What's your go to tool, GPS or Total Station/Robot, and why? Assume you are doing a 5 acre survey that is fairly open and rolling. If you were using your total station, you can do it with four set ups, and if you were using your GPS, you can shoot/set all the corners.
Open to me means little or no canopy. If that's the case, we would probably use gps. It's hard to find five acres around here that doesn't have some sort of pronounced drainage...with brush. In that case we usually shoot the open with the gps and the creek with a TS from gps control points. Sounds like you might have a difference of opinion with someone.
paden cash, post: 375385, member: 20 wrote: Open to me means little or no canopy. If that's the case, we would probably use gps. It's hard to find five acres around here that doesn't have some sort of pronounced drainage...with brush. In that case we usually shoot the open with the gps and the creek with a TS from gps control points. Sounds like you might have a difference of opinion with someone.
No, just want to get a feel for the industry standard. I normally pick the optical instruments because I feel they are more accurate, but at the end I kick my self in the butt because it would have been easier, and faster with the GPS.
Mike Lacey, post: 375389, member: 303 wrote: No, just want to get a feel for the industry standard. I normally pick the optical instruments because I feel they are more accurate, but at the end I kick my self in the butt because it would have been easier, and faster with the GPS.
Mike, speed isn't always a good thing. But in the case you've described, nothing wrong with it. Speed, as long as accuracy doesn't suffer, means less cost on our end. That can mean a better profit margin.
Like the ad says, "It's not how fast you mow...it's how well you mow fast." 😉
I have a cool tool.
N
Mike Lacey, post: 375380, member: 303 wrote: What's your go to tool, GPS or Total Station/Robot, and why? Assume you are doing a 5 acre survey that is fairly open and rolling. If you were using your total station, you can do it with four set ups, and if you were using your GPS, you can shoot/set all the corners.
My go to tools are my Trimble S6 Robotic and my Sokkia automatic level. I would much rather use the TS because it is was more accurate and there is no scaling involved for my draftsman. Regardless of setups the TS saves so much time and is less labor cost, since one man can operate it. My Sokkia level has earned the name of "Old Faithful" because it is the one instrument that has yet to fail me or disappoint me. I love the robotic but it isn't "Old Faithful".
Based on how you bill out which will give you the greatest profit when all is said and done. I would rather bill two hours at $200 per hour than one hour at $300. I'm probably burning the same total time, say half a day, to get there, do any preliminary stuff, do the work and get back. Others will debate this. That's fine. I don't push like some workaholics here.
Recently we spent six hours of GPS accomplishing what could have been done in less than one with a total station. Other times we have had nearly a complete reversal of that scenario based on terrain and obstacles between the key locations, but not at the key locations.
Mike Lacey, post: 375380, member: 303 wrote: What's your go to tool, GPS or Total Station/Robot, and why? Assume you are doing a 5 acre survey that is fairly open and rolling. If you were using your total station, you can do it with four set ups, and if you were using your GPS, you can shoot/set all the corners.
What instruments I used for my jobs depends on location, like what you mentioned and also the project specifications. If it requires tight tolerances and precision then you will be doing it with the total station and not the GPS.
I do not really believe about industry standards as everybody may be taking shortcuts to get the job but it means the quality is not there. Is that the industrial standard or practice we would want to propagate?
Just all depends upon the circumstances. I don't favor one over the other. Each has it pros and cons and I usually use them in conjunction with each other. Typically I'll GPS in control and traverse with the S6 between points. The major advantage of GPS over the TS, besides the obvious, is I'm able to get real world coordinates that might prove valuable with future work in the area.
I am finishing on 15 acres in city limits with 16 monuments and every boundary, fence and monument is in the middle of a 20ft wide minimum growth of privet hedge and cedar wall.
Takes a TS to shoot all that.
Preferably. GPS. I currently use the Trimble R10. I would take two different observations on every corner tied or set at a minimum of 60 epochs per location. It is a much more efficient way to do most surveys in general. I only bring out the instrument (Trimble S7 Robotic) if absolutely necessary.
Total Station for sure!
Gps have their place in recon, and bulk works.
As far as enjoying a survey goes, nothing beats walking around in the fresh air, knowing that no meteor in our atmosphere has a chance at ruining your day.
4 setups for 5 acres? This must be wide open!
Robot for me. No doubt. Too easy.
Assuming that I could drive to all the points, I'd default to the robot due to its accuracy/reliability advantage in a job of that size. But for me most jobs clearly dictate the choice of tools; I encounter very few that are toss-ups.
Generally the robot. Too may obstructions here for GPS other then for control. Some jobs can be almost totally done with GPS but they seem to be rare.
Nate The Surveyor, post: 375395, member: 291 wrote: I have a cool tool.
N
That's what she said....
Sorry I couldn't resist
Them southern boys... !
I remember a story about this young gal that called the record store, and asked, "Have you got the album, Late Late on a stary night?"
The man who answered the phone said:
"Ma'am, you are 25 years too late, I have got a wife and 11 kids now!" This is Plyler Plumbing!
🙂
What you really need to look at is the accuracy of your equipment and compare the two in conjunction with the length of the traverse line lines. I truly don't remember the numbers but I wanna say that a 5 arc second gun, turning 1 set of angles, produces better accuracy than RTK, with local base, up until a 750 foot shot. So when you start taking into account multiple setups, it is bound to get worse.
If you're really looking for you best option you should sit down and do the math.
Holy Cow, post: 375409, member: 50 wrote: Based on how you bill out which will give you the greatest profit when all is said and done. I would rather bill two hours at $200 per hour than one hour at $300. I'm probably burning the same total time, say half a day, to get there, do any preliminary stuff, do the work and get back. Others will debate this. That's fine. I don't push like some workaholics here.
Recently we spent six hours of GPS accomplishing what could have been done in less than one with a total station. Other times we have had nearly a complete reversal of that scenario based on terrain and obstacles between the key locations, but not at the key locations.
Wellllll......not going to name any names, but I know of a 1700+ acre, 5 corner boundary in GA that was completed in under 2 hours with GPS. The crew doing the work then spent the next few days laying low in a duck blind.......And, no, it was NOT billed hourly B-)
Probably my 30/06!
It will handle anything on Earth, although there are better tools for Lions, Tigers, Bears, Cottontails, and it kinda sucks for pheasant & grouse (I have a 375 H&H, a .22, & a 12 ga. for those critters).
Knowing (and using) the right tool for the job is important!
There is no perfect tool for everything, anymore than there is a perfect coordinate system for everything. There is a reason why hammers and nails come in various sizes.
Most of my projects are well suited for Static and/or RTK GPS, but you need to KNOW when to get the Total Station (or Level) out of the truck.
One thing is for sure, one size NEVER fits all!
😀
Loyal
