What Is Land Surveying?
Definition, disciplines, and why it matters.
Land surveying is the science and legal practice of measuring and mapping the Earth's surface to define property boundaries, document terrain, and support infrastructure development.
Disciplines
- Boundary surveying: Establishing property lines under state law
- Topographic surveying: Mapping elevation and features
- Construction staking: Translating design to the field
- Geodetic surveying: Large-scale measurements and reference frames
- ALTA/NSPS: Title surveys for commercial real estate
Methods & Technology
- GNSS/GPS & RTK for high-precision positioning
- Total stations & robotic instruments
- UAV/drone photogrammetry and LiDAR
- GIS/CAD data management and least squares adjustment
Why It Matters
Surveying protects property rights, enables safe construction, informs environmental planning, and provides the spatial foundation for modern society.
Continue to the full pathway: How to Become a Land Surveyor.
Deep Guide: Legal Principles & Evidence
- Hierarchy of evidence: record, monument, occupation, intent.
- Riparian vs littoral rights; accretion, erosion, avulsion.
- Subdivision platting, easements, and right-of-way law.
- Survey reports: defensible narratives and QC workflows.