One of the first things you need to consider when you are choosing a total station for rental or lease is your application. How will you be using it? This will help you determine which of the models is best for you. For example, if you are going to be out in the field and carrying it from one site to another, you want a device that is relatively lightweight and portable. You also want to make sure that it is capable of taking the measurements you want, storing them, and allowing you to download them later. Also consider whether you need the total station to have on board GPS.

The total station features the distance meter and theodolite, as well as a threaded base for connection to a surveyor’s tripod. Many of the different total stations on the market today actually have GPS as well. This means that they may not necessarily need to have line of sight when taking certain measurements. These are one of the best tools to have in the field, and they should be a part of every surveyor’s life.

Each of the different components on the total station work separately. The distance meter and the theodolite have sets of controls that the user can manipulate to obtain their readings. In addition to angle and distance measurement, some of the total stations can also take coordinate measurements. You will also be able to download the information gathered in the total station to a computer for use later. This is a huge advantage, as is means you will no longer be fumbling with paper while in the field.

A total station is one of the best instruments for those who are in the surveying field today. Just as their name suggests, they really are an all-in-one station that features a number of different surveying tools including electronic distance meters and a theodolite. This makes it easy to know exactly how far away different elements are, and the theodolite allows for measurement of angles on the horizontal and vertical plane. Having these two devices in a single unit is enormously beneficial.

• Surveying
• Construction
• Archeology
• Mining

• Trimble
• Topcon
• Nikon
• Carl Zeiss
• Hitli
• FOIF
• Geo-Fennel
• Leica Geosystems