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How do you differentiate total station and GPS in surveying?

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Question added by Osman Guni , STRUCTURAL ENGINEER , BUREAU VERITAS (BAN) PVT LTD
Date Posted: 2013/07/31
oman faruq
by oman faruq , Jr. Engineer, Feasibility Study and Detail Design (FSDD) Under SSWRDSP & PSSWRSP of LGED. , Bets Consultants Ltd.

Total Station Optical instrument used in modern survey and archaeology.
It is a combination of electronic theodolite, an EDM and software running on an external computer known as a data collector.
Uses, General purpose angle measurement.
General purpose distance measurement, Provision of control surveys.
Contour and detailed mapping.
Setting out and Construction work.
G.P.S.
Global positioning system is a space based radio navigation system consisting of24 satellites and ground supports.
Uses, GPS have been used to pinpoint any ship or submarine on the ocean, and to Mount Everest.
GPS is finding its way in to cars, boats and even in mobile phones.

Deleted user
by Deleted user

Both of Total Station and GPS have advantages and disadvantages; Although using GPS save efforts and time more than Total station with high accuracy but we can't use it in the forests and high rise buildi  ,but we have to use total station.

So I think we have to choose according to our project site.   

Rizwan Aziz
by Rizwan Aziz , Planning Engineer , Al-Nahr Company Limited Libya

Global Positioning System (GPS) can give position of a point anywhere on the globe with high accuracy.
GPS can measure base lines for high accuracy, it controls points without any line of sight requirement.
Since Total Stations works on the principle of signal reflection line of sight must be there between Total Station and Prism reflector.
This makes GPS more effective tool for control points establishment.
However GPS can not be used in a area with lot of trees, High rise buildings because of satellite signal interference.
The BEST way is to mix Total Stations and GPS together for effective survey of Land

Osman Guni
by Osman Guni , STRUCTURAL ENGINEER , BUREAU VERITAS (BAN) PVT LTD

Global Positioning System (GPS) can give position of a point anywhere on the globe with high accuracy.
GPS can measure base lines for high accuracy, it controls points without any line of sight requirement.
Since Total Stations works on the principle of signal reflection line of sight must be there between Total Station and Prism reflector.
This makes GPS more effective tool for control points establishment.
However GPS can not be used in a area with lot of trees, High rise buildings because of satellite signal interference.
The BEST way is to mix Total Stations and GPS together for effective survey of Land.

Bashi Mohamud
by Bashi Mohamud , Assistant Civil Engineer , Workstream construction servcies Ltd

When you are using a Total Station there is a sigh requirement between total station and Prism reflector.  On the other hand ,you can use GPS  anywhere in the globe with high accuracy and you will  be able to  control a point without any line of sigh requirement.

ATEF ALI ABOU ELWAFA
by ATEF ALI ABOU ELWAFA , Chief Surveyor Engineer , ASGC

GPS:    1 - depend GPS on the satellites (8 to11 satellites) and need single point to locate it on the surface of the globe.  2 - the distance between two points using a device (GPS) in the form of a curve taken shape ellipse like Globe.  3 - GPS devices to function well in open sites and hampers work in indoor or under trees or work near High-rise buildings.  4 - Error of siting-out by GPS device -  from2 to5 cm.   total station:   1 - depend on two points to locate it on the ground. 2 - the distance between two points is a straight line because it uses a laser beam. 3 - hardware works well in all locations. 4 - Error of siting-out by total station device of2 mm /100 m   To correct the error resulting from the difference of the distance between the GPS device and a total station the long distance divided on the short distance to get the so called - scale factor

rahul kumawat
by rahul kumawat , land surveyer , eakta associate

gps is used for actual position for earth and total station works on any cordinate point that is left by gps and virtual 

as per my humble experience,

total station is used while eating falafel sandwich, while gps is used while eating shawerma sandwich.

accuracy is related to type and brand of topping and sauce used for both falafel and shawerma.

caution, working on total station is causing stomach gases, make sure nobody is near by.

Anmut Getnet
by Anmut Getnet , Msc student , Debre Markos University

1]      Discuss the advantages of GPS with compared to electronic distance measurement.

what is difference between dgps and total station machine

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