Land surveying has changed drastically over the last 50 years. The tools to do the job have changed, and thus the learning curve has as well. Land surveyors should only expect more of the same in the future, as technology will continue to lead to even more advances.
The old days of measuring with chains are gone, though some surveyors can still remember them. The invention of the total station in the 1970s revolutionized the way measurements were taken, making the job of land surveying significantly easier.
The more recent introduction of drones to the field to record data and photograph sites led to another sea of change.
Thus, keeping up with what’s new in the land surveying field is critical to your success as a surveyor. PDH online courses can help.
Geospatial Data and Systems
Our class in Geospatial Data and Systems introduces you to today’s tools used for mapping by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Today, it is possible for cameras and sensors in space to gather and record data that would take land surveyors on the ground days, weeks, months or longer to compile. And photos would not even be possible without this technology.
Geographic Information Systems, software that can be used to map and further to analyze data, allows for tremendous extrapolation with the data. With GIS, surveyors can learn about certain spatial features of the land and buildings being analyzed, such as their distance and relationship to each other, how an area has changed over a specified time period and other information previously difficult or impossible to learn.

Drones and GPSs make land-mapping infinitely easier.
Acoustic Multi-Beam Survey Systems for Deep Draft Navigation Projects
With the recent changes in climate and weather patterns, predicting and preparing for natural disasters has become more important than ever. Our course, Acoustic Multi-Beam Survey Systems for Deep Draft Navigation Projects, delves into how this new technology can be used for deep-draft navigation, flood control, and charting projects.
While SONAR is not new, it is continually being used in new ways in an effort to help control and manage our planet.
With these tools, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers can record measurements and gather data to generate reports that help them perform an essential service and even save lives. Coastal communities can use the data to strengthen their defenses against invading storms or to evacuate in the face of a weather system too powerful to overcome.
Applied Satellite Positioning, Adjustments and Analysis
In our Applied Satellite Positioning, Adjustments and Analysis course, PDH Academy teaches students the full slate of GPS capabilities and how to use them to bring more efficiency and greater accuracy to their land surveying tasks.
GPS technology is not new, but it continues to advance and be used in new and innovative ways. Further, using the GPS to its fullest potential involves two skills: gathering the data and interpreting the data. With our class, you will learn all the latest methods for observing and processing data, using and analyzing statistics, and performing error propagation and adjustments with accompanying software.
Turn to PDH Academy Online Courses
Land surveying is an exciting, dynamic field. Just when you think you know it all, a discovery is made and there is something new to learn.
Stay on top of all the updates and advancements to the field of land surveying. Fulfill your continuing education requirements with PDH Academy online courses.