Understanding GNSS Surveying Systems

by | Dec 18, 2017 | Business

GNSS, or Global Navigation Satellite Systems, have been in use for many years. Initially, they were used by the military as a way to aid navigation. However, this technology has proven to be very powerful and is currently used in a range of applications including air navigation, automobiles, boats, hiking, spacecraft, and more. One of the most prominent uses of the technology is with surveying. GNSS surveying systems have been around since the latter part of the 1980s.

Why Is GNSS Helpful for Land Surveying?

This type of system tends to be extremely accurate, which allows users to pinpoint exact locations all around the planet. Because of the nature of the technology, the time of day and even weather conditions are irrelevant. Over the years, this type of equipment has become smaller and easier to transport into the field. You will find these systems are used for topographic surveys quite often today.

The GNSS surveying systems are also often used to position survey markers and buildings, and they have proven to be useful when it comes to road construction, as well.

Techniques for Surveys

Different types of survey techniques can be used with the various types of equipment available today. These techniques can be broken into three basic methods: static, dynamic, and real-time dynamic.

With the static survey technique, the receiver will stay in a single spot when it is observing and recording the information. Typically, the longer the device is in the same spot, the more accurate the results are going to be. The amount of time your survey will take is going to differ based on requirements, location, and other factors related to the job.

A dynamic survey technique lets the device move around to different areas of the site. While this type of survey tends to be a bit faster than the static survey technique, you will find that what it makes up for in speed is slightly lost in accuracy. High-quality GNSS surveying systems can still provide a good level of accuracy, though.

A real-time dynamic survey works similarly to a regular dynamic survey. The difference is the fact that the algorithms are running in real time.

If you are in the market for one of these systems, consider the types of surveys you will need to perform, and then compare the features and options of the available GNSS survey systems. This will help you find the one that will work best for your needs. Contact Frontier Precision for more information!

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