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Digital Mapper — years ago! Since then, the USGS has published an update to the
NMAS in 1999, as well as going into more detail by publishing
the LiDAR Base Specification (2021) and the 3DEP Program
Technology Column defining LiDAR quality levels for topographic mapping (2021).
Other groups such as the American Society of Remote Sensing
(ASPRS) published their accuracy standards in 2014. And the
Prepared by Michael Detwiler, PLS Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) has published
Geospatial Standards that
were developed alongside
the ASPRS. As surveyors
who collect and process
this data, are we all aware
of these standards? Do
we follow these standards
to ensure our clients are
getting what they pay for
by hiring a professionally
licensed individual or firm?
If the state you survey
in is using a standard
that is 25 years old, are
you approaching your
professional organization
or state board to help
update guidelines?

As we add new equipment
to the surveyors toolbelt,
there is the software issue
as well. There are many
software packages that
claim overnight and/or
automated processing.
Magic button tools that
supposedly do all the work
for us. Who can wait days
or weeks when you can
Professional land surveyors have long benefitted in the have a deliverable in 24 hours!? Under the responsible charge of
advancement of technology. Survey instruments have come a professional land surveyor, are we trusting this data? Do we
a long way from the Gunter’s chain to EDM, to robotic totals verify the results through proper QA/QC procedures to ensure
stations, GPS, scanners, drones and so on. Technology can our final product is worthy as a professional deliverable?
advance much quicker than our practical know-how. Learning on
the fly or trial by fire is often times the only way to keep up! This Advances is technology confront us in nearly every aspect of our
can be true of our professional standards and statutes as well. lives. It is no secret that land surveyor is an ageing demographic.
Hopefully we can continue to successfully adopt these new
As fast as technology accelerates, we all know bureaucracy technologies to not only keep us employed, but to help breathe
lags behind. Now that photogrammetry and is readily available some new life into the profession. And maybe these fancy
to surveyors, through the use of drones, how many licensed gadgets will help attract the next generation of surveyors.
professionals (or unlicensed for that matter) know how to
produce a deliverable that meets generally accepted standards,
or state statues/codes for that matter? I myself have seen
topographic maps compiled from drone imagery with contours
running over the tops of trees and construction equipment. I’ve
seen topographic maps with vertical values derived from the
ellipsoid instead of orthometic elevations, with the provider
not even knowing there was a difference. I’ve seen digital
terrain models missing a significant amount of break lines,
all but negating critical topographic features. Does your state
regulations cover these technologies and the people using them?
I provide this excerpt from the Nevada Administrative Code:

NAC 625.666 - Positional certainty: Horizontal and vertical
components of certain land surveys states that the Nation Map
Accuracy Standards (NMAS) are to be used as a guideline.

However, as stated in item 3, it describes the NMAS standard
as it existed when published on November 14, 1997. That’s 25

The Nevada Traverse Vol.49, No.1, 2022 17