Land Surveying: Must Have Apps

 This list is apps I use almost on a daily basis. I hope you enjoy this list as all of these apps have worked great for me and I know they will for you to.

VOXER

 

Will the android/ iphone app Voxer replace two way radios in surveying. In short I believe so, Voxer is a app in the play store and app store that will turn your smartphone into a walkie talkie. Anywhere you have service it will work. I use this app religiously to keep up with co-workers at our many offices, to communicate with my supervisor, and to keep track of my crew. For example this app comes in handy while running a total station or when two crews are on the same job but miles apart. There are countless use for this app in the survey industry. So give the app a try. what do you got to lose after all it is free.

TINY SCAN

 

Tiny scan is another app available on the play store and app store. It turns your ordinary smartphone into a powerful scanner.This app has countless uses in the survey industry. For example, when I go outta town I hate carrying loads of equipment, it just takes up more room in my work truck. But with this app I can leave that bulky scanner behind. To use the app simply tap on tiny scan and take a picture of your field notes for example. The app will convert that picture into a PDF scan and then you can just email it out directly from the app. That easy, its so easy a 2 year old can use it.

 

GOOGLE MAPS

 

Google maps is one of my all time favorite apps for use in surveying. Not only can you navigate with it but you can compare aerials between the maps you've been given and the hybrid aerial on the phone. It's extremely useful when trying to figure out which part of a creek or wooded area your in.

PDF CONNECT

 

PDF connect is awesome because it lets you download any email attachment and sign it with your finger. For example my company sends out weekly safety topics that require us to sign them and send them back and instead of printing and rescanning the form, I simply grab it from my email put my name on it the simply endorse it with my finger then I just email it out directly from the app. It literally takes 2 minutes to complete and send. The only downfall with this app is as far as I know it's only on the iphone.

COMPASS

The compass that comes with your smartphone is also a very useful tool in surveying. Everyone should always know where north is on every job that they arrive on. This app also comes in handy when trying to teach anyone to stake to a point with the GPS. I always teach new hires one thing, every job we go on know where north is. This is very crucial in surveying.

Now that I've given you some of the apps I use, what are some of the apps that you use to make your job easier or more efficient? Leave them in the comments below and lets help each other put together the best apps list for the survey industry!!!