Category Archives: Surveying
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...
UAS: It’s Unstoppable and Headed Your Way
From time to time I like to stop and think about the mission of Pangaea and explain that mission to you. My task is exposing you to new, emerging geospatial technologies. But why bother? Here’s a little analogy I thought of to help explain why keeping abreast of new geospatial tech is critical. Imagine emerging...
Crown Stone Dedication – 250th Anniversary of the Mason and Dixon Line Survey
The Mason and Dixon Line Preservation Partnership (MDLPP) will unveil a CrownStone set on the border of Maryland and Pennsylvania by Charles Mason and JeremiahDixon, 250 years ago. The Crown Stone was lost and had not been seen for over 110years. A replica Crown Stone, showing how the original stone looked when it was set,...
What Is a Professional Land Surveyor?
As I was recently completing the comprehensive NSPS questionnaire developed as a follow-up to the Forum on the Future of Surveying (see Multiple Choices by Gavin Schrock, PLS), I found myself contemplating the many descriptions of land surveyors included along the way. After completing the questionnaire and providing some personal feedback, I couldn’t help but...
