11

Automatic Level, Digital Level and Optical Theodolites

Chapter Outline

 

11.1 Automatic Level

11.2 Digital Level

11.3 Micro Optical Theodolites (Micrometer Theodolite)

11.1 Automatic Level

The automatic level employs a gravity-referenced prism or mirror compensator to orient the line of sight (line of collimation) automatically. The instrument is quickly levelled when a circular spirit level is used. When the bubble has been centered (or nearly so), the compensator takes over and maintains a horizontal line of sight, even if the telescope is slightly tilted (see Fig. 11.1).

Automatic levels are extremely popular in present-day surveying operations and are available from most of the survey instrument manufacturers (Fig. 11.2). They are easy ...

Get Advanced Surveying: Total Station, GIS and Remote Sensing now with the O’Reilly learning platform.

O’Reilly members experience books, live events, courses curated by job role, and more from O’Reilly and nearly 200 top publishers.