The Magazine of Leica Geosystems

REPORTER 4120 4030 50

M A D E T O M E A S U R E

The central section of thisissue is devoted to a concise review of threedecades of the REPORTER.Right after that, we focus onanother jubilee: it is exactly150 years since the highestmountain on earth was first surveyed. To mark theevent, we are publishing areport by the expert wholed two of this decade’smajor Himalayan researchexpeditions and the teamresponsible for re-surveyingthe world’s highestmountains, using Leicaequipment.

In this issue we are alsoappealing to you, ourreaders. There is a shortquestionnaire at themagazine centre-fold. We would like to hear youropinions about the REPORTER customer magazine: what you likeand find interesting, andalso what you feel could beimproved, given morecoverage, or added to theeditorial mix. It’s easy torespond by fax (+41 71 7274689), via Internet (www.leica-geosystems.com) orby mail.

I look forward to your comments and suggestions.

Waltraud StroblBrand & Image PlanningManager

I M P R I N T

The REPORTER is celebrat-ing 30 years of publication:an appropriate opportunityfor a brief retrospective.Since the first issueappeared in 1969, the workof surveying professionalshas grown broader andmore demanding. Over theyears, the technologies andequipment for meetingthese challenges – inparticular GPS, DPS and GIS– have led to fundamentalchanges to working practice.

2

The new year of 1999 burst

forth with a fanfare. The

launching of the EURO has

unleashed a wave of

expectation and euphoria,

but has also generated an

undercurrent of unease. The

world looks at the last year

of the stormy twentieth cen-

tury with a certain suspicion

and wonders what the next

millennium will bring.

For Leica Geosystems, theyears 1998/1999 will certainlynot go into history as the prelude to a finale. On thecontrary, they herald a newawakening. Over the lastweeks and months, many ofyou have come to know ournew ranges of total stations,the TPS1100 and the TPS300series. We expected them tobe successful, but the sheervolume of orders has takenus by surprise, to the extentthat some of our customershave had to practisepatience. These attractivenew survey instruments exhibit impressive features;their new technologies arefascinating (particularly thefacility of reflectorlessmeasuring); and the favour-able price / performance ratiohas convinced customerseverywhere.

The new GPS500 series hasalso met with great acclaim.Its great plus points are thecompact design, the state-of-the-art technology, the easein use and the outstandingperformance. Just a fewweeks after the marketlaunch, the demand wasalready enormous. This speaks volumes for thesuccess of the venture.

A gripping start!

Published byLeica Geosystems AG, CH-9435 HeerbruggPresident & CEO: Hans Hess

Editorial officeLeica Geosystems AG, CH-9435 Heerbrugg,SwitzerlandFax: +41 71 727 46 89Internet: Waltraud.Strobl@leica-geosystems.com

EditorsWaltraud Strobl, Fritz Staudacher (Stf)

Layout and productionNiklaus Frei

TranslationDogrel AG, St. Margrethen

Cover photo: K2 peak

Publication detailsThe Reporter is published in German,English, French, Spanish and Japanesethree times a year.

Reprints and translations, includingexcerpts, are subject to the Editor’s priorpermission in writing.

The Reporter is printed on chlorine-freepaper made by environmentallycompatible processes.

© Leica Geosystems AG, Heerbrugg, April 1999, Printed in Switzerland

Editorial deadline for next issue:May 17, 1999

The best thing is for you tojudge for yourself. Ourpersonnel will certainly becontacting you soon andthey are already looking forward to every one of yourtelephoned enquiries. Theywill be glad to demonstrateto you the economic bene-fits that you can expect ifyou work on a regular basiswith these new surveyinstruments from Leica Geosystems. Put us to thetest, and compare us withothers – we have nothing tofear !

Once again in this issue ofthe Reporter you will findaccounts of the interestingprojects which areoccupying our customers inthe most varied fields ofactivity and in very differentcountries. I never cease toderive pleasure from the factthat Leica Geosystems isplaying an active role in highly-impressive projects,and for this am very gratefulto you, our customer. We areproud to be helping you tomeet the challenges posedin the last year of thepresent millennium – andwe are already prepared andwell equipped to cope withwhat the next millenniumhas to throw at us. What ismore, we will press on withour unremitting efforts tobecome better and better.

Sincerely

Hans HessPresident & CEOLeica Geosystems

Editorial

3

Dear Reader

Spacecraft assembly uses theLeica LT500 laser tracker

The prototype of NASA’s X-38CRV (Crew Return Vehicle) is now taking shape in theJohnson Space Center inHouston, Texas (USA).Construction tolerances arethe tightest so far maintainedby NASA.Page 4

News and events

• New era for Leica in India• New BasicLevel• No change for LH Systems• GPS chips: Leica and IBM• DISTO in St. Stephen’s

CathedralPage 6

French highway constructionuses Leica Driving PositioningSystems (DPS)

Automated total stationsbring enormous time andcost savings to highway construction. Obstructiveguide-wires are no longernecessary.Page 8

3000 pages of REPORTERstories

The first issue of ourcustomer magazine appearedin 1969. Since then, application reports and newsstories have grown to fill3000 pages.Page 10

New K2 survey(Cover story)

The two tallest mountains inthe world have beenresurveyed in this decade.This year marks the 150thanniversary of the originalsurvey of Mt. Everest.Page 13

Leica Geosystems on theInternet

This issue of the REPORTERis also being published onLeica Geosystems’ web site,which carries a wealth ofother useful information. It’swell worth a visit!Page 12

Leica System 500: breakthrough to a new GPS era

A universal GPS surveyingsystem is just being launchedin the marketplace. Light-weight, compact and energy-saving, it nevertheless offershigh dependability even under the harshest conditions,and delivers results using very short measuring times.Page 18

Please tell us what you like

about the REPORTER, and if

you feel there is anything

missing. You could win one

of three Leica cameras!

In this issue

READER POLL

4 5

Assembly Alignment of NASA´s X-38 CRVCrew Return Vehicle

The Leica LT500 Laser Tracker atJohnson Space Center Houston

The Leica LT500 Laser

Tracker is a space-age

industrial measurement

system being used for

inspection, analysis and

component alignment in a

variety of NASA projects.

NASA purchased the Laser

Tracker primarily for the

X-38 flying body spacecraft,

a project destined to set

milestones in cost-effective

manufacturing and

assembly, high precision

and on-schedule delivery.

NASA engineers at theJohnson Space Center inHouston, Texas are currentlydesigning and flight-testingthe prototype X-38, a vehiclewhich could become the first new spacecraft to travelfrom orbit in the past twodecades. Developed at afraction of the cost of formerspace vehicles, the X-38’smost immediate applicationis a vital one: It will serve asa model for the emergencycrew return vehicle (CRV), orlifeboat, for the InternationalSpace Station (ISS). The lifeboat is designed to holdseven astronauts, and withthe touch of a button willbring the crew home withintwo hours of initiating thereturn-to-Earth sequence.The X-38 may also serve asthe model for the CrewTransport Vehicle (CTV), aspace van meant to carryastronauts only, not cargo.

The mandate for the X-38 isto develop an economic spaceship. Because it will be a re-entry vehicle, thespacecraft requires precisionassembly of thousands oftiles and parts. In the past,NASA engineers usedtypical manufacturing alignment techniques, suchas levels, plump bobs andmicrometers. It was laborintensive. Then NASA acquired a Leica LT500 LaserTracker in January 1997.

Reduction of man hours by 70% compared toconventional means

"The first thing we noticedwas the time savings", said Frank Jenson, anengineering technician withNASA’s Manufacturing,Material and ProcessTechnology Division. "Man-hours spent for theinspection and analysis oflarge manufactured partswere reduced dramatically. I would estimate we save 70 percent of our time overconventional verificationtechniques. A typical ringframe, which used to require about two weeks foran inspection, now takestwo-and-a-half to threedays".

Inspection of parts and comparison against CAD

Steve Peterschmidt, Mechanical Engineer forRothe Joint Venture on theX-38 project, is responsiblefor analyzing the 3D coordinate data collected bythe LT500 and comparing it against their original CADmodels. "We have to measure a bilateral profiletolerance of 0.010 inches(0.25 mm) over compoundcurvatures on parts up to120-inches (3 m) long. In standard dimensional inspection, we do not getthe resolution we need; nordo we have the time to use

a normal coordinate measuring machine. Withthe Laser Tracker, we havethe inspection completedwithin a few hours", he said.

The X-38 engineers use theLT500 to measure the components manufacturedwithin the enterprise and byoutside suppliers. The X-38project has the distinction ofbeing the first in-house-manufactured project atNASA, rather than a contrac-ted project. The LaserTracker is also used to alignthousands of parts on thelarge vehicles.

"There is a tolerance stack-up as you assemble theparts", Peterschmidt said. "If you assemble thirty partstogether, you might multiplyyour deviations by thirty.The Laser Tracker allows usto place each part within thevehicle coordinate system,so it is attached to theassembly according to asingle reference datum. We are trying to stay withinan overall tolerance of 0.050 inches (1.2 mm), andso far, the accuracy isaround 0.020 inches (0.5 mm). I believe we canstay within 0.020 inches to0.030 inches (0.5-0.8 mm) for the entire project". TheLT500 has an accuracy of0.001 inches (0.025 mm).

The tightest tolerances NASAhas ever maintained

These are the tightesttolerances NASA has evermaintained for a spacecraft.Considering the X-38 isNASA’s first in-house designthrough manufacturing project, this is quite animpressive feat.

Another advantage of theLeica Laser Tracker is its portability. The LT500 sensorhead weighs approximately69 pounds, and can be easilymoved around the part to be

measured. The wholeprocess takes about ten tofifteen minutes for repositio-ning and a few seconds fordata collection. "We move itall over the building", saidBrian Anderson, the X-38Design and ProductionManager, "and this is a largefacility. We don’t have tobring the parts to the lasertracker, we move the lasertracker to the parts".

Portability facilitates shortterm jobs at different places

The Laser Tracker has such a reputation around theJohnson Space Center thatengineers on many otherprojects want to utilize it.The X-38 team has beenhappy to oblige their fellowengineers. Nearby isJohnson Space Center’smain machining facility, withjust about every type ofmanufacturing toolavailable. There has been nodifficulty transporting theLT500 to this building andbecause the machine is simple to use and quicklydoes its job, there has beenno loss of time on the X-38project.

Jenson even packs theLT500 in its original shippingbox, loads it on a govern-ment pick-up truck, anddrives five miles to theEllington Airfield. The LaserTracker is then used to measure engine intake porton the astronauts’ T-38trainer aircraft. Jenson canmake the drive, take sixdetailed measurements withmore than 6,000 data points each, and be back intime for lunch. Four otherprojects at Ellington haveutilized the laser tracker inthe first five months of 1998.

Lasers are notorious for calibration problems if repetitively moved. It is acommon belief that themore precise the laser

device becomes, the less itcan be moved about. However, the LT500 is thesturdiest laser tracker in existence, built to be veryportable. Jenson neverneeds more than fifteenminutes to check the lasertracker’s calibration after theappropriate warm-up. Ineighteen months of heavydaily use, the Leica LaserTracker has never been outof calibration, staying withinthe parameters of 0.0015degrees of accuracy.

Stability of the calibration: a precondition for maximumefficiency

"That’s the whole idea ofusing a measurement devicelike this", Jenson said. "It has to be portable. Wewill even ship it to Dryden inCalifornia where they do theatmospheric testing on theX-38. We have to be able toput it through governmentshipping and still economizeour time at each of the facilities".

The target date for the X-38project is to have a workingCRV attached to the Interna-tional Space Station in 2003.Until then, the space stationwill use a Soyuz spacecraftsimilar to Mir’s emergencyreturn vehicle. However, theSoyuz is cramped, andexpensive. The X-38 willcomfortably accommodateseven astronauts who maybe injured or incapacitatedand bring them automati-cally to safety without needof a pilot.

Use of the Leica LT500 onthe X-38 project has resultedin a significant saving intime and effort, The X-38project is on schedule toprovide one of the most vital components of theInternational Space Station:a fast ticket home andperhaps an affordable ticketoutbound. It is a project

worthy of the planet’s sharpest engineeringexperts – minds that aremuch too busy to be sloweddown by conventional measuring methods. TheLeica Laser Tracker LT500delivers sharp, fast, accurate measurements atlightning speed.

(NASA’s policy is not to endorse any product, service or company. Leica Geosystems is very appreciative for the candid remarks by X-38 project engineers, and their statements reflect solely on the technology presented by the LT500, in their individual experience).

Part of the prototype X-38, a spacecraft model for the emergency crew return vehicle (CRV), the lifeboat for the International Space Station.

The reflector is moved along the inside wall for inspection.

The Laser Tracker has been lifted up to get a wider working area.

6 7

New Era for Leicain India

Leica instruments have been in use on the Indian sub-

continent for decades. Now, customers and users can

expect support from a powerful new marketing and

business partner: Elcome Technologies Private Limited,

with headquarters in New Delhi. The company benefits

from technical and applications backup by Leica

Geosystems India, New Delhi.

Modern workshop facilities at Elcome Technologies Private Limited in New Delhi

Hans Hess, President of Leica Geosystems, celebrates the new Indian partnership with K.S. Grewal, Board Chairman of the Elcome Group.

Leica Geosystems’ mainpriorities are to provideoptimum solutions, andhigh-quality customer service. These aims arefully met by ElcomeTechnologies, as witnessedby the numerous guestswho attended the officialcelebrations marking thelaunch of this cooperativeventure. The eventsincluded a tour of the work-shops and the inaugurationof a show room, and wereattended by representativesfrom major customersincluding NHO, Survey ofIndia, Bharat Electronics,Nuclear Science Center,RITES, DGLL, National Physical Laboratory, Univer-sity of Delhi, and JaiprakashIndustries. An unusual highlight was India’s firstpermanent GPS basestation providing a workingreference to the Leica GPSusers in and around theIndian capital as well asusing the station for calibrating their ownsystems. The servicedepartment boasts high-precision equipment, including a T4 collimator ofastronomical accuracy.

BasicLevel – The new starter´slevel from Leica Geosystems

Leica Geosystems is adding

to its range of automatic

levels a new model which

will not strain anyone’s

budget. This builder’s level,

sturdy and reliable, is the

right tool for all small to

medium building sites.

The BasicLevel has a stableline of sight and an extre-mely robust compensator,ensuring precise measure-

ments. The accuracy of theBasicLevel is 3mm for 1 kmdouble-run levelling. It iswater- and dirt resistantowing to its sealed designand the precise matching of all of its components. Pointing is made easy by abilateral endless drive andan optical sight. The 20xerect telescope imageenables even the novice toread off values easily fromthe scale. The accessoriesfor the instrument alsocome up fully to expecta-tions. The BasicLevel fromLeica Geosystems has anexceptionally good price-performance ratio, difficultto match in this class oflevel. If you are looking for a robust and reliablebuilder's level at an affordable price, then theLeica BasicLevel is yourbest bet.

Merger and business planswere drawn up betweenFebruary and September1998, followed by a sub-mission for approval by theCartel Commission of theEuropean Community. Theplans were subjected tointense scrutiny, whichwould have continued intoearly 1999. It was clear totop management at LHSystems and the Carl Zeissphotogrammetry divisionthat an investigative phase

The new Leica BasicLevel – the tough and reliable builder’s level that everyone can afford.

No change for LH SystemsIn REPORTER issue 38, page 15 we published news of

plans by LH Systems LLC, a joint enterprise established by

Leica Geosystems AG (Heerbrugg, Switzerland) and GDE

Systems, Inc. (San Diego, California, USA), to acquire a

third partner in the form of the photogrammetry division of

the Carl Zeiss Group.

of this duration would placea severe damper on marketdevelopment, as well ascustomer and employeerelations. For this reason,and in the interests ofcustomer contact and work-force security, both partiesagreed to withdraw theapplication and call off merger negotiations.

GPS Joint DevelopmentAgreement between Leica andIBM

In September 1998 Leica

Geosystems announced that

an agreement has been

reached with IBM to jointly

develop new GPS products

for use in single frequency

applications. This agree-

ment is historic for two

reasons. First, IBM is

entering the world of GPS

with the intent of becoming

a major player. This means

that Leica Geosystems

technology will be in the

hands of millions of

consumers as well as giving

Leica Geosystems

enormous advantage in its

traditional markets. Second,

this is the first time a GPS

receiver has been built in

silicon germanium. It is a

particularly good medium

for high speed applications,

with lower manufacturing

costs than GaAs.

These jointly developed products with integratedGPS functions will becomplete engines, chipsetsand derivatives, for marketsnot previously accessed,such as portable computing,cell phones, in-vehicle navigation, timing, andmany more.GPS product manager forIBM´s Microelectronics Division, Joe Petrosky said,"The goal of the jointdevelopment project is toproduce the world´ssmallest, most competitivelypriced and fully integratedand tested GPS solution tosupport multiple productsand applications.”

An enthusiastic NeilVancans, President of LeicaGeosystems GPS BusinessUnit of Torrance said, "IBMcritically researched the GPScommunity before finallydeciding to work with LeicaGeosystems. We´ve beenworking with IBM for over ayear and both sides haveenjoyed a stimulating relationship. This businessrelationship represents anideal match of LeicaGeosystems’ patented GPSreceiver design and IBM’sworld-class IC technology.There are numerous benefitsin the offing for both parties,as well as their customers.”

Below: A double celebration – Rost’s 110th corporate annivers-ary, and a 50-year marketing partnership with Leica in Austria. Rost General Managers Dr. Michaela Schlögl and Dr. Michael Hiermanseder in discussion with Hans Hess (centre), President of Leica Geosystems, in Vienna.

DISTO basic measures St. Stephen’s CathedralYet another culturally and

historically important

application for the Leica

DISTO lasermeter, this time

in Vienna: the site office at

St. Stephen’s Cathedral has

purchased a DISTO™ basic

lasermeter for taking

interior and exterior measu-

rements of the structure.

The cathedral, visible from a

large surrounding area, is a

Viennese landmark with a

history going back to 1147.

The cathedral building, witharchitectural treasures fromseveral epochs dating backnumerous centuries, is anongoing constructional challenge for the headcraftsman and his team atthe site office. Renovationwork continues virtually around the clock – and notjust while parts of the structure are shrouded inscaffolding, as is the case atpresent!

The visible red laser spotemitted by the DISTOlasermeter can be aimed atany target: a projecting wall,the tip of a spire, or an arch.Targets that are physicallyinaccessible, or only acces-sible with great difficulty, are

no problem for the DISTO:the laser goes straightacross obstructions like fences, or distant heights.Once the beam is on-target,a press of the measure keyis all that is needed toproduce a display reading injust seconds – with milli-metre accuracy!After the Viennese stateopera-house, the palace andzoological gardens at Schönbrunn, and the ancientchurch of the Jesuits, state-of-the-art Leica measure-ment know-how is helpingto monitor and renovate yet another landmark inAustria’s metropolis on theDanube.

Leica Geosystems’ Austrianmarketing partner is R & ARost. While not quite asancient as Vienna’s architec-tural landmark, the companynonetheless celebrated its110 year jubilee, along witha 50 year business relation-ship with Leica, at the end of1998. Such a long-standingpast has a certain rarity ininternational business life,and speaks for a solidfoundation, healthydynamism, and first-classcustomer relations.

A major success for Leica GPS technology: Joe Petrosky (IBM) and Neil Vancans (Leica Geosystems) have already brought out the first SiGe-based GPS chip, and look forward to continued partnership success.

8 9

Total station eliminates control string

Automated total stations and GPS are revolutionising the

work of surveying professionals and their clients, not least

in highway construction. The technique is being used in

France to build roads faster and more accurately, as

evidenced by the trade periodical "Matériels et Chantiers”

in a recent report from a construction site along the RN 109

motorway. In recent years, Leica Geosystems has

combined technologies from total stations and GPS with

special software, giving rise to DPS (Driving Positioning

Systems) for automatic machine control. They have proved

their worth on construction sites all over the world.

"This equipment allows asurveyor to mark out threekilometres of highway construction site everyweek – that’s twice as muchas before, when you alsohad to work in two-manteams”, explains ChristianFabreguettes, surveyor forthe Jean LefèbvreMéditeranée constructioncompany. "In addition, allthe data is stored electroni-cally, which eliminates theeffort and errors associatedwith manual recording. One

can be more flexible, because the project can beadapted on the fly at anytime. For example, one canquickly add a shaft withouthaving to do a lot ofrecalculations. There are somany advantages, it reallymakes everyone’s workeasier!”

Closed-loop automation

The target prism is attacheddirectly to the constructionmachine and automaticallystays within the totalstation’s field of view. Thetotal station sends informa-tion via a radio link to a PCin the machine, which alsoholds all the project data.The PC uses the totalstation measurement datato track the constructionmachine’s positioncontinually in real time, andcompares it with the projectdata. It derives a continuousstream of control para-meters, which are sent tothe construction machine’sautomatic control system.

High productivity, safety andquality

"This allows us to overcomethe physical limitations ofcontrol strings, likemovement and logisticalbottlenecks, damage, andoccasional inaccuracies –we are seeing real improve-ments in productivity,safety and quality!”, saysChristian Fabreguettes. He remembers, "on a tradi-tional highway construction

site, staking out and securing the control stringsused to require a team oftwo surveyors and eightassistants”.

An 8.1 metre wide Vögeleroad-laying machine wasused in the Route NationaleRN 109 project. A Leica TCA-series total station trackedthe machine’s position inreal time. The same machinewas previously deployed inearly 1998 on the RN 106between Nîmes and Alès,where it laid a nine-centi-metre thick road surface overa 20-kilometre stretch. Themachine has a 3.5m mastcarrying the prism, anintegrated PC with a ruggedi-sed screen, radio equipmentfor communicating with thesurveying station, automatichydraulic regulators, and aninclinometer attached to themachine operator’s console.

On-site procedures areconsiderably simpler as aresult: having surveyed theterrain, the surveyor storesthe project on a diskettewhich is then loaded into theroad-laying machine PC.Then, the surveyor simplyhas to measure successivereference points (approxima-tely every 350 m) on whichto position the total stationas it tracks the machine’sadvance. This gives anapproximate range of 750mper station. The machinelays around 300m of roadper hour, so stationswitching is required roughlyevery 21/2 hours. At the startof operations, the surveyormeasures the exact positionand height of the prism, andactivates the PC – total station radio link for trans-mitting the measurementdata. Hydraulically operatedregulators on the construc-tion machine receiveupdated information fourtimes every second. Themachine operator need onlyconcentrate on steering,

while keeping an eye on thedisplay showing the currentmachine position in x, y andz axes, longitudinal profilegradient, the surface thick-ness to lay, speed, materialconsumption, and otherauxiliary statistics (e.g. operational and stop times,defects, etc.). The foremanneed only intervene to makespot-checks, for example toverify the surface thicknessand plane inclination. Thesurveyor is always one station ahead with a secondtotal station, monitoring theroad surface that has beenlaid.

… and less stress

Christian Fabreguettesagain: "We now work withconsiderably smaller road-laying teams. However, thismethod increases theburden of responsibility onthe surveyor becausewithout control strings thereis absolutely no visual orientation point. To avoidmistakes, the surveyor mustwork extremely carefully,both while surveying the terrain and planning the project, and when trans-ferring the data. Theautomated process can beinterrupted at any timeshould something go wrong,and we can control thingsmanually. The nearbysurveyor checking the surface height can also intervene at short notice, tostop everything grinding to a halt.” The Frenchsurveying engineer valuesthe speed of production, theprecise results, and theimproved working condi-tions brought about by thistechnique. ChristianFabreguettes hasexperienced many largeconstruction sites – "and thisis the first one withoutstress!”, he says.

Leica MC1000 – a compact GPS receiverideal for machine controlIn addition to automated total stations, Leica Geosystemsoffers alternative solutions for machine control based onthe Global Positioning System (GPS). The MC1000 is themost accurate and responsive GPS receiver anywhere inthe world, capable of calculating independent positionaldata ten times per second, with just 0.03 seconds latency– all with millimetre precision. The machine operator andcontrol system are sent a continuous flow of informationconcerning the current position of the shovel or drillshaft, tool and machine – right where it’s needed, in realtime! Like Leica’s automated total station solutions, theMC1000 is already deployed in diverse projects rangingfrom large dockside cranes, bulldozer shovels onconstruction sites, to precision planting machines used by seedling growers.

The Leica total station auto-matically tracks the construc-tion machine with attached reflecting prism. Station points are approximately 750m apart.

Below: The reflecting prism atop a 3.5m high mast is clearly visible here.

The computer on board the road-laying machine receives positional data from the total station by radio, and relays appropriate parameters directly to the hydraulic control system.

Surveyor Christian Fabreguettes checks the road surface thickness. The Jean Lefèbvre construction company deploys several systems (hardware and software) from the French company D&P Systems.

10 11

3000 pages of REPORTER stories in 30 years

The year: 1969. In the USA, NASA was preparing to land

the first three men on the moon. Meanwhile in Switzerland,

at the former Wild company in Heerbrugg, a small editorial

team was working on a considerably smaller project: the

first edition of a customer magazine. In the second issue of

the REPORTER, Dr. Georg Strasser, the editor at the time,

was already able to report on the moonwalking exploits of

Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin. The homegrown

contribution was not inconsiderable: Wild BC-4

astronomical cameras were used to create the satellite

triangulation network and record flight trajectories. Optical

landing aids also came from Switzerland – from Kern Aarau

– as did the wide-angle lens used for the spectacular

photographs of the moon’s surface. The engineers who

built the LEM landing craft used Wild T2 theodolites and

autocollimating eyepieces for optical component

alignment and measurements during construction. Such

was the state-of-the-art in 1969.

Exactly three decades and forty reporter issues later:

another story about NASA space vehicle manufacture, this

time using optoelectronic alignment instruments. The

Leica LT500’s laser beam has superseded "ordinary” light,

an automatic laser tracker and reflector have taken the

place of the observer’s eye and the notepad. State-of-the-art

in 1999. Global pioneering projects of this kind are perfect

examples of the technological developments that occupy

the thoughts and working lives of the professional

community, and Leica’s customers. The Reporter’s

coverage has filled a total of 3000 pages in German,

English, French and Spanish, plus some in Japanese and

Portuguese. Leafing through three decades of surveying

history, it becomes clear that it is not so much the tasks that

have changed or perhaps grown, but rather the techniques,

equipment and combinations now used by the surveying

professionals who perform them.

Thirty years ago, armed with a Wild T3 theodolite, a DI10

infra-red Distomat (range with nine prisms: 900m in those

days!) and a Wild GAK north-seeking compass, the German

geologist Schneider worked his way through Nepal to

create a 1:25,000 map of the Mt. Everest region.

Swissairphoto overflew the same area during the mid

‘eighties, using a Wild RC10 aerial camera to record

material that would later be analysed using photogramme-

try equipment from Heerbrugg to create the impressive

jubilee map for the National Geographic Society. In 1992,

the first man with GPS equipment (Leica GPS 200 system)

stood on the mountain’s peak.

The Wild-Magnavox WM101, introduced in 1986, marked

the launch of GPS technology for surveying applications.

Since then, the Global Positioning System has made steady

inroads into the working lives of REPORTER readers, and

gained corresponding prominence in REPORTER articles. In

addition to its use in surveying and mapping, GPS equip-

ment is deployed in many larger construction engineering

projects. GPS technology, total stations for reflectorless

measuring, and automatic tracking, are all making a

powerful impact as the industry enters the next millennium.

It barely needs mentioning that none of these develop-

ments in surveying instrument technology have been

influenced more heavily than by the very same company

that publishes the REPORTER.

With your help, the magazine editorial team will continue to

report the latest news from Leica Geosystems and follow

developments from a user perspective – in a similar style to

our recent coverage of building work at Hong Kong’s new

airport, the Stade de France, the Öresund mainland link and

the reconstruction of the Potsdamer Platz in Berlin.

The first issue contained the following appeal: "With this

periodical, we aim to create an even closer tie between

ourselves and the many thousands of people who use our

instruments. Of course, we do not aim merely to publicise

our own views. On the contrary, we urge you to make

contributions of general interest that will enrich the content

of the REPORTER”. We have nothing further to add to that

original statement – with one exception. Please send us the

questionnaire by fax, mail or via the Internet, telling us

what you find especially interesting about the REPORTER,

what you enjoy and would like to see more of – but also

what you think is not so good and where you feel there is

room for improvement. We thank you in advance for your

comments and observations!

The REPORTER editorial team

12 13

150 years of measuring the Himalayas

Measurement campaigns carried out in this decade using

Leica equipment confirm Mt. Everest and K2 as the highest

and second-highest mountains on earth.

It was exactly 150 years ago that James Nicolson

measured the highest mountain in the world, then known

as Peak "B”, later Peak XV and then Mt. Everest.

Subsequent analysis of the data by the British India Survey

determined its height as 29,002 feet (8840m) above sea

level. This measurement was carried out in the years

1847-49 by vertical triangulation from six points at a

distance of more than 150 km, without taking into account

the deflection of the vertical produced by the Himalayan

chain, the discrepancy between geoid and ellipsoid, and

roughly estimating the refraction of the atmosphere.

About ten years later thetopographers of the Surveyof India discovered anothergroup of very highmountains in the westernpart of the Himalayas. Thehighest of them turned outto be the one indicated asK2: 8611 metres.

Bradford Washburn’sexcellent 1988 National Geographic map of the Mt. Everest region, producedin Switzerland using Leicaphotogrammetry equipmentto analyse images made byLeica aerial photographysystems, shows the peak of Mt. Everest with the decades-old official height of8848m.

In 1987 the rumor that K2might have been higherthan Everest led to the creation of the EV-K2-CNRCommittee by ProfessorArdito Desio, the leader ofthe Italian mountaineeringexpedition who firstclimbed K2. The purposewas to remeasure bothmountains and find out thetruth.

The recent development ofvery accurate electronicdistance meters and ofsatellite positioningsystems has brought abouta great increase in the accuracy of the measure-ments of the elevations andof the coordinates of thesummits in the WGS84system.

The 1992 remeasuringcampaign of Mt. Everest

To verify the height of Mt. Everest with the mostmodern techniques, theChinese National Bureau ofSurveying and Mapping(NBSM) in Beijing offered tocarry out the measurementfrom the Tibetan side, while the Italian NationalResearch Council (CNR)agreed to organise the climbing expedition to carrythe instruments necessaryfor the survey to the top ofthe mountain, with Italiantopographers performingthe measurement from theNepali side.

The climbing expeditionwas arranged for Septem-ber 1992. Since it was thefirst time that a GPS systemwould work at –40°C, ameasurement from the ground was also arrangedwith distance meters andtheodolites. A set ofreflecting prisms wasneeded at the top of themountain for the distancemeters and as a target forthe theodolites. The LeicaME5000 distance meter, the

Welcome to www.leica-geosystems.com

Leica Geosystems has been present on the Internet since

1996. Three years ago, the company recognised the

medium’s potential for communicating with customers and

the industry at large. The Leica Geosystems site enjoyed

highly favourable reviews by web experts right from the

start, and it has been undergoing continuous improvement

and expansion ever since. It’s certainly worth taking a look:

there is plenty to discover here!

Web-publisher Boris Krkljesmaintains the LeicaGeosystems web site: "Up toten thousand visitors cometo our site every month. Wealso receive four hundredcustomer requests – and thefigures are going up andup!” Miren Kauer-Zubiaurstarted the project and isresponsible for the Internetpresence. Together, the pairpulled off a remarkable coupat the last FIG congress: justminutes after being inter-viewed and photographed atthe stand, visitors could seethemselves on-screen on theworldwide web!

Miren Kauer and Boris Krkljes are always developing new ideas to ensure that the Leica Geosystems web site remains attractive and up-to-date.

Many REPORTER readers,especially in researchorganisations, multinationalcorporations and work-groups, use the Internet as abusiness tool, as well as forGIS applications.

How can I access the Leicaweb site?

Not everyone has anInternet connection already,but demand is growing allthe time. Miren Kauer: "Getan electrician, telecommuni-cations or computer expertto connect your computer tothe telephone network via amodem. If you don’t alreadyhave the required softwareas part of your regular officepackage, he will install thenecessary access programor browser as well (e.g. MSInternet Explorer, NetscapeNavigator). Now choose anInternet service provider, if possible one that offersInternet access at local-ratecall charges. That’s really allyou need to begin surfingthe Worldwide Web”. Nowtype www.leica-geosystems.com on the search bar, andwithin a few seconds you should see the LeicaGeosystems home pagewith the table of contentsoverview: Instruments andSystems, Applications andProjects, News and Events,Worldwide Organisation,and Leica Geosystems inyour region. Many pagesallow you to choosebetween English, German or French at the click of abutton – unless you jump toa Leica Geosystems countryhome page in the nationallanguage (e.g. Dutch,Finnish, Swedish orSpanish).

1200 pages available

At present, the in-houseLeica Geosystems serveroffers a total of 1200 pagesfilled with information, software and applicationexamples. Boris Krkljesensures that the pages arealways up-to-date, for example with the latest product announcements andY2K compatibility notes.

Customer-friendly and

interactive

If you want to knowsomething about a Leicaproduct or a special application, or if you want toquickly find out the addressof the nearest LeicaGeosystems support andservice facility, just click onthe appropriate buttons. You can use the integratede-mail facility to contactLeica Geosystems directly, ifyou want to ask questions orrequest documentation, product videos and otherservices. You can evendownload interactiveproduct demonstrations thatallow you to test typical product applications on-line.The next step is already reality for customers in theUSA: they can already ordervarious products directlyfrom the Leica Geosystemsweb site. And there’s something else too: shouldsomeone fail to return yourcopy of the REPORTER, youcan find it here in electronicform. You can even respondto the reader poll containedin this issue directly on theLeica Geosystems web site –no pen and paper required!

In the 19th century, the Survey of India worked its way through the sub-continent as far as the Himalayan peaks. The photo-graph shows Mt. Everest, known locally as Quomolangma, from the south-west, flanked by Nuptse (left) and Lhotse and Lhotse Shar (right). Map courtesy: Royal Geographi-cal Society, London.

Measurement on the Internet: an opportunity offered by the Leica Geosystems web site as part of the DISTO application demonstration.

14 15

Results for K2 from 1996 measuring campaign

(in meters)Skardu K2 Motel 2222.583 ±0.3mBase Camp-G point 2711.755G point-summit 3656.920

K2 ellipsoidal height 8591.258 (at snow level)Ellipsoid-geoid separation 25.23Depth of snow -2.22Geoidal height 8614.27 ±0.6m a.s.l.

How high isK2 really?

most precise instrumentavailable on the market(0.2mm+0.2ppm) was usedtogether with a Leica T3000precision theodolite tomatch it. It was also decidedto bring along a LeicaDI3000 distance meter,slightly less accurate, buteasier to use.

At a distance of 10-12 kmthree prisms were sufficientfor a good measurementwith both instruments.However two prism setswere needed, one facing theNepali side and the otherfacing the RongbukMonastery in Tibet, wherethe Chinese surveyors ledby Professor Jun-Yong Chenplanned to make the measurement with distancemeters and a Wild T2theodolite. The horizontalangle was calculated on themap at 76° while both setswere tilted at 12° in the vertical plane. Leica Geosystems, Switzerland,built the tripod on which theprisms were set, meetingvery strict specifications.The total weight had to beless than 10 kg and it had tobe divisible into two parts.The structure was built ofaluminium, except for thelowest part which was anice piton made of stainlesssteel. Another piton wasmade to hold the GPSantenna.

The data recorded during theMt. Everest campaign

Two climbers, BenoitChamoux and OswaldSantin, reached the summiton the 29th of September1992 at 10.30, read the temperature (-15°C) andactivated the Leica GPS 200system, which had alreadybeen positioned close to thepeak the previous day, andhad spent the night at -30°Con the roof of the world. At the same time, four otherLeica GPS 200 sets were

After the initial measure-ments of the Himalayanpeaks carried out by theBritish India Survey inthe middle of the XIXcentury other measure-ments followed for Mt. Everest (1904, 1954,1975, 1992), Kanchen-junga and Dhawlagiri. Another team followedin 1998. This article is thefirst in the REPORTER todescribe the major international Mt. Everestmeasurement campaignof 1992, and theremeasuring of K2 in1996. On this 150th anni-versary, the comprehen-sive results achieved bythe original surveyorsunder George Everestand Andrew Waugh stillremain impressive.However, a completelydifferent situation sur-rounds K2, the second-highest mountain onearth: it was only in1986, some 120 yearslater, that George Wallerstein rekindled interest in the height ofK2. His claim that K2might be even higherthan Mt. Everesttriggered fascinationamong his peers, and astorm of sensationalismin the internationalpress. Subsequent remeasure-ment by Alessandro Caporali and ArditoDesio already disprovedthe claim. Reports by the research expeditiondescribed here under professor Giorgio Poretti,scientific leader of themajor Mt. Everest and K2 remeasurements,again revealed that the assumption was nolonger tenable. K2remains in the shadow of Mt. Everest.

-Stf-

When Alessandro Caporaliand Ardito Desioremeasured K2 in 1986 aglobal positioning system(WM 101) and laser distancemeters for the measurementof the base lines wereemployed for the first time.Leica TC2000 total stationswere aimed at the snowcovering of the summit ofthe mountains. The measu-rement of Caporali was performed from Concordiaat a distance of about 15 km. The ellipsoidalheight GPS turned out to be8579 metres. The geoid-ellipsoid separationdeduced from the globalgeoid was of -37 metres and therefore the geoidalheight of K2 turned out tobe 8616 metres.In 1996, a research expedi-tion led by the author setout to verify this heightusing a combination ofmodern equipment, andconcepts tried out duringthe remeasurement of Mt.Everest. The base networkfor the measurement of K2was formed by a trianglewith two points (C and E)located on bedrock and one(G) on the glacier’s moraine.To define the movements ofthe Godwin Austen Glacier,a special measuring projectwas carried out. The point Gwas linked to a point locatedat the "K2 Motel" in Skarduat a distance of about 98km. This point was later linked to a fundamentaltrigonometric point (TR) ofthe triangulation network ofPakistan located on the rockabove the Fort of Skardu.The Geological Survey ofPakistan provided the coor-dinates of the trigonometric

point from which theellipsoidal height of thepoint at the K2 Motel wascomputed at 2222.583metres. A 30 hour GPS session linked the K2 Motelto the G point at K2 BaseCamp establishing an elevation of 4934.338metres for it. The averageheight difference betweenthe Base Camp network and the summit was3656.920 metres, giving forthe summit the ellipsoidalheight of 8591.258 metres atsnow level.Taking into account thedepth of the snow of 2.22 metres and the ellipsoid-geoid separation25.23 m derived from theNASA/DMA 1996 GlobalGeoid the elevation of therock top of Mount K2 wascomputed as 8614.27 ±0.6 ma.s.l.

The K2 measurementcampaign of 1996 establishedthe second-highest mountainon earth as having a height of8614 metres above mean sealevel. Mountaineer Mario Panzeri measuring the depth of snow on the peak of Mount K2.

One of the large triangulation theodolites used in the 19th century for the first measu-rement of Mt. Everest from a distance of more than 150km.Photo: Courtesy NationalMuseum of Photography, Film &Television/SSPL.

16 17

started: two in the valley ofthe Khumbu in Nepal andtwo at the end of theRongbuk glacier in Tibet.They then assembled thetripod and oriented theprisms. When we saw thatthe red spot of the laserbeam reflected from thesummit, we realised thatour measurement had achance of success after all.The climbers remained onthe summit for two hours,until we were sure that ourtwo stations on the Nepaliside and the Chinese on thenorthern slopes hadreceived a good signal withthe distance meters.This surveying campaignintegrated all the mostmodern techniques of ourdecade:

a) Distance and angle

measurements

The summit was observedfrom three points in Nepaland three in Tibet. Withineach group of points allpossible angles anddistances were measured,yielding two trigonometricnetworks with one commontarget – the top of Everest.The geodetic network onthe Nepali side was measu-red as a base triangle (KNL)from the corners of whichthe top of Everest (E) hasbeen aimed at by the Italianteam. On the Tibetan sidethe Chinese surveyorsobserved the summit fromthe three points R, III7 andW1. Both geodetic networkshad one common targetpoint: the top of Everest.

b) GPS measurements

The GPS Leica System 200installed on the summitrecorded every 2 secondsfor 54 minutes. On theNepali side the GPSinstalled at the Kala Pattarand at the point G near thePyramid recorded at thesame 2-second time inter-val. On the Tibetan side therecordings were performed

every 15 seconds. Allsurveying data (triangula-tion/distance measurementand GPS) have been separately processed inChina and in Italy. Theresults were presented at ameeting at the beginning ofApril 1993, taking into consideration also theresults of the followingmeasurements and technologies:

c) Meteorological data

For an accurate determina-tion of the index and coefficient of refractionaffecting the measurementsof the theodolites and of thedistance meters a specialsensor was built capable ofmeasuring the temperatureand pressure of the air atthe summit and sending thisinformation to a receiverand recorder in the valley.During the measurementsperformed towards thesummit the verticaltemperature gradient wasprovided by sounding balloons launched from twopositions. Temperature,humidity and pressure wererecorded every 15 seconds.

d) Deviations of the vertical

Prof. Alessandro Caporali(Padua University)measured the deflections atfour points between Luklaand Everest Base Camp. Theastronomical coordinateswere determined with aLeica T1600 theodoliteconnected to a TimeDigitizing Unit made by theETH (Zurich, Switzerland)and the geodeticcoordinates with a GPSreceiver (Caporali 1992).

e) Doris station

There is a station of theDORIS (Doppler Orbito-graphy and Radiopositio-ning Integrated by Satellite)system to which the G pointhas been linked bysurveying.

f) Depth of snow

On the 30th September1992 two more climbersreached the summit. Theirtask was to determine thedepth of the snow. This wasaccomplished by piercingthe snow cap in several places near the tripod andreferring the measurementto the main pole of thetripod where a millimetrescale had been drawn. Thedepth of the snow wasdetermined as 2.55 metres.

g) Photogrammetry

Great importance has beengiven to the comparisonbetween ground and GPSdata by careful determina-tion of the relative positionbetween the prisms and theGPS antenna with a centi-metre accuracy. Thereforenot only a tape measure, alevel and a compass wereincluded in the GPS container and the alpinistswere trained to use them,but also the photogramme-tric method was applied.Two of the pictures taken bythe mountaineers on the

summit allowed the 3-dimensional reconstruc-tion of the summit of themountain. All data resultedin the elevation of the summit of Mt. Everestabove the WGS84 ellipsoidto be 8823.51 metres withreference to the snow surface. The depth of thesnow has been measuredas 2.55 m and should besubtracted to achieve thevalue of the elevation at theactual rock top.

The Mt.Everest elevation

From the Chinese side alevelling network wasbrought from the YellowSea to the R and III7 points.In 1974 the geoid undula-tions were also computedwith gravity observationsperformed up to 7900metres (J. Y. Chen and D. S.Gum, 1980). The amount ofthe separation betweenellipsoid and geoid wascomputed to be 25.14metres. The value of theelevation of Mt. Everestreferred to the Chinese High

Datum has been obtainedby averaging GPS andterrestrial data.

For the first time in historya GPS receiver has beenoperating on the summit ofMt. Everest giving a newdetermination of the coordinates of the summitand the value of itselevation above the WGS84ellipsoid. This survey of the century, performedsimultaneously from theTibetan and Nepalese sidesby Chinese, Italian, Nepalese and Frenchresearchers and mountai-neers was also the first todetermine the height of Mt. Everest geodeticallyusing laser distance metersand theodolites in tandem.

Giorgio PorettiUniversity of Trieste

Results for Mt. Everest from GPS and terrestrial data in

1992 measuring campaign

(in meters):Everest ellipsoidal height 8823.51 (at snow level)Ellipsoid-Geoid separation 25.14 Depth of snow -2.55Geoidal Height 8846.10 ± 0.35 m a.s.l.

The author performing measure-ments with the Leica ME5000 Mekometer.

The beacon at the peak of Mt. Everest was targeted from six sites in Tibet (left) and Nepal (right).

Right: Peak target and Leica GPS on Mt. Everest.

Leica T3000 theodolite and DI3000 distance meter in action in the Khumbu glacier valley (Nepal).

Discussing measurement results in Trieste: the author (left), Prof. Dr. Jun-Yong Chen (right).

18 19

New Leica GPS System 500

The GPS System 500 from Leica Geosystems sets new

standards for GPS measurements. Never before has a GPS

measurement system taken customers’ needs and wishes

so thoroughly into account. A single unit fits the bill for all

GPS applications. Extremely modest weight, size and

current consumption coupled with compact, robust

construction result in the utmost convenience for field use.

An easily understood, straightforward user interface for

the field system and the office software (SKI-pro) ensure

rapid, reliable results. ClearTrak™, the latest development

in receiver technology, gives the shortest possible

measurement times together with maximum

dependability, even under difficult conditions.

System 500 GPS receiver

An open, straightforwardsystem architecture pluscompliance with industrystandards ensurecompatibility with othermeasuring instruments, aswell as facilitating upgradesand easing integration forspecialised applicationssuch as photogrammetry orhydrography. Thesebenefits, coupled with anattractive price, make GPSmeasurements even moreproductive and economical!

Leica GPS System 500 –modular design for everyapplication

There is a choice of threesmall, lightweight, high-performance receivers: theSR510 single-frequencymodel, the SR520 dual-frequency model, and theSR530 dual-frequency receiver for real time applications. All the modelsare freely interchangeable.The SR510 is an entry-levelreceiver offering a low-costintroduction to GPS measu-ring. Later, as tasks growmore complex, it is alwayspossible to upgrade to theSR520 or the top-of-the-range SR530. Flexibility andmodularity make thereceivers suitable for anyapplication: post-processingand real-time, as a rover inunipole vertical pole orback-pack variants, or forstatic fixed-point measure-ment using a tripod. Thesystem can also be used for

kinematic measurementsfrom a land, water or airvehicle.

Even when fully laden with a comprehensive set ofaccessories, everythingincluding the tripod andtwo-piece (2x1m) verticalpole fits into a convenientcontainer for transportation.The new SKI-Pro GPS soft-ware has been developedaccording to the latestWindows guidelines. It isquick to learn, easily used,and includes many attractiveoptions. SKI-Pro addressesboth real-time and post-processing requirements.

High-performanceClearTrack™ technology

All System 500 receivershave Leica’s new, patentedClearTrack™ chip for rapidsatellite acquisition andexcellent tracking, even tolow elevations and in poorconditions. With newmultipath-mitigation andanti-jamming techniques,pure code measurementscan be achieved in the 30cmrange. For 1–2cm accuracyusing code and phasemeasurement, the techno-

Rapid-Static-Surveying with theSystem 500

logy provides the shortestpossible initialisation timesand even better reliability.Phase ambiguities are resolved with more than99.9% certainty in just 30seconds. 12 channels on one or two frequenciescome as standard. The receiver output rate is 5Hz(five complete measure-ments per second) withmaintained accuracy(1–2cm) and 0.05 secondsdata latency. This shortlatency is especially noticeable when taking real-time measurements.

With or without the terminal

A simple switch suffices tooperate the sensor with predefined parameters, thusdispensing with theterminal. Three LED’s indi-cate tracking, recording andbattery status. This is idealfor applications that do notrequire input, such as staticmeasurements or operationas a real-time reference station. The TR500 terminal,with its large, clear displayand full alphanumerickeyboard is recommendedfor configuration, as well asfor kinematic operation anddetail recording (input ofpoint numbers, codes,attributes, etc.) To minimiseand simplify the operationaleffort involved, the extre-mely powerful and versatileSR530 can be switchedbetween two modes usingthe TR500 terminal: standardmode for routine tasks, andan advanced mode forcustom requirements.

The real-time rover:Unipole®-variant or minipack

The actual work of real-timeGPS measurement is performed at the mobilerover station. The System500 provides various optionsfor configuring the rover station: a unipole variant ora backpack.The unipole variant fits theentire equipment includingreceiver, terminal and antenna into a 3.8kg verticalpole, without any cables toget in the way. The backpackversion consists of a hand-held, lightweight (1.6kg)pole with a GPS antennaand a terminal, plus thebackpack with GPS receiverand power supply (3.9kg).The equipment is light andcomfortable to wear, evenfor prolonged periods.Aluminium or carbon fibrepoles are available.

On-board and optionalprograms

Freely-definable ASCII out-put format makes it possibleto transfer results to otherhardware and software platforms. A suite of measu-rement-oriented programs(COGO) – such as areacalculations and many more– are standard.

The SR530 with real-timeoption provides specialapplications (RoadPlus,Quickslope, DTM). And theSR530 has ample sparepower and capacity for future additional programs.

Compatibility with Leica TPS Total Stations, DISTO™and GPS System 200/300

Accessories such as forcedcentering, camcorderbatteries and chargers canbe used for GPS as well asTPS measurements. Like theTPS1000/1100 series TotalStations, the GPS System500 uses PCMCIA SRAM or

flash-RAM cards for datastorage. GPS and TPS usethe same code lists for attribute assignment.Coordinates determinedusing GPS may be instantlytransferred to the total station or reflectorless totalstation in the field. For measuring inaccessiblepoints (COGO functions), a DISTO™ may be directlyconnected to an interface onthe GPS receiver, allowingdigital transmission ofdistance information. TheGPS System 500 iscompatible with its GPS200/300 predecessors forpost-processing as well asreal-time measurement. Forexample, a System 300acting as the reference station provides extendedfacilities for a System 500rover.

SKI-Pro Professional OfficeSoftware

The new SKI-Pro softwareprepares the GPS surveys inthe field and evaluates thedata in the office. Thisbrand-new software runs on32-bit Windows™ 95, 98 andNT platforms providingcomplete office support,data and project manage-ment, and full dataprocessing. With a fullWindows-style operatingsystem, SKI-Pro is extremelyeasy to learn and use. Components includeplanning, import, projectmanagement, coordinatesystems, least-squaresadjustment, transforma-tions, viewing and editing,reporting, code and attributemanagement, export toASCII, export to GIS/CADsystems. SKI-Pro processesall types of GPS data takenin all measuring modes andcombines real-time withpost processed results. SKI-Pro complements thenew GPS receiver and completes System 500.

Real-time kinematic with SR530

whether you need it on a pole or a backpack, in a car a boat or a

spaceship, it’s your best GPS solution. No more barriers, just

limitless operation with plug-in batteries and PCMCIA smart

cards. It’s a small step for mankind, but a giant leap forward for

surveying. Contact us at +41 71 727 31 61 (Europe) or call your

local representative.

A Small Step, A Giant Leap… Introducing the System 500 from Leica

Geosystems, the New World Standard in GPS surveying. With it,

your job just became a whole lot easier. From it’s small size and

light weight to it’s new modular design, the System 500 has been

engineered for outstanding performance, faster than ever, and at

a price you can afford. Whatever the application, or location,

Europe: Leica Geosystems AG, Heerbrugg, Switzerland, Phone +41 71 727 31 61, Fax +41 71 727 41 24USA: Phone +1 770 447 63 61, Fax +1 770 447 07 10, US+Canada: 800 367 94 53Asia: Phone +65 568 98 45, Fax +65 561 5646 – www.leica-geosystems.com

30 40 50 System 500... The Dawning of a New Age

M A D E T O M E A S U R E