Category Archives: Surveying
UAS & The Combo that Opens Access
The most logical integration of technologies for surveyors is combining 3D laser scanning with UAVs. It’s no secret that many geospatial professionals are enamored with unmanned aerial systems (UAS). For many years, the pros and cons of deploying small UAS for mapping and surveying, along with their ongoing regulatory discussions, have been well researched and...
Mentoring: A Two Way Street
As the tools of our profession have changed, it seems that the opportunities for mentoring those following in our professional footsteps have diminished dramatically. Mentoring, or the lack thereof and what to do about it, may be the most widely discussed topic in our profession these days, from discussion forums, to professional associations, to the...
The Certified Theoretical Monument
Igor Kidinsky, aka Eager (The Kid), estimated that both monuments—for the same property corner—were to be found nearby. Glenny Dale, aka Glutton (The Old Man), turned on the metal detector, but both surveyors soon spotted the old, grayed stakes in the shadows and knew they had found their pins. The task was to determine which...
A Correctly Weighted Least Squares Adjustment, Part 4
Correct Weights In previous articles (January, February, and April 2016) I discuss the unreliability of standard deviations when they are computed from a small sample of observations and their use in developing the stochastic (weight) model for a least squares adjustment. This is followed with how to: (1) estimate errors in centering an instrument over...
Ten Minutes
Invest time in the future of the profession—fill out the questionnaire! Editor’s note: This column continues to provide monthly coverage of the Forum on the Future of Surveying (FFOS): a national initiative with representatives from 15 key surveying-related associations to examine paths forward for the profession. See the first installment in our March issue. One...
Survey Grade? Why Hiring a Licensed Surveyor is a Good Move
Only if you’re a Surveyor® Editor’s note: You can do plumbing without being a plumber, but not surgery without being a surgeon. Terms have meaning; surveying as a licensed profession is (but should not be) a term that is loosely applied. Surveyor and educator Kelly Ness offers the following thought-provoking look at the use and...
