Conducting accurate construction site surveys is not always easy. Just one misplaced excavation or an incorrect elevation can result in issues to resolve, project delays, and extra costs. Fortunately, there’s now a practical and effective solution: GPS surveying in construction, which allows you to always know where to intervene with millimetric accuracy.
In this article, we’ll simply explain how GPS on site works, what you can do with these tools, and why it makes sense to use them instead of traditional methods. We’ll also show you how to work better with ProTRACK, the professional GPS that works even offline, and how to combine it with Matterport to achieve a precise, digital, and complete 3D survey.
Why accurate surveying is essential on site
If you work on construction sites, you know how important it is to be accurate. One excavation in the wrong place or a misplaced foundation can cause problems, delays, and extra costs.
Fortunately, today there are professional tools that help you work more quickly and error-free. Among these are high-precision GNSS receivers, often used on sites, because they tell you exactly where you are and where you need to act, with precision down to a few centimeters. This way, you avoid mistakes, save time, and work safely.
This guide will explain how GPS works on site, how to use it, and why it can be useful together with other digital tools like ProTRACK and Matterport.
How GPS works in construction
The GPS on your phone is convenient for finding an address, but it’s not accurate enough for working on a site. That’s why more professional devices, called GNSS, are used. These can detect the exact position of a point on Earth with very small error margins.
With these tools, you can:
- measure the terrain before starting work,
- check that elevations are correct,
- follow the project step by step without risking errors.
What you can do with GPS on site
Using GPS allows you to:
- Survey the existing foundations to check that everything was built as planned;
- Mark excavation lines, walls, or precise points on the ground;
- Verify the height (elevation) of a point to know whether it needs to be lowered or raised.
In practice, with a professional GPS you can work better, faster, and without having to repeat measurements multiple times.
Why it’s better than traditional methods
Until a few years ago, these tasks were done using tape measures, optical levels, and a lot of manual work. Today, with GPS:
- You save time;
- You avoid errors;
- Everything is saved digitally, ready to use on your computer;
- You can work alone, without depending on other operators.
What ProTRACK is and why it’s useful
One of the simplest tools to use is called ProTRACK. It’s a construction GPS that also works without Internet connection.
Here’s all you need to do:
- Turn on ProTRACK;
- Connect it to your smartphone via Bluetooth;
- Open the app (available for Android and iOS);
- Immediately start surveying points, elevations, and lines on the ground.
With ProTRACK you can:
- Upload cadastral maps to compare with reality;
- Survey even in mountains or rural areas, where phones don’t get signal;
- Export data into files compatible with AutoCAD, BIM software, and other programs you use for your projects.
Plus, it’s waterproof and shock-resistant, making it perfect for construction site use.
If you also want to see the site in 3D: ProTRACK + Matterport
Sometimes knowing where a point is isn’t enough: you also need to see what it looks like visually. For this, you can use ProTRACK together with Matterport, a special camera that creates a 3D digital twin of the construction site.
With this combination you can:
- Measure with ProTRACK;
- Scan the environment with Matterport;
- Combine the two datasets to get a precise and realistic survey;
- Visualize everything on your computer or with a 3D viewer.
This is especially useful for Progress Reports (SAL), to communicate with clients, or to document the exact site conditions at a specific date.
Data exports are easy
Have you collected data with ProTRACK and Matterport and are wondering how to process them? No problem: just use Analist CLOUD.
Analist CLOUD is powered by Autodesk technology and allows you to easily import the data collected in the field, view them clearly, and turn them into floor plans, 3D models, sections, and much more.
It works with the most commonly used formats in the technical world, so you can relax: your surveys will be ready to be processed right away.
Conclusion
GPS surveying in construction is now an essential tool. It helps you be accurate, fast, and avoid mistakes. With ProTRACK, you can do everything on your own, directly from your smartphone. And if you also want a visual representation of the site, you can combine it with Matterport to get the most out of your survey.
If you work in construction and want to improve your site surveys, this is the simplest and most complete solution you can use today.
