult terrain or for long
distance, measurements are taken electronically.
Electronic measurement of distance is being carried out either by using an electro-optical (light
wave) device coupled with reflector (also called Laser Range Pole) or by a pair of
electromagnetic (microwaves) instruments.
Definition:
EDM stands for Electronic Distance Meter, it uses electromagnetic waves or super-sonic waves
aided by electronic circuitry to measure the distance between two points.
The EDM makes distance measurement precise and easy.
Sonin 10300 Multi-Measure Combo PRO Professional Electronic Distance

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By: Muhamamd Usman 2014UETRCE-02

History of EDM Invention

In surveying distance measurements were always a challenge for
surveyors especially when long distances were to be measured with high
accuracy. In 1950 scientist tried to calculate the distance by using light beam to travel over
unknown distance with measured time.
Ordinary lights travels at a velocity of 186,000 miles per second, therefore the time taken will be
very small to cover a short distance. This idea was soon dropped but the scientists succeeded in
finding a low velocity light beam in form of Infra-Red Rays generated by solid state Gallium
Arsenide Diode (GAD). This was put into laboratory experimentations in 1960 and finally
instrument called Electronic Distance Measurement came into existence. Initially the instruments
were very expensive but as the demand increased the price was within the reach of most
professionals.
Parts of Electronic Distance Meter

The enlistment of EDM parts depends upon the type of EDM and sometimes, the model of EDM
we are using.
Some Primary Parts of EDM are:

LCD (Liquid Crystal Display): a screen which communicates with the user and displays
the readings.
Crosshair alignment Screws/Tuners: These parts help the alignment of crosshair in case
of availability of optical telescope.
Start Switch, also called Calc. Start Switch: It triggers the process of beaming out and
electronically measuring the distance.
PPM Switch: sets the accuracy for atmospheric pressure, humidity and temperature due
to differences in natural environment.
Level Vials/ Pill Bubbles: These are liquid vials which have very accurately set radii for
both major and minor axes and have small amount of air which shows up as in shape of a
pill. These help setting the EDM in proper levelling.
Vertical Lock: This enables the user to set and fix the EDM at a certain direction and
disables EDM movement in vertical plane.
Zoom Adjustment: Zoom adjustment screws help zooming in the object which in this
case is the receiver of the beams (infra-red/ laser or ultrasonic).
Signal Meter: It is part of display which tells about the SNR (Signal to Noise Ratio) of
the instrument at receiving station. It may be on transmitter or receiver or on both.
Battery Indicator: Displays the current status of battery.
Power Connector: This is the interface for providing live electric power to the
instrument.

Mode Switch Button: This button switches mode of EDM

transmitter while no reflector/receiver is being used. It is
typically used as direct distance measurement at for short range.
Revolution in Surveying due to EDM

Modern EDM equipment contains hard-wired algorithms for reducing the slope distance to its
horizontal and vertical equivalent. For most engineering surveys, Total stations combined with
electronic data loggers are now virtually standard equipment on site. Basic theodolites can be
transformed into total stations by add-on, top-mounted EDM modules. The development of EDM
has produced fundamental changes in surveying procedures e.g.

Traversing on a grandiose scale, with much greater control of

swing errors, is now a standard procedure.
The inclusion of many more measured distances into
triangulation, rendering classical triangulation obsolete. This
results in much greater control of scale error.
Setting-out and photogrammetric control, over large areas, by polar coordinates from a
single base line.
Offshore position fixing by such techniques as the Tellurometer-Hydrodist-System.
Deformation monitoring to sub-millimeter accuracies using high-precision EDM
The latest developments in EDM equipment provide plug-in recording modules, capable of
recording many thousand blocks of data for direct transfer to the computer. There is practically
no surveying operation which does not utilize the speed, economy, accuracy and reliability of
modern EDM equipment. For example the EDM instrument Model # LEICA RM100 BUILDER
POWER have the following particulars,
Absolute circle reading

Laser plummet
Endless drives
30x magnification
Dual-Axis compensation
High resolution LCD display
Electronic laser distance measurement
Graphic sketches
EDM measurement with red laser on target
Upload and transfer data
Data editing and exchange
Connectivity to 3rd party devices
Hence, the advent of EDM equipment has completely revolutionized all surveying procedures,
resulting in a change of emphasis and techniques. Taping distance, with all its associated
problems, has been rendered obsolete for all base-line measurement. Distance can now be
measured easily, quickly and with great accuracy, regardless of terrain conditions.
Working Principle of EDM

The EDM equipments which are commonly used in land surveying are mainly electronic or
microwave
systems and electro-optical instruments. These operate on the principle that a transmitter at the
master station sends modulated continuous carrier wave to a receiver at the remote station from
which it is returned (Fig). The instruments measure slope distance D between transmitter
and receiver. It is done by modulating the continuous carrier wave at different frequencies and
then
measuring the phase difference at the master between the outgoing and incoming signals. This
introduces an element of double distance is introduced. The expression for the distance D

traversed
by the wave is;
Where,
= the measured phase difference,
= the modulated wavelength,
n = the number of complete wavelength contained within the double distance (an unknown), and
k = a constant.
To evaluate n, different modulated frequencies are deployed and the phase difference of the
various outgoing and measuring signals are compared.
If c0 is the velocity of light in vacuum and f is the frequency, we have;
Where n is the refractive index ratio of the medium through which the wave passes. Its value
depends upon air temperature, atmospheric pressure, vapour pressure and relative humidity. The
velocity of light c0 in vacuum is taken as 3 108 m/s.
The infrared based EDM Equipments fall within the electro-optical group. Nowadays, most local
survey and setting out for engineering works are being carried out using these EDMs. The
infrared EDM has a passive reflector, using a retrodioptive prism to reflect the transmitted
infrared wave to the master. The distances of 1-3 km can be measured with an accuracy of 5
mm. Many of these instruments have microprocessors to produce horizontal distance, difference
in elevation, etc.
Over long ranges (up to 100 km with an accuracy of 50 mm) electronic or microwave
instruments are generally used. The remote instrument needs an operator acting to the
instructions from the master at the other end of the line. The signal is transmitted from the master
station, received by the remote station and retransmitted to the master station.

Types of Electronic Distance Meter

There are a multitude of EDMs available. These are mainly classified on basis of their working
technology, principle or functions.
Telescope mounted EDM:

This type of EDM contains a telescope mounted on it. It is used to precisely locating the
object and the receiver.
Distometer:
Distomat is the trade name of E.D.M manufactured by LEICA Company of Switzerland.
This instrument uses infra-red light as signals. Distomat can measure distance from 20
metre to 10 km. Distomat also uses amplitude modulation to a frequency of about 15
Mhz, which enables the use of instrument in day and night. The optical system consists of
an attachment, which can be fixed on the top of the telescope. Display unit provided
distance measurement quickly with accuracy of +20 mm up to a distance of 1 km.
Temporary adjustments of theodolite are done before operating the instrument.
Geodimeter:
Geodimeter emits carrier waves or modulated pulses of light from a tungsten filament
that are returned by a reflector system having prism at the other station. The reflected
light is then converted into electrical pulses by photocell and distance is calculated. This
instrument can be used for measuring distance up to 25 km.
Types on basis of Range of Instrument
Short Range EDM:

These type of EDMs can measure short range of distances with

very high accuracy, the range is up to 5 km. The short range
EDMs use infra-red emission for this purpose.
Medium Range EDM:
This type of EDMs can measure distances up to 100 km and use microwaves as signals.
Long Range EDM:
The long range EDMs use radio waves as signal transmission and medium, These
instruments may measure distances of up to and more than 100 km.
Temporary Adjustment/Settings of Electronic Distance Meter

As with any other instrument, there are always certain configurations which are due with it.
Some instruments require to be properly initialized before usage.
Such is with EDM, it requires some basic things to do before directly employing them.
Centering
Centering of EDM means, its marking point must be vertically above the survey station
marked by pointed peg or pined arrow. This means that the EDM must be put on right
point of start of line whose length is to be measured.
Levelling:
Levelling of EDM essentially means its optical/beam line to be accurately perpendicular
to the vertical line on which it is centered on. As the tilt in horizontal line in vertical
plane will definitely affect the accuracy, it is of very great importance to properly level
the instrument before using it.
Atmospheric Settings (PPM):

Since the EDM works on basis of waves, which are affected by physical media like air,
humidity (water) and air pressure, there may be different readings on same points during
different environmental and weather conditions.
EDM must be set according to the current weather condition before using it to measure
the distance.
Focusing:
For telescope mounted EDM, the focusing is making telescope in proper functioning
conditions and configuration so that the object which in this case is receiver, may be
sighted clearly and easily.
Specifications

Specifications are the standards set for making some

instrument/process align with the proper path to the required
results. Some of the major specifications used worldwide for
usage of instrument are:
Attachment of Instrument
o When attaching the instrument on TL-adapters which are fixed on the standards of
TOPCON theodolites, always tighten the clamp screw on the right side first while
pushing the left-side attachment foot of the yoke forward(towards the lens as seen
from the in-strument panel side). Then, tighten the left-side clamp screw, too.
o The above procedure should never be reversed.
o Attach the theodolite on the tripod before mounting the instrument and remove
the instrument before detaching the theodolite from the tripod.
o Do not carry or transport the equipment with the instrument mounted on a -
theodolite fixed on top of the tripod, as this will cause undue stress.
o Protect the instrument from shock and vibrations, with suitable cushioning
material, when carrying or transporting it.
o Do not leave the instrument outdoors on a hot summer day especially for a long
time.
o The interior temperature will easily reach 70 C under the hot summer sun which
could seriously influence the service-life of the instrument.
o Protect the instrument with an awning or umbrella if it must be used under the
above conditions.
o Taking the prism reflector out of a heated car on a cold winter day may cause
distortion in the prism which could temporarily shorten the measurable distance.
o Therefore, sudden and drastic temperature changes should not be made.
o But, if this is not possible, measurement should only start after the prism has had
sufficient time to settle down.
Distance Measurement over 2000 Meters
o The measuring range of the instrument is up to about 1,400 meters, under normal
atmospheric conditions, although longer distances can also be measured when
conditions are ideal. Furthermore, there will also be automatic atmospheric
correction up to the maximum digital display of 1999.999(FINE mode), in this
case.
o For distance measurements over 2,000 meters, the wavelength option
switch(LNG) can be moved to the ON side, as this will provide three modulation
fre-quencies for use in a "long" mode and make possible maximum digital display
up to 9999. 999, although actual measurements will be possible to about 2,000
meters. Furthermore, there will also be automatic atmospheric correction, in this
case.
o However, because of the longer measuring range, measuring time will be
increased slightly, when the wavelength option switch is set to ON. In other
words, measurements will take slightly more than 7 seconds in the Fl NE mode

and about 3 seconds in the COARSE 1 mode, with the

latter shortened to two seconds in the COARSE 2 mode.

Global Positioning System

Introduction and History of GPS
As with many other technological breakthroughs of the latter
20th century, the modern GPS system can reasonably be argued to be a direct outcome of the
Cold War of the latter 20th century. The multibillion dollar expense of this program was initially
justified by military interest.
In 1960, the US Navy put into service its Transit satellite based navigation system to aid
in ship navigation. From 1960 - 1982, as the benefits were proven over time, the US military
consistently improved and refined its satellite navigation technology and satellite system. In
1973, the US military began to plan for a comprehensive worldwide navigational system which
eventually became known as the GPS (global positioning satellite) system. In 1983, in the wake
of the tragedy of the downing of the Korean Airlines Flight 007, an aircraft which was shot down
while in Soviet airspace due to a navigational error, president Reagan announced that the
navigation capabilities of the existing military-GPS system were to be made available for dual
civilian use, however, civilians were to initially only be given access to the slightly degraded
"Selective Availability" positioning signal. This new availability of the US military GPS system
for civilian use required a certain technical collaboration with the private sector for some time,
before it could become a commercial reality. In 1989, Magellan Navigation Inc. unveiled its
Magellan NAV 1000the worlds first commercial handheld GPS receiver. These units initially
sold for approximately $2,900 each. In 2000, the Clinton administration ordered the removal of
military use signal restrictions, thus providing full commercial access to the use of the US GPS
satellite system.
As GPS navigation systems became more and more widespread and popular, the pricing
of such systems began to fall, and their widespread availability steadily increased. Also, several
additional manufacturers of these systems, such as Garmin (1991), Benefon (1999), and
TomTom (2002) entered the market. Benefons 1999 entry into the market also presented users
with the worlds first phone based GPS navigation system. Later, as the smart phone industry
developed, a GPS chip eventually became standard equipment for most smart phone
manufacturers. To date, ever more popular GPS navigation systems and devices continue to
proliferate with newly developed software and hardware applications.
While the American GPS was the first satellite navigation system to be deployed on a
fully global scale, and to be made available for commercial use, this is not the only system of its
type. Due to military and other concerns, similar global or regional systems have been, or will
soon be deployed by Russia, the European Union, China, India, and Japan.

What is GPS navigation system?
1. The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a space-based satellite

navigation system that provides location and time information in all weather conditions,
anywhere on or near the Earth where there is an unobstructed line of sight to four or more
GPS satellites.
A GPS navigation device is a device that accurately calculates geographical location by

receiving information from GPS satellites. Initially it was used by the United States military,
but now most receivers are in automobiles and smartphones. The Global Positioning System
(GPS) is a satellite-based navigation system made up of a network of a minimum of 24, but
currently 30, satellites placed into orbit by the U.S. Department of Defense.[1] Military
action was the original intent for GPS, but in the 1980s, the U.S. government decided to
allow the GPS program to be used by civilians. The satellite data is free and works anywhere
in the world.
GPS devices may have capabilities such as:
maps, including streets maps, displayed in human readable format via text or in a graphical
format
turn-by-turn navigation directions to a human in charge of a vehicle or vessel via text or
speech,
directions fed directly to an autonomous vehicle such as a robotic probe,
Traffic congestion maps (depicting either historical or real time data) and suggested
alternative directions, information on nearby amenities such as restaurants, fueling stations,
and tourist attractions.
GPS devices may be able to indicate:
The roads or paths available, traffic congestion and alternative routes,

Roads or paths that might be taken to get to the destination,.
If some roads are busy (now or historically) the best route to take,
The location of food, banks, hotels, fuel, airports or other places of interests,
The shortest route between the two locations,
The different options to drive on highway or back roads.
How does a GPS work?
1. These GPS receivers not only track the exact location but can also compute velocity and
time. The positions can even be computed in three-dimensional views with the help of
four GPS satellite signals. The Space Segment of the Global Positioning System
consists of 27 Earth-orbiting GPS satellites.

GPS Receiver
A GPS Receiver is a L-band radio processor capable of solving
the navigation equations in order to determine the user position, velocity
and precise time (PVT), by processing the signal broadcasted by GPS
satellites.
The GNSS Market Report, Issue 3, provided by European GNSS Agency, has estimated
that the number of GPS enabled devices in 2012 were about two billion units.
Any navigation solution provided by a GNSS Receiver is based on the computation of its
distance to a set of satellites, by means of extracting the propagation time of the incoming signals
traveling through space at the speed of light, according to the satellite and receiver local clocks.
Notice that satellites are always in motion, so previous to obtaining the navigation
message, the satellites signal is detected and tracked. The receivers functional blocks that
perform these tasks are the antenna, the front-end and the baseband signal processing (in charge
of acquiring and tracking the signal).
Once the signal is acquired and tracked, the receiver application decodes the navigation message
and estimates the user position. The Navigation Message includes:
Ephemeris parameters, needed to compute the satellites coordinates.
Time parameters and Clock Corrections, to compute satellite clock offsets and time
conversions.
Service Parameters with satellite health information.
Ionospheric parameters model needed for single frequency receivers.
Almanacs, that allow computing the position of all satellites but with a lower accuracy
than the ephemeris.
The ephemeris and clocks parameters are usually updated every two hours, while the almanac is
updated at least every six days.
The GPS Signal In Space is

specified in the following
documents:
IS-GPS-200E:
Interface between the
space segment of the
Global Positioning
System and the
navigation user

segment of the GPS for radio frequency link 1 (L1) and link 2
(L2)
IS-GPS-705A: interface between the space segment of the
Global Positioning System and the navigation user segment of
the GPS for radio frequency link 5 (L5).
IS-GPS-800: interface between the space segment of the Global Positioning System
and the navigation user segment of the GPS for signal L1 Civil (L1C) transmitted in the
frequency band of L1.
Types of GPS Receivers

There is a variety of GPS Receivers available to us. GNSS receivers can be categorized
by their type in different ways, and under different criteria. Besides the professional-grade
receivers (e.g. survey and precision), commercial Portable Navigation Devices (PND's) are very
common inside vehicles today, and smartphones appear more and more equipped with integrated
GNSS receivers. These receivers are implemented in a wide variety of platforms, from ASIC,
DSP or FPGA, to general purpose microprocessors. The choice of the target platform is often a
trade-off of parameters such as receiver performance, manufacture and maintenance cost,
expandability, power consumption, and autonomy. Some of the differentiating applications and
receiver implementations, differing in a number of design decisions and approaches to GNSS
solution computation, are described in the following topics.
Hence the top-level categorization is:

1 Multi-constellation 4 Differential
2 Multi-frequency 5 Assistance

3 Augmentation 6 Software receivers
Multi-constellation
With the emergence of multiple satellite navigation systems (both regional and global),
multi-constellation receivers are becoming widely available. This has been encouraged at system
design level by working towards interoperability and compatibility among all systems, allowing
for seamless combination of the different signal spectra and processing chains into a single,
multi-constellation GNSS solution. This approach reflects on the four global GNSS receiver
implementations:
Galileo Receivers
GPS Receivers
GLONASS Receivers
BeiDou Receivers
From the receiver perspective, multi-constellation brings a key added value on solution
availability, especially in urban environments: with the increased number of constellations
available, the number of satellites visible to the user is bound to increase. This allows several
algorithm implementations to be further refined, and the final solution can be computed with
higher accuracy and availability (for instance, see the improvements due to higher availability in
Dilution of Precision (DOP)).
Multi-frequency
Several GNSS signals are allocated to different frequencies - for instance, the L1 and L2
bands. Whether in single or multi-constellation approaches, receivers can benefit from multi-
frequency signal processing for removal of the frequency-dependent errors on the signals, hence
improving receiver accuracy. The most important example is the correction for ionospheric
delays, since these usually represent the main contributors to the overall measurement error.
Multi-frequency receivers, however, bring forth a new challenge, since there is a need for
increasing RF hardware sections. Typical antennas, front ends, and filtering/sampling circuits are
centred on one of the desired frequencies, and in most cases the same amount of RF hardware is
replicated for the other frequency (or frequencies) to process. For this fact, there is also trade-
offs implied between cost, size, power consumption, performance, signal and band filtering, and
analogue circuitry quality.

Augmentation
GNSS receivers can also benefit from corrections or
measurements provided by the available augmentation systems to
improve their accuracy and performance. As the name implies, such systems aim at providing
augmentation information to the GNSS users, consisting of corrections and/or auxiliary
measurements that increase precision and accuracy in the calculated solution. As examples of
receivers that use satellite augmentation information, see:
EGNOS Receivers
WAAS Receivers
Differential
Differential techniques enable improved receiver accuracy by providing the receiver with
additional information, such as measurements from other receivers in the vicinities, or
corrections computed independently. Such external information is then used within a receiver in
a differential way, e.g. improving the solution accuracy. Some of the most widely used
differential techniques available in current receiver technology are:
DGNSS - Differential GNSS

PPP - Precise Point Positioning
RTK - Real-Time Kinematics
Assistance
The definition of assisted-GNSS (A-GNSS) gathers many different concepts, but can be split into
two main categories:
GNSS assistance information is used to improve acquisition speed: an assistance

network - comprised of servers and information relays - transmits almanac and/or
ephemeris data to the receiver, so that the initial search for satellites can be performed
faster. This allow the receiver to start tracking visible satellites quicker, thus providing a
navigation solution in less start-up time.
Data processing and solution computation is performed in the server: in this case, the
receiver can send measurements like visible satellites, pseudoranges or phase information
to the servers, where the heavier computational load for generating an accurate solution is
performed, and the results are sent back to receiver.
The assistance information can be accessed by the receiver beforehand (e.g. via Internet),
or received on request (usually through wireless communications). So, assisting information can
be provided by different technologies, such as Wi-Fi, GPRS/UMTS, or the internet. Depending
on the solution envisaged, this might have an impact at several levels, such as availability,

continuity, and power consumption. As an example of assisted data, the

International GNSS Service provides position, velocity and clock
information regarding GPS satellites that GNSS receivers can use to
improve accuracy.
Assistance data is also used in indoor environments, where receivers struggle to get
anything out of GNSS. These environments are very stringent in terms of GNSS signal reception,
and the solutions often include integrating different sensors and technologies to use all available
data to provide a navigation solution.
Software receivers
Figure 1: Hardware vs. Software receiver approaches.
Besides the wide variety of hardware platforms and their evolution, the so-called
software receivers have proliferated lately, thanks to its additional flexibility, reconfiguration
capabilities, upgradeability and expandability.
The concept behind a software receiver is depicted in Figure 1, which identifies the key
processing blocks of a GNSS receiver, and shows the differences in approach between hardware
and software implementations. Since the algorithmic and signal processing tasks are performed

in software, there is an added control and flexibility on the tasks

performed. Also, future changes in algorithms or approaches are easier
in a software approach.
One identified drawback in a software implementation of a

receiver, however, is the efficiency concerning the processing load, specifically its impact on a
CPU power consumption in mobile platforms.
The Parts of GPS

GPS consists of three main segments:
The Space Segment: This part consists of 24 satellites, manufactured by Rockwell

International, which are launched into space by rockets, from Cape Canaveral, Florida. They are
about the size of a car, and weigh about 19,000lbs. Each satellite is in orbit above the earth at an
altitude of 11,000 nautical miles (12,660 miles), and takes 12 hours to orbit one time. There are
6 orbital planes each having 4 satellites. The orbits are tilted to the equator of the earth by 55
so that there is coverage of the polar regions. The satellites continuously orient themselves to
ensure that their solar panels stay pointed towards the sun, and their antennas point toward the
earth. Each satellite carries 4 atomic clocks.
The Control Segment: This part consists of 5 worldwide unmanned base-stations that monitor
the satellites to track their exact position in space, and to make sure that they are operating
correctly. The stations constantly monitor the orbits of the satellites and use very precise radar
to check altitude, position and speed. Transmitted to the satellites are ephemeris constants and
clock adjustments. The satellites in turn, use these updates in the signals that they send to GPS
receivers.
The main base-station is in Colorado

Springs, Colorado and the other four are
located on Ascension Island (Atlantic
Ocean), Diego Garcia (Indian Ocean) and
Kwajalein and Hawaii (both Pacific Ocean).
The User Segment: This part consists of user receivers which are hand-held or, can be placed in
a vehicle. All GPS receivers have an almanac programmed into their computer, which tells them
where each satellite is at any given moment. The GPS receivers detect, decode and process the
signals received from the satellites. The receiver is usually used in conjunction with computer

software to output the information to the user in the form of a map. As the user does not have to
communicate with the satellite there can be unlimited users at one time.
GPS Receivers
Apart from the technology, the user interface is packed in form of a handheld or box device,
called the GPS receiver or simply, the GPS.
It is the instrument which receives the GPS signals and calculates the 4D components, X,Y,Z and
V (velocity)
The following picture shows multitude of GPS Devices (Receivers).

Parts of GPS Receiver

A typical GPS Receiver has various parts, the crucial of which are:
LCD Display
Keyboard
Antina
Extendable Antena
Navigation Panel
Compass (Optional)
Battery Indicator
GPS Signals alert LED
Functions of GPS Receiver

There are a lot of functions which different GPS Receiving Manufacturers provide, which are
mainly;
Geo Location Coordinates
These coordinates provide exact Geo Points which comprise of X,Y and Z values with
reference to Meridian Equator and MSL.
GEO Tagging
For photographic Surveys, the Geo Tagging facility enables to Pin Point the photo station
from which a photograph has been taken.
Topography
Velocity
Paths
Settings of GPS Receiver

The Settings of GPS Receiver are easier than those of Total Station. All one has to do is
Set the GPS Receiver or GPS Dot pin-pointed at the survey station.
The GPS Receiver is turned on and put to receiving mode.
Depending upon the type of GPS receiver, the coordinates are retrieved in some specific
time and collected by the data collector.
Advantages of GPS
GPS is extremely easy to navigate as it tells you to the direction for each turns you
take or you have to take to reach to your destination.
GPS works in all weather so you need not to worry of the climate as in other
navigating devices.
The GPS costs you very low in comparison other navigation systems.
The most attractive feature of this system is its100% coverage on the planet.

It also helps you to search the nearby restaurants, hotels and

gas stations and is very useful for a new place.
Due to its low cost, it is very easy to integrate into other
technologies like cell phone.
The system is updated regularly by the US government and hence is very advance.
This is the best navigating system in water as in larger water bodies we are often
misled due to lack of proper directions.
Disadvantages of GPS
Sometimes the GPS may fail due to certain reasons and in that case you need to carry a
backup map and directions.
If you are using GPS on a battery operated device, there may be a battery failure and you
may need a external power supply which is not always possible.
Sometimes the GPS signals are not accurate due to some obstacles to the signals such as
buildings, trees and sometimes by extreme atmospheric conditions such as geomagnetic
storms.

Total Station
Introduction
Total-Stations are a fine example of evolution of things, from humble
chains and erroneous compasses to more accurate tapes and compasses then to EDMs and
Theodolites and Transits.
Later on, the two were merged to form Total Station.
Definition
The total station is an electronic theodolite (transit) integrated with an electronic distance meter
(EDM) to read slope distances from the instrument to a particular point. Robotic total stations
allow the operator to control the instrument from a distance via remote control. Its a
combination of EDM, Theodolite, Transit, Data Collector, Calculator and a Microprocessor.
Figure 1: Total Station of different Makes

Parts of Total Station

There are various parts of a typical Total-Station. Because these are so
important that these make the basic template of a total station, these are
also called the Features of Total Station.
These are:

Figure 2: Primary Features of Total Station
Prism Reflector, an Essential Companion of Total Station

A reflector is an essential part of the total station. It is like the receiver of the EDM. It takes the
light signal and reflects back to the Total Station making the distance measurement possible. The
Prism reflector has one or more prisms in it.
It is a combination of ranging rod, staff and optical cuboidal mirror having 2/3 lifts with 5cms
interval graduations and has adjustable height from 1.5m to 3.75m.
More number of prisms, will give more accuracy.

Figure 3: Single Prism Reflector

Figure 4: 3 Prism Reflector, a type of Multi Prism Reflectors

Accessories of Total Station

As with other instruments, the total station also has an accessories set,
which includes multitude of items like:
Prisms
Batteries
Data Cables
o From Total Station to Data Collector
o From Total Station to CAD/CAS
o From Total Station to PC
Software
Eye Piece Cover
Object Glass Cover
EDM Receiver (Optional)
EDM Transmitter as Separable Kit (Optional)
Data Collector
Figure 5: Various Accessories of Total Station

Accuracy of Total Station

The accuracy of total Station depends upon various factors.
More accuracy can be achieve by:
1. Careful Centering
2. Accurate pointing target
3. Average of multiple points
4. Better optical lens
5. Strong Tripod
6. Verticality of prism pole
Following is a comparison chart of some popular Total-Stations
Angular accuracy is from 1 to 20 Sec.
Linear accuracy is from 2mm to 10mm/per KM
Different instruments have different accuracy
Model/Company Angular Linear

With 1 Prism With 3 Prisms
Nikon 1 Sec 2 mm 1 mm
LIEKA 1 Sec 2 mm 1 mm
SOKKIA 1 Sec 2 mm 1 mm
A key factor is price, the higher the price (usually due to higher technology), higher the
accuracy.
Distance measure with:
Single Prism : up to 2.5 Km
Two Prisms : 5 to 7 Km
Three Prisms : 10 to 12 Km

Functions of Total Station

It simultaneously measures angles & distances and Record
2. Correcting the measured distance with:
1. Prism constant
2. Atmospheric Pr.
3. Temperature
4. Curvature of earth
5. Refraction correction
3. Computing the point elevation
4. Computing the coordinates of every point
5. Remote elevation measurement
6. Remote distance measurement
7. Area calculations
8. Data Transferring facility from instrument to S/W and S/W to instrument.
9. Format of conversion of units
Remote Elevation Measurement:
With Remote Elevation measurement, a Prism (Reference Point) is set directly below the place
to be measured. This makes it easy to determine the heights of electric power lines, the cables of
bridge suspension and other tall civil items.
Figure 6: Remote Elevation Measurement

Remote Distance Measurement

With RDM, the horizontal distance, slope distance, difference in height
and percentage of slope between the reference point and the observation
point are measured. The distance between one observation point and
another one is measured as well.
Figure 7: RDM, Remote Distance Measurement
Operations involved while using Total Stations:

The main operations include:
Establishing the site Datum:
a) Selecting the site Datum
b) Establishing North
2. Setting up the Total station:
a) Placing and leveling Tripod on Datum
b) Placing and leveling the Gun on Tripod
c) Linking the data connector to Gun
3. Data collector options and setting
a) Main menu
b) Basic settings
4. Creating and Operating Job files:

a) Creating a new Job file

b) Opening an existing file
5. Shooting points
a) Identifying the important points to shoot
b) shooting points
c) Shooting additional points
d) Noting the special features
6.Post Processing Data down loading,conversion
7.Plotting/Map generation.
Computer Software Packages

The following post processing computer software packages are in use for various engineering
applications.
1 Arc Pad, arc view, arc info
conversion from raster to vector form
2 Micro Station - Map generation
3 Erdas
Image processing s/w
4 Surfer, Auto plotter, Civil cad, Pythagarus
Preparation of contours
5 Survey aid
To draw c/s and l/s
The information received is to be analyzed depending on the users requirement.

Settings (Temporary Adjustment) of Total-Station

Parts of the SET Total Station
Sokkia SET 550 Total StationSokkia SET 550 Total Station Keys/ScreenKeys/Screen


Centering and Leveling the Total Station

Levelling the Total Station must be accomplished to sufficient
accuracy otherwise the instrument will not report
results.
Levelling it precisely takes time, so be
careful in choosing the point where it is set.
Step 1: Tripod Setup
Tripod Legs should be equally spaced
Tripod Head should be approximately
levelled
Head Should Be Directly Over the survey
Point

Step 2: Mount Instrument on Head

Insert Battery
Place Instrument on Tripod
Secure with Centering Screw
Step 3: Focus on Survey Point

Step 4: Levelling the Instrument

Adjust the leveling foot screws to center the survey
point in the optical plummet reticle
Center the bubble in the circular level by adjusting
the tripod legs
Loosen the horizontal clamp and turn instrument until
plate level is parallel to 2 of the leveling foot screws
Center the bubble using the leveling screws- the
bubble moves toward the screw that is turned
clockwise
Rotate the instrument 90 degrees and level using the
3rd leveling screw
Observe the survey point in the optical
plummet and center the point by
loosening the centering screw and
sliding the entire instrument
After re-tightening the centering screw
check to make sure the plate level
bubble is level in several directions

Step 5: Electronically Verify Levelling

Turn on the instrument by pressing and
holding the on button (you should hear an
audible beep)
The opening screen will be the MEAS
screen. Select the [Tilt] function
Adjust the foot level screws to exactly
center the electronic bubble
Rotate the instrument 90 degrees and repeat
Step 6: Adjust Image and Reticle Focus
Release the horizontal & vertical clamps
and point telescope to a featureless light
background
Adjust the reticle (i.e. cross-hair) focus
adjustment until reticle image is sharply
focused
Point telescope to target and adjust the
focus ring until target is focused
Move your head from side-to-side to test
for image shift (i.e. parallax). Repeat the
reticle focus step if parallax is significant
NOTE: When the instrument operator
changes the reticle focus may need to be
adjusted


Advantages
Advantages of Using Total Stations
The following are some of the major advantages of using total station over the conventional
surveying instruments:
1. Field work is carried out very fast.
2. Accuracy of measurement is high.
3. Manual errors involved in reading and recording are eliminated.
4. Calculation of coordinates is very fast and accurate. Even corrections for temperature and
pressure are automatically made.
5. Computers can be employed for map making and plotting contour and cross-sections. Contour
intervals and scales can be changed in no time.
However, surveyor should check the working condition of the instruments before using. For this
standard points may be located near survey office and before taking out instrument for field
work, its working is checked by observing those standard points from the specified instrument
station.
Disadvantages or Limitations:
1. It is not a Rugged instrument (Sensitive).
2. Prism verticality is questionable.
3. Visibility is must.
4. More Expensive.
5. Requires calibration at every six months.
6. Amount of error is greater at short distances.
7. Height of instrument and prism is to fed.
8. Awareness on battery maintenance.
9. To establish north- compass is required.
Safety Precautions
Focusing directly at the sun, can result - loss of eyesight on the spot. Use a filter when observing
the sun.

Never remove the hand grip carelessly. If the grip is loosely or

incompletely attached, the instrument could fall and may cause a serious
injury.
Make sure not to short the battery terminals. If these are shorted, the
resulting high current would not only damage to the battery, but also start a fire.
If the instrument or battery comes in contact with water, wipe it off as quickly as possible and set
it in a dry place for a while. When it is completely dry, put it back in the case.
Never disassemble the instrument, if you find a problem. Contact the dealer.

How to Supervise Total Station Site Work

Have keen observation on the prism boys attitude. When high
precision is required, use the prism tripod, to avoid human error.
The position of prism shall always be on hard surface instead of
soft soil.
Focusing shall be exactly at the center of prism, with the help of cross hairs and prism
plate.
While measuring the instrument height and prism height, enough attention shall be
diverted. Also, have keen observation while entering the above data.
Note the location and coordinates of station point and back sight so that specified
intermediate points can be checked at later date.
Obtain a soft copy of field work raw data from the survey agency so that the results can
be checked at any time.
Obtain more number of points to get an average.

EDM and Total Station Basics

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SGRA University of Engineering and Technology, Rasul

EDM, Total Station and GPS

Sonin 10300 Multi-Measure Combo PRO Professional Electronic Distance

Measures up to 250' using electronic

By: Muhamamd Usman 2014UETRCE-02

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Parts of Electronic Distance Meter

Some Primary Parts of EDM are:

By: Muhamamd Usman 2014UETRCE-02

Mode Switch Button: This button switches mode of EDM

Revolution in Surveying due to EDM

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Traversing on a grandiose scale, with much greater control of

Absolute circle reading

Working Principle of EDM

By: Muhamamd Usman 2014UETRCE-02

By: Muhamamd Usman 2014UETRCE-02

Types of Electronic Distance Meter

Telescope mounted EDM:

By: Muhamamd Usman 2014UETRCE-02

These type of EDMs can measure short range of distances with

Temporary Adjustment/Settings of Electronic Distance Meter

Atmospheric Settings (PPM):

By: Muhamamd Usman 2014UETRCE-02

Specifications are the standards set for making some

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and about 3 seconds in the COARSE 1 mode, with the

By: Muhamamd Usman 2014UETRCE-02

Global Positioning System

By: Muhamamd Usman 2014UETRCE-02

What is GPS navigation system?

1. The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a space-based satellite

A GPS navigation device is a device that accurately calculates geographical location by

GPS devices may have capabilities such as:

GPS devices may be able to indicate:

The roads or paths available, traffic congestion and alternative routes,

How does a GPS work?

By: Muhamamd Usman 2014UETRCE-02

The GPS Signal In Space is

By: Muhamamd Usman 2014UETRCE-02

Types of GPS Receivers

Hence the top-level categorization is:

By: Muhamamd Usman 2014UETRCE-02

3 Augmentation 6 Software receivers

By: Muhamamd Usman 2014UETRCE-02

DGNSS - Differential GNSS

GNSS assistance information is used to improve acquisition speed: an assistance

By: Muhamamd Usman 2014UETRCE-02

continuity, and power consumption. As an example of assisted data, the

Figure 1: Hardware vs. Software receiver approaches.

By: Muhamamd Usman 2014UETRCE-02

in software, there is an added control and flexibility on the tasks

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The main base-station is in Colorado

By: Muhamamd Usman 2014UETRCE-02

By: Muhamamd Usman 2014UETRCE-02

Parts of GPS Receiver

Functions of GPS Receiver

Settings of GPS Receiver

By: Muhamamd Usman 2014UETRCE-02