Robotic Total Stations for Beginners: What They Are and How They Work
If you work in surveying or construction, chances are you have come across the term “robotic total station”. But what exactly are these devices, and how do they function? In this beginner’s guide we will examine robotic total stations closely and cover everything you need to know about them.
What is a Robotic Total Station (RTS)?
Robotic total stations are high-tech surveying instruments that combine the functionality of traditional total stations with robotic automation. Total stations are instruments designed to measure angles and distances to determine where features on earth’s surface exist; they’re commonly employed by construction, civil engineering, and land surveying companies for tasks like setting out buildings, laying roads out accurately, creating 3D terrain models and more.
Robotic total stations take this functionality a step further by enabling remote control of their instrument via handheld controller or tablet, making measurements in difficult or hazardous environments much simpler for the user.
How Do Robotic Total Stations Operate?
Robotic total stations utilize sophisticated optics, electronic sensors, and software to accurately measure angles and distances with great precision. The instrument emits a laser beam towards its target before using angles, distances, known positions of instrument and target to calculate relative position of target.
Robotic total stations consist of an instrument mounted to a motorized base, which allows it to rotate and tilt in all directions. This enables users to remotely control its orientation for easier pinpoint measurements with greater accuracy.
Robotic functionality can typically be controlled using a handheld controller or tablet, which allows the user to operate the total station from a distance. This feature can be especially beneficial when monitoring construction sites where it may be impractical or even unsafe for an employee to remain close to the instrument.
Robotic Total Stations Offer Advantages
Robotic total stations provide numerous advantages in surveying and construction applications. Some key benefits are:
– Increased Productivity: Robotic total stations offer fast and accurate measurements to help streamline workflows and enhance efficiency.
– Improved Safety: By enabling users to operate total stations remotely, robotic functionality can reduce the risk of accidents and injuries in hazardous environments.
– Increased Accuracy: Robotic automation of total stations helps minimize human error, leading to more precise measurements and higher-quality data.
Robotic total stations make taking measurements easier in difficult or inaccessible areas by offering remote operation capabilities, making measurements faster and simpler to carry out.
Robotic total stations are an indispensable asset to surveyors and construction professionals alike, offering advanced functionality and increased flexibility on site. By understanding their capabilities and how they operate, beginners can take full advantage of what robotic total stations have to offer – be it setting out buildings or creating 3D terrain models, it is an invaluable asset in their toolbox.