The Future of Land Surveying

The field of land surveying is changing by the day. That kind of development is inevitable for such a technologically-inclined field. But how exactly is the field of land surveying evolving? More importantly, what do the changes mean for the industry as a whole?

Find out the answers to those questions and learn more about the future of land surveying by continuing with the rest of this article.

How Modern Tools Have Changed the Field of Land Surveying

Back in the day, land surveying was a massive undertaking. Landowners or businesses would hire teams of surveyors to chart large swaths of real estate. Hiring a big team was necessary because the task would otherwise take an eternity to complete. Even with teams taking on the job, land surveying jobs still spanned several months.

It wasn’t really the fault of the surveyors. Ultimately, they could only work as fast as their tools allowed. You can see how big of a difference those tools make when you consider how land surveying projects are conducted today.

These days, surveyors can take more accurate measurements faster by using electronic and laser-guided tools. Those tools can navigate terrain quirks, delivering accurate measurements every time they are used. Measurement tasks that would usually take hours can now be finished in minutes because surveyors have more advanced tools at their disposal.

Drones have also simplified the task of surveying. Instead of exploring land on foot, surveyors can now fly drones and use them to record data for a specific plot of land. They can also guide those drones using GPS to ensure they fly over the right areas.

New tools also make it easier for surveyors to identify and remove obstacles. Magnetic locators and ground penetrating radars can quickly find objects buried underground. Once located, they can be quickly excavated and removed.

Don’t forget that these new tools also free up surveyors to take on more projects. Since one or two surveyors can take on a project without much trouble, more people in the field are free to accept other assignments.

What the Future Holds for Land Surveying

We’ve already seen the kind of impact that advanced tools can have on the profession of land surveying. What’s important to note here is that the field is only set to become more advanced in the coming years and decades.

Soon enough, robots may play a more prominent role in land surveying. They may go beyond what drones are currently doing. Robots may soon be able to chart more treacherous terrain. Land surveyors may not even have to control those robots directly as they may be directed by artificial intelligence.

Some people may be worried about how land surveying is advancing. To be more specific, some surveyors may be afraid that their roles could soon become obsolete.

For what it’s worth, the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that there will be little to no change in terms of demand for land surveyors over the next ten years. The field is not expected to grow rapidly over the next decade, but it won’t be shrinking either. The field is stable for those who value that.

The future of land surveying offers plenty of promise and excitement. If this is a field you’ve long wanted to enter, now would be a great time to do so.

Categorised in: Land Surveyor