Royal Australian Survey Corps - Technology and Techniques

Technology and Techniques

RA Svy had the enviable reputation of leading innovation, development and implementation of many generations of state of the art technology and techniques across all areas of surveying and mapping. Significant examples of these include:

• 1910–1915 – established the standard for the Australian Military Map Series, based on United Kingdom Ordnance Survey maps
• 1914 – commenced triangulation as the basis for topographic mapping by the method of plane tabling
• 1923–1927 – used Royal Australian Air Force, No 1 Squadron, air photography to complement ground survey
• 1930 – graphical methods of perspective rectification of air photography to produce the Albury, New South Wales, 1 mile to 1 inch map, identified the disparity between the Victoria and New South Wales state survey triangulation networks
• 1933 – adopted Sydney Observatory as the geodetic datum for the eastern states, the Clarke 1858 spheroid of reference and a British modified map grid based on the Transverse Mercator map projection with Australian zones
• 1934 – first baseline measurement by the method of temperature cooefficent of electrical resistance of invar measuring tapes near Millicent, South Australia (development by Professor Grant of University of Adelaide was acknowledged as world class science and development)
• 1934 – commencement of a survey triangulation program to connect the eastern states
• 1936 – adopted the 'Arundel' method of slotted templates for overlapping strip air photography for mapping, first map Sale, Victoria, 1 mile to 1 inch map
• World War II – many innovative adaptions of conventional survey and mapping methods to rapid response support to military operations
• 1952 – mapping by multi-projector(anaglyph)stereoplotting from overlapping air photography
• 1953 – large format cartographic camera
• 1956 – changed to metric scale mapping, largely as part of standardisation with allies in the South East Asia Treaty Organisation and adoption of an improved Australian spheroid of reference for mapping, first map Mildura 1:50,000
• 1956 – cartographic scribing of map detail replaced fair drawing with ink, first map Mildura 1:50,000
• 1957 – helicopter transport of survey parties revolutionised transport in remote areas
• 1957 – electromagnetic distance measurement systems changed survey methods from triangulation to traverse
• 1960 – adoption of the '165 Spheroid'
• early-1960s – manual hill-shading, analytic stereocomparitor for air photography, block aerotriangulation by digital computer, presensitised lithographic printing plates, radar airborne profile recorder (WREMAPS I), vehicle mounted ground elevation meter, airborne electromagnetic distance measurement system (MRC2) for surveys over long distances by trilateration to replace traverse, optical/mechanical photogrammetric air photography plotters
• 1966 – the Corps' Australian and Territory of Papua New Guina surveys were integrated with other agency surveys into a national geodetic network which was published as the Australian Geodetic Datum 1966 and Australian National Spheroid with map coordinates on the Australian Map Grid (Transverse Mercator) projection. This was used for surveying and mapping until 1994.
• 1970 – digital coordinatograph plotter for grids, graticules and base compilation sheets with aerial triangulated model control
• 1971 – super wide angle air survey cameras (WILD RC10)
• 1972 – second generation airborne electromagnetic distance measurement system (MRB3)
• 1972–1973 – orthophotomap production
• 1974 – portable satellite (US Navy Navigation Satellites) receivers (AN/PRR-14) and computing system to replace airborne electromagnetic distance measurement equipment, airborne laser terrain profile recorder (WREMAPS II)
• 1975 – computerised cartography and mapping system (AUTOMAP 1), first map published 1978 (Yampi Training Area, 1:50,000)
• 1978 – new cartographic specifications (SYMBAS Symbolisation All Scales) for map and air chart production by digital cartographic methods
• 1982 – 'Bundle' analytic adjustment to augment 'polynomial strip' adjustment of large area block air photography
• 1984 – second generation computerised cartography and mapping system (AUTOMAP 2)as a precursor to collection of digital geographic information and creation of geographic information systems in support of military operations
• 1986–1988 – global positioning system (TI4100) and helicopter and vehicle mounted inertial positioning system (FILS3)to replace AN/PRR-14
• 1988–1992 – adopted the World Geodetic System 1984 (WGS84)as the reference framework and spheroid, which is the geodetic system of the Global Positioning System, for all military geospatial products. In 1994 the Australian Government adopted the Geodetic Datum Australia 1994 which for practical purposes is coincident with the World Geodetic System 1984 (WGS84). The associated map grids remain based on the Transverse Mercator projection.
• 1990–1992 – participation with military allies, Canada, United Kingdom and United States, in research and development of digital geospatial product standards to produce the Digital Chart of the World (DCW)and associated standards which became the baseline for international exchange of digital geospatial information