GNSS Surveying in Practice

GNSS Surveying in Practice
Published independently by James R. Callahan

GNSS surveying can deliver fast, accurate, and highly useful field results - but only when the workflow is planned, checked, processed, and documented correctly.

GNSS Surveying in Practice is a practical guide for land surveyors, civil engineers, construction professionals, GNSS technicians, machine-control teams, CAD/GIS/BIM users, and project managers who need clearer guidance on RTK, PPK, Static GNSS, coordinate systems, field procedures, QA/QC, and professional deliverables.

Rather than overwhelming readers with abstract theory, this book focuses on the real decisions that determine whether GNSS data can be trusted on infrastructure and construction projects. It explains how GNSS workflows work in practice, where errors commonly enter, and how to build repeatable procedures that support reliable project outcomes.

Inside this guide, readers will learn how to:

• Understand GNSS, RTK, PPK, and Static GNSS workflows in plain professional language
• Select appropriate GNSS equipment and correction methods for different project needs
• Avoid common coordinate system, datum, geoid, and grid-to-ground mistakes
• Plan field missions with better control, checkpoints, safety, and documentation
• Set up base stations and rovers with fewer avoidable errors
• Process GNSS data, review residuals, and support network adjustment workflows
• Apply QA/QC checks, accuracy reporting, and defensible documentation practices
• Use GNSS effectively for construction, infrastructure, machine control, as-builts, and mixed-instrument projects
• Troubleshoot poor fix quality, multipath, correction dropouts, processing failures, and coordinate mismatches
• Communicate GNSS accuracy, limitations, and deliverables more clearly to engineers, contractors, clients, and project teams