Land surveyors need to use high-tech equipment and mathematics to create maps and measurements of specific areas of land, and they may have a number of functions (depending on the type of surveying they do). Some of the common surveying jobs include:
- Construction or Engineering — This type of surveyor looks at changes in property lines as well as the location of buildings and roads. This person may also survey road topography and grade, or may look at the appropriate depth for laying the building’s foundation.
- Geodetic — Someone who uses satellite and aerial imaging to measure very large portions of the earth.
- Maps - Boundary or Land — This type of surveyor fulfills the important duty of determining exactly where property lines are located.
There are other types of surveyors, but these are the most common. Surveyors must stand by their work, and they’re required to make accurate calculations. That’s why Engineering Supply offers the best surveying instruments on the market. Some of the products that we sell include but may not be limited to:
- Surveying tripods
- Surveying bipods
- Fiberglass grade rods
- Aluminum grade rods
- Builder’s grade rods
- Story poles
- Laser levels
- Auto-levels
- Transit levels
- Hand levels
- Abney levels
- Surveyor’s brush axes
- Land surveying markers
- Land surveying rods
- Marking paint
- Surveying prisms
- Prism poles
- GNSS equipment
- Total stations
- GPS equipment
- Property corner pin finders
- Bags and cases
- Surveyor’s roll flagging
- Theodolites
- Transits
- Mag nails
- PK nails
- Magnetic locators
- Tribachs
- Land surveying adapters
Frequently Asked Questions about Survey Equipment
What equipment does a surveyor use?
The main pieces of surveying equipment in use around the world are the following:
theodolite,
measuring tape,
total station, 3D scanners, GPS/GNSS, level and rod. Most survey instruments screw onto a tripod when in use. Analog or digital tape measures are often used for measurement of smaller distances.
What is the most common survey equipment?
- Theodolite - a telescope that can be moved on both the horizontal and vertical axes to align with a measuring stake
- Transit level - an optical instrument, or a telescope, with a built-in spirit level mounted on a tripod
- Total station - combines all of the functionality of a theodolite with other abilities such as an auto-level and electronic distance meter
- Surveying Tripod - a special tripod built to support surveying instruments, such as theodolites, total stations, levels or transits
- Surveying Prisms - is a corner cube or retroreflector, usually attached to a surveying pole and utilized as a target for distance measurement
- Prism Poles - is a pole that someone can use to measure the elevation of existing ground or grade when used in conjunction with a survey level such as an Automatic Level, Transit Level, or Laser Level
What are the two primary survey instruments surveyors use to take measurements?
The two pieces of survey equipment that surveyors use most are a
transit level and a
theodolite are used by the surveyor to measure both horizontal and vertical angles. While the purpose of the two surveyor tools is similar, as a general rule a theodolite is more accurate than a transit level.
How do surveyors measure distance?
The most common surveying equipment is called a
theodolite. Theodolites are used to measure the horizontal and vertical angles between points. Surveyors combine the angle data with distances from a chain or tape measure, and it allows them to triangulate the location of any point using trigonometry.
How does survey equipment work?
Surveying instruments calculate the angles and the distances between points. The data points collected from the surveyor tools are used to calculate the location of any point. Theodolites & transit levels can be used to measure angles while chains &
tape measures can be used to calculate distances.
What are surveying instruments and their uses?
Here are some of the modern survey instruments and their uses:
-
Electronic Distance Measurement (EDM) Instruments — Use light waves and radio signals to measure distance.
-
Total Stations — An integrated piece of surveyor equipment that combines the capabilities of an EDM instrument with the angular measuring properties of a theodolite.
-
Automatic Levels — Has an optical compensator that maintains a specific line of sight or line of collimation, even if it has been tilted slightly.
Be sure to look at the variety of surveying instruments that we have at Engineering Supply, so you can find a product that will meet your specific needs.
What are modern survey instruments?
There are several types of modern surveying instruments, and some of them include:
- Electronic Distance Measurement (EDM) instruments.
- Total stations.
- Global Positioning System (GPS) devices.
- Automatic levels.
If you need a place where you can find a broad selection of surveyor equipment, be sure to look at what we have at Engineering Supply.
How do you care for survey instruments?
You should handle your surveyor equipment with care. Don’t jar or drop it because even though a manufacturer may claim that their instruments can handle a drop from up to a certain distance, it doesn’t mean that it should be put to the test. You should also put your surveying instruments inside their storage cases when you’re not using them or while you’re transporting them from one location to another. Keep the battery terminals clean and free from any corrosion, and you should never leave the batteries inside the unit for extended period when it’s not in use.
How much do surveying instruments cost?
The price of survey instruments can vary widely — from as little as $200 to as much as $1,400. So, be sure to shop around. And if you’re looking for place to find a broad selection of surveyor equipment that will give you a good mix of price and value, be sure to look at what we have at Engineering Supply.
What instruments use light waves to measure distance?
Electronic Distance Measurement (EDM) is a process that uses electromagnetic waves to measure the distance between two points, which it does by recording phase changes that occur as light travels from one end to the other. These survey instruments can use any of the following to measure distance:
- Microwaves
- Infrared waves
- Visible light waves
If you’re looking for a place to purchase quality surveyor equipment, be sure to look at what we have at Engineering Supply.
Related Survey Instrument Videos
Auto Level vs Dumpy Level
What is a Hand Level?