| Future
of Surveying
Where it is going
What has changed
The technical limitations of the past
no longer apply. Both measurement and computation are easy, perhaps
trivial in terms of skills.
Modern surveyors are well educated.
They enter the profession with a degree, and frequently a double
degree, masters or Phd.
Whilst infrastructure development and
land release continue, neither are the dominant drivers they
formally were.
The future
Areas of increasing importance are
the creation and management of spatial data, and the application of
that data. Interestingly, geodesy which played a key role is the
past remains important because of the increased application of
satellite systems such as GPS.
The modern surveyor is confronted
with the introduction of new a powerful technology including
scanning technology, both terrestrial and airborne, satellites that
produce high-resolution images, and increasing numbers of satellites
dedicated to positioning on earth. Surveyors must quickly come to
terms with each new technology’s potential if they are to employ
them effectively.
Increasingly government is
recognising the economic importance of the spatial industry in which
surveyors work, its potential to expand locally and to produce
export opportunities.
Surveyors of the future will more
likely be employed in the private sector than government. They will
work in teams with other professionals. They will also find it
easier to diversify their careers because the basic spatial concepts
they learn at university and in their careers have wide application.
In short, the future is bright. Those
wishing to follow the traditional field-surveying path still can.
However there now many more opportunities.
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