MIDLANDS STATE UNIVERSITY

FACULTY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

DEPARTMENT OF SURVEYING AND GEOMATICS
GNSS
ASSIGNMENT 2

STUDENT NAMES : JASON TULIPOHAMBA B

STUDENT ID : R182433C
LEVEL : 3:1
MODULE CODE : SVG310
LETURE NAME : MR Forward Dhewa

DUE DATE: 27 October 2020

a) Give a brief historical background in the development of EDM instruments.

In 1948 the Swedish Physicist Erik Bergstrand introduced the first EDM instrument called
the geometer (an acronym for geodetic distance meter), resulted from attempts to improve
methods for measuring the velocity of light. The instrument transmitted visible light and was
capable of accurately observing distances up to 40km at night.

Moreover, the use of electromagnetic waves to measure distances started during the World
War II with the development of Radar and progressed to use other forms of energy such as
visible light, microwaves, and laser. In 1957, a second EDM apparatus, the tellurometer, was
introduced and designed in South Africa by Dr T. L. Wadley; this instrument transmitted
microwaves, and was capable of observing distances up to (80 km) or more, day or night.
(Ghilani, 2002).

A major advance in instrumentation occurred approximately 60 years ago with the

development of electronic distance measuring (EDM) instruments. These devices measure
lengths by indirectly determining the number of full and partial waves of transmitted
electromagnetic energy require in travelling between the two ends of a line.

b) Write brief explanations on the following

i. Effect of reflections on microwave EDM
According to Rueger (1988), microwave instruments have a much larger beam divergence
than optical instruments; certain parts of beam may reach the ground or other reflecting
surfaces and maybe reflected there. The reflected wave travels a longer distance and, being
received with a direct wave, has an effect on the measurement of the distance. The effect is
usually called ground swing. The amplitude of the ground swing is dependent on the
reflectivity of the specific ground surface. Water, snow and street surface maybe highly
reflective. Ground swing is mainly a function of excess path length, the reflectivity of the
reflecting surface, the modulation frequency and the carrier frequency

ii. Resolution of ambiguities in EDM instruments

 The ambiguity can be resolved commonly in EDM instruments by employing multiple-
frequency technique based on decade modulation. It is usually built into the EDM device,
permitting automatic determination and thus a direct readout of the distance.

 This leaves a big unknown, namely the number of full wavelengths of the EDM’s
modulated carrier between the transmitter and the receiver at the instant of the measurement.

 Fortunately, the cycle ambiguity can be solved in the EDM measurement process. The
key is using carriers with progressively longer wavelengths. For example, the submeter
portion of the overall distance can be resolved using a carrier with the wavelength of a meter.

 This can be followed by a carrier with a wavelength of 10 meters, which provides the
basis for resolving the meter aspect of a measured distance. This procedure may be followed
by the resolution of the tens of meters using a wavelength of 100 meters. The hundreds of
meters can then be resolved with a wavelength of 1000 meters, and so on.
c) Discuss the fundamental difference between microwave and electro-optical EDM instruments.

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 Microwave instruments
Microwave instruments use radio wavelengths as carrier and therefore require two
instruments one at each end of the line to be measure, that are capable of receiving and
transmitting the signals. The microwave carrier is always frequency modulated for measuring
purposes and has wavelengths generally in the order of 10cm and 3cm.
As these instruments do not rely on light being returned to the master instrument by a
reflector, they can be used day or night in most weather conditions. These instruments are
capable of long ranges up to 25 km and beyond, with typical accuracies of ±10 mm ±5
mm/km. Microwave instruments range up to 150 km with a wave length of 0.1 to 80cm.

Electro-Optical EDMs
These are called light wave systems which range up to 10 km and they employ Passive
reflectors. Optical EDMs uses Infra-red systems which have a of up to range up to 3 km for
short range or up to 30 km for long range and are mostly limited to line of sight, in fact they
are affected by intervisibility and also by rain, fog and other air borne particles. Electro-
Optical EDMs are composed of transmitter which is the main instrument and a reflector.
These types of instruments transmit visible and infrared waves and their wave length ranges
from 0.7 to 1.2 micrometers. Range from 1 to 3km with a maximum ranges of 20km and use
amplitude modulation wave. They have a limited to line of sight as it’s not affected by
visibility

d) Explain why the GaAs diode is preferred as a source of radiation in EDM surveying
instruments.

 The carrier wave used in nearly all EDM instruments is infra-red and is due to the carrier
source which is a gallium arsenide (GaAs) infra-red emitting diode.
 This diode can be easily amplitude modulated at the high frequencies required for EDM.
 Provide a simple and inexpensive method of producing a modulated carrier wave.

e) Discuss the essence of environmental corrections to EDM measurements.

Natural environment errors in EDM operations are primarily from atmospheric variations in
temperature, pressure and humidity which affect the index of refraction, and modify the wave
length of electromagnetic energy being received and reflected by the EDM.

The values of these variables must be measured and used to correct observed distance, for
instance, for any EDM to measure precise measurements, the condition inside the instrument
must be more likely similar to the external one, and this can be done through applying of
corrections to the instruments based on the atmospheric condition on the surrounding.

Modern EDM instruments are made with an inbuilt processor that help with the conversion
of some variables and compute correct distance.
Meteorological conditions (temperature, pressure, humidity, etc.) have to be taken into account to
correct for the systematic error arising due to this. These errors can be removed by applying an
appropriate atmospheric correction model that takes care of different meteorological parameters
from the standard (nominal) one.

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f) Compare and contrast EDM vs GNSS
 Electronic distance measuring instrument is a surveying instrument for measuring distance
electronically between two points through electromagnetic waves.
 In this method instruments are used to measure distance that rely on propagation, reflection
and reception of electromagnetic waves like radio, visible light or infrared waves.
 Both devices measure length by indirectly determining the number of full and partial
waves of transmitted electromagnetic energy require in travelling between the two end of
the line or base line.
 Both GNSS and EDM instruments use distances to fix position points, because with
GNSS distance is measured according to the time the wave take to travel from the
satellites to the base receiver and with EDM the distance is calculated based on the
reflected waves by the reflector.
 Ragab (2003) stated that, GNSS points or control points can be measured without any
line of sight requirements while a total station work on the principle of signal reflection,
line of sight must be there between an EDM and prism reflector.
 The accuracy depends on the distance, angle and the used prism while for GNSS the
accuracy depends on the satellite availability, atmospheric effect, satellite geometry, and
multipath.
 By definition GNSS provides a whole Global Coverage while with EDM system, the
instruments is set over one end of the line to be measured and some forms of reflectors is
set over the other end such that the line of sight between the instrument and the reflector
is unobstructed.
 In terms of point fixing, GNSS uses satellites to find the position of objects on the ground
while EDM uses control points to fix position of object by either traversing intersection
or resection on the ground.
 EDM equipment’s do work under shade with or without laser fixed on it, while GNSS do
not work or operate under shade since satellites signal cannot penetrate on building or
under trees.
 using timed pulse techniques such as those used in variety of radar instruments.
 using measurements of a phase difference which may be equated to one part of a cycle
expressed in units of time or length.
 Pulse methods have advantages over the phase difference methods but their weight and power
requirement is such that they cannot be classed lightweight portable instruments.
 The time taken by the wave to travel this 2x distance may be measured and knowing the
velocity of wave, the distance may be calculated. However time is too short, measuring the time
taken is difficult. The improved techniques use phase difference method in which the number of
completed wave and incomplete wave is measured. Knowing the length of wave, distances are
calculated.


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REFERENCING LIST
Ghilani, C.,D, (2002) Elementary surveying : an introduction to geomatics, 13th ed., Page 148-
149.
Ragab, K, (2003) Surveying, EDM & Stadia, Department of Landscape Architecture, Faculty of
Environmental Design, King AbdulAziz University.

Rueger, J.,M, (1988) Introduction to Electronic Distance Measurement, second edition, School
of Surveying, The University of New South Wales.

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