Field Area Checks using GPS Part 2: from Theory to Practice

Classical surveying has focused on point positioning of well defined features on the ground - vertices which can be used to 'digitize' the boundary between two features. Most survey measurements emphasise linear or planar position, and do little to guarantee the area of the polygon measured. For example, most mapping services often give details of planimetric 'ambiguity' of points for different map scales, but do not accept responsibility for the area estimate. As we described in the first article, we found that a continuous collection of points neatly solved the problem and helped to cancel out random errors in the observations, giving a good estimate of a land parcel's area. But how exactly does this theory work?

KAY Simon; 

Kay S. Field Area Checks using GPS Part 2: from Theory to Practice. GIM International 20 (1); 2006. p. 43-45. JRC31911

2006-09-28

GITC, Netherlands

JRC31911