Types of Equipment Used by a Land Surveyor in Guadalupe County, TX

Surveyors have a variety of instruments and tools they use to get the most accurate possible readings of distances and angles between points. These tools have significantly evolved over the years—no longer are they using unreliable compasses and levels or simple chains, though there is certainly still a place for some of the old-school technologies in the field of land surveying. Instead, they’re using advanced modern instruments with global positioning system technology, lasers, data collectors and other digital features.

Here is a quick overview of some of the types of equipment most frequently used by a land surveyor in Guadalupe County, TX.

The most basic surveying equipment

First and foremost, let’s cover the most basic types of surveying equipment that have been used for generations.

The tape measure is a tool commonly used in many different fields to take length measurements. Most tape measures made for construction or surveying purposes are made out of fiberglass, both to ensure durability and accuracy. The length is typically not adequate for most land measurement tactics, but can be helpful in certain situations for obtaining linear measurements.

A compass is another basic surveying instrument. The tool has a freely suspended needle operated with magnets that always point the needle to the north as a fixed point of reference. This helps surveyors keep track of navigational directions as they draw out their surveys and take their measurements.

A dumpy level is another common old-school surveying instrument. The body resembles a telescope that rotates to allow for 360-degree measurements. The scope magnifies between 20 and 30 times. There are additional levels built into the base to ensure the scope is level. Three leveling screws must be adjusted when using the device to ensure the accuracy of its measurements.

Finally, chain surveying tools are also used to take linear measurements in a similar way as tape measures.

Today’s advanced surveying instruments

While all of the above tools are still used to some extent in the field of land surveying, there are more modern instruments that offer much more accuracy and reliability.

A theodolite is a type of device that also looks like a telescope. It twists in both vertical and horizontal directions to measure both vertical and horizontal angles. The surveyor looks through the theodolite to lock on to the object being measured, at which point the instrument itself takes the measurement of the angles. The tool also measures certain distances through triangular processes.

Global positioning systems (GPS) are also used in surveying, especially when it comes to identifying a specific piece of property’s limitations and changes in the makeup and state of the ground. Land surveyors are capable of setting up GPS antennae that deliver broadcast signals to satellites in orbit, then transmit that signal to the surveyor’s GPS device. This allows for the surveyor to have information updated in real-time without even having to be at the site.

For more information about tools used by a land surveyor in Guadalupe County, TX, contact Bettersworth & Associates, Inc. today.

Categorised in: Land Surveyor