Whether you are a land surveyor or an engineer, high-quality surveying equipment is essential. At Warren Knight, we’ve been a leading supplier of surveying equipment and precision instruments for more than 100 years and can provide you with whatever you might need to complete your surveying tasks.

Survey Equipment Suppliers Since 1908

While we’ve all heard the old joke about the “world’s oldest profession,” in truth, surveying is actually one of the world’s oldest professions. As soon as humankind began building simple dwellings, the job of the surveyor wasn’t far behind. As buildings became more complicated, finding experts that could ensure buildings were stable and safe was crucial. We have been making survey equipment since 1908 and still developing new tools for the surveyor today.

When you think about structures such as the Pyramids of Giza or the Parthenon and other ancient structures, especially those that are still standing today, it’s impressive how much ancient surveyors were able to accomplish using rudimentary tools.

These days, surveyors typically have earned at least a bachelor’s degree as well as several certifications beyond that degree as well as completing licensing requirements. Survey technicians, however, might only have completed an associate’s degree or perhaps worked their way up from an internship after high school. Some surveyors also choose to specialize in areas such as forensic surveying, hydrographic surveying or perhaps GIS analysis or geodetic surveying.

What Equipment Is Used In Surveying?

Surveying requires the use of a wide range of devices and surveying equipment, and one of the most commonly used tools is the theodolite. This device provides accurate measurements of vertical angles and horizontal angles.

Theodolites have been around for several centuries (although today’s versions are far more accurate) and are still commonly used today. However, some engineers and surveyors prefer to use a total station. This electronic device also provides measurements of vertical and horizontal angles, but total stations tend to have a greater range than a theodolite and include electronic distance measurement as well as data collection capabilities.

Data collectors and field controllers are other common survey tools, and today’s data collectors often include Bluetooth and Wi-Fi capabilities and include GNSS or GPS receivers. GNSS includes multiple satellite positioning systems where GPS utilizes the NAVSTAR Global Positioning System, which is the group of satellites developed by the U.S. Department of Defense.

Surveyors also will use a wide variety of leveling equipment. For instance, an Abney level is a commonly used surveying instrument. While these aren’t as precise as a theodolite or total station, they are small and lightweight and easy to carry out into the field for initial surveying tasks and require no power source. Hand levels and slope lasers are other common tools of the trade, as well as digital levels.

Surveying Instruments & Tools

A surveyor’s compass is another lightweight tool that can be taken out to a job site easily and doesn’t require charging or a source of electricity. Surveyors also might use a clinometer to measure the angle of slope. Clinometers (sometimes called inclinometers or tilt meters) have many uses aside from surveying tasks. These devices can be used for a variety of calibration and alignment tasks as well as bore sighting. A surveyor’s compass or forestry compass also can be used by foresters to measure tree height as part of forest surveys and general forest management.

Land Surveying Equipment

In addition to these aforementioned surveying instruments, land surveyors and engineers also will need land surveying equipment such as measuring tapes, surveying tripods, a Jacob staff and perhaps prism poles or range poles as well as measuring wheels, which can be used for quick, short-range distance measuring.

Magnetic locators are another helpful surveying tool. These devices can help surveyors identify a wide range of features including survey markers, manhole covers, iron pipes and other items made out of iron, steel or other ferrous materials.

Of course, surveyors sometimes work in dangerous environments near areas with vehicle traffic or construction equipment. Safety equipment such as safety vests, traffic cones and hard hats all will be needed.

Surveying Supplies by North American Supply

At Warren Knight, as well as at our sister company, North American Survey  Supply, we sell a wide variety of high-quality surveying tools and instruments. We also have a complete inventory of land surveying equipment and other helpful instruments available for rent, including:

 

  • Transits
  • Transit levels
  • Clinometers
  • Laser Levels
  • Total Stations
  • Field Computers/Data Collectors
  • Theodolites
  • Tripods, Rods & Stands

 

This equipment can be rented monthly or by the week, as needed. We also offer a rental-purchase plan. If you like the instrument you are renting, you can purchase it and your rental fee will provide credit toward your purchase. If you need surveying equipment or other instruments repaired, we offer expert repair services for just about any type of optical instrument as well as providing customers with manufacturer parts or custom parts.

Additionally, we can provide you with calibration services, and we offer three levels of certification, including:

  • Basic certification with readings
  • Readings provided after calibration
  • Readings providing before and after calibration

If you have any questions about our surveying equipment, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us at any time. Not every instrument we manufacture is listed on our website, so if you don’t see precisely what you need, we may be able to source it from our North American Survey Supply company or provide you with a custom design that meets your needs and specifications.