As machine control technology advances, the use of machine control technology by construction personnel is starting to generate some questions and concerns, especially by many in the land surveying profession.  On the forefront is the question of whether machine control guidance and construction layout by construction personnel can be construed as performing land surveying?

One concern is the fact that the definition of land surveying is different for each state.  In some states construction layout falls under the definition of land surveying, but in other states it does not.  Therefore if construction layout falls under the definition of land surveying in a particular state, is the use of machine control and GPS to perform construction layout considered to be performing land surveying?

Because land surveying law and regulations differ, this is an issue that has to be settled for each individual state.  Many state land surveying societies are asking their state board of licensure to give an opinion on this matter.  However, even in the states where construction layout is regulated by land surveying law, are there any ways of enforcing the law and requiring construction companies to use land surveyors for both construction layout and data prep?

Machine control technology has brought the practice of construction surveying and data prep to the forefront to many state land surveying societies. This is a hot topic, especially in Florida

According to “Florida’s Statue, Title XXXII, Chapter 472, § 472.005 – Definitions” part of the definition of land surveying is as follows:

(b) The practice of surveying and mapping also includes, but is not limited to, photogrammetric control; the monumentation and remonumentation of property boundaries and subdivisions; the measurement of and preparation of plans showing existing improvements after construction; the layout of proposed improvements; the preparation of descriptions for use in legal instruments of conveyance of real property and property rights; the preparation of subdivision planning maps and record plats, as provided for in chapter 177; the determination of, but not the design of, grades and elevations of roads and land in connection with subdivisions or divisions of land; and the creation and perpetuation of alignments related to maps, record plats, field note records, reports, property descriptions, and plans and drawings that represent them.

Does the statement “the layout of proposed improvements” mean that only licensed land surveyors, or their employees, can layout improvements in the state of Florida?

I am from New York and New York does not regulate construction layout as it does not fall under the law of land surveying. So this has not been an issue for my business and me.But I do watch for any change in local trends.

.  If the state law indicates that land surveyors need to be involved in the construction process, and now they are being eliminated by technology, how is that going to affect ones business and more importantly how will it affect the overall good of the public?  The reason these services are regulated by the state is to ensure the welfare and protection of the public.  If eliminating the land surveyor’s involvement in construction layout detrimentally affects the general public, there is good reason to be concerned. 

As a land surveyor, I certainly don’t want to see any rights or privileges that land surveyors currently have, taken away.  But as a land surveyor that has worked for construction companies, I certainly have seen a lot of people in the construction field that are qualified to do construction layout and 3D data prep.  The machine control and layout issues are just coming to fruition in many states and it will be very interesting to see how the individual states will will play this out.

Another perspective is being voiced by the construction and data prep industries.  Why do contractors need to rely on land surveyors to do the layout when they are capable to do it themselves?  In many cases, contractors are as qualified or more qualified to do the layout than many land surveying companies.  Why should contractors have to rely on land surveyors or engineers to create their 3D models, when they can do it in house or use on a specialty data preparation service?  Their argument is that since the 3D models are based on an engineers design, they are not designing anything; they are simply putting the design into a 3 dimensional format that can be used by the machine control technology. 

3D Machine Control is here to stay. The benefits are well documented. Whatever your perspective, get involved. Lets nurture and advance the positioning industry.