Category Archives: Surveying
A New High-rise Squeezes in, Thanks to a Total Station
A Hilton complex requires survey technology to ensure its place among historic buildings in Norfolk, Virginia. Norfolk, Virginia, has a history of adapting to change. (Above: Norfolk’s newest high-rise was engineered to fit into its urban footprint.) With beginnings in 1636, the city has undergone war, epidemics, fires, and economic depression to grow into the...
Using OSTN15 with QGIS
As you may be aware, the United Kingdom has a new transformation model that is OSTN15. But why? What does it mean to the geospatial community? Without being too nerdy, tectonic plate movement means that the “model” surface (the geoid) is slowly moving away from being the best fit for the coordinate system. It has...
Methods of Analyzing Data, Part 1
Identifying Blunders with Graphics Mistakes and blunders are an inevitable part of being human. In fact, a wise person once told me that the only people who don’t make mistakes are those who don’t do anything. Because a least squares adjustment of a plane survey is nonlinear, it will not arrive at a solution if...
Action Plans: Forum on the Future of Surveying
The second meeting of the Forum on the Future of Surveying produced a plan of action and strategy. Editor’s note: This column continues to provide monthly coverage of the national initiative, Forum on the Future of Surveying (FFOS). See the first installment in our March issue. The goals of the second meeting of the Forum...
Robotics in the Classroom: Technology’s Future is FIRST
Above: Competition heats up. At the New England regional championships in Hartford are (from left) Jill Shilp, driver; Christine Miska, founder and Andromeda One coach; and Will Doyle, driver. Industry leaders help create the next generation of geospatial professionals by sponsoring amazing educational competitions. Efforts to channel today’s youth toward a career in something other than...
Advice for the Young Surveyor
A conversation with Muried Alvin (Al) Pepling, PLS From FN editor Scott P. Martin: Al’s advice and insight contains much wisdom that can be applied to almost any professional career, but especially ours. Reading this caused me to recollect on writing “What is a Professional Land Surveyor?” and “Mentoring: A Two Way Street.” To succeed,...
