2nd March 2007, 02:15 AM
whatever means you use the interpretation is the important element. Lasers cannot do this for you. There is no way to adequately record a building except to stand in there and get on with it. Non laser methods force you to stand in the building and examine it nothing can really adequately this basic part of the survey.
Now for buildings at risk and management of some structures, lasers could be incredibly useful. A laser can get an architect a set of 'as existing' plans where people cannot safely go if the machine is insured enough to be placed in the building. The last laser machine I saw was very good, but the movement of the laser at the head was quite restricted so it would have to be put up in several places to get good coverage. Once a laser has at least 270 degrees vertical movement and can spin 360 degrees then they will become very useful and we will have to seriously consider them.
Now landscape survey where the more restricted movement of the laser is not an issue would, to my eyes, seem to be the most useful function of these machines.
Now for buildings at risk and management of some structures, lasers could be incredibly useful. A laser can get an architect a set of 'as existing' plans where people cannot safely go if the machine is insured enough to be placed in the building. The last laser machine I saw was very good, but the movement of the laser at the head was quite restricted so it would have to be put up in several places to get good coverage. Once a laser has at least 270 degrees vertical movement and can spin 360 degrees then they will become very useful and we will have to seriously consider them.
Now landscape survey where the more restricted movement of the laser is not an issue would, to my eyes, seem to be the most useful function of these machines.