Category Archives: Surveying
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,...
Leveraging the Land Surveyor’s Roles, Part 1
Planner and Project Manager I Editor’s note: This past May, Ambrose Gmeiner completed his Professional Science Masters Degree from the University of Maine and was inducted into the Francis Crowe Society at the university’s College of Engineering. His final paper, “The Land Surveyor as a Project Lead and Providing Professional Testimony,” is the source for this...