From measuring land with chains and tapes to collecting digital survey coordinates using satellites, surveying technology has changed how professionals work.

Sundar Techno Solutions, Bengaluru, offers rugged Android tablets for compatible surveying applications and external RTK GNSS receivers—helping field teams view maps, record points and manage survey data where the work happens.

Recently, a customer visited our STS office, installed their surveying application, connected their external receiver through Bluetooth and confirmed that their software worked with our Android 13 rugged tablet before purchasing it.

A practical demonstration. A real surveying application. STS hardware supporting the customer’s workflow.

WHAT IS RTK?

RTK stands for Real-Time Kinematic.

It is a precision satellite-positioning technique that combines GNSS satellite observations with reference-station correction data. By using precise carrier-phase measurements, a suitable RTK system can achieve centimetre-level positioning under appropriate operating conditions.

This is different from simply opening a map on an ordinary GPS-enabled phone.

Accurate RTK surveying requires suitable equipment, reliable corrections, proper setup and a valid positioning solution. Satellite visibility, obstructions, reference coordinates and survey procedures all affect the result.

WHAT IS GNSS? IS IT THE SAME AS GPS?

GNSS means Global Navigation Satellite System. GPS is one satellite navigation system within the wider satellite-positioning ecosystem.

Survey receivers may support several constellations:

• GPS — United States

• GLONASS — Russia

• Galileo — European Union

• BeiDou — China

• NavIC — India’s regional navigation system

• QZSS — Japan’s regional satellite system

Support depends on the receiver’s hardware, firmware and supported signal frequencies. An app displaying a constellation name does not automatically mean that every connected receiver supports it.

HOW DO SATELLITES COMMUNICATE WITH THE RECEIVER?

Navigation satellites broadcast radio signals carrying precise timing and orbital information.

The GNSS receiver receives signals from multiple satellites and uses those measurements to calculate its position. For normal satellite positioning, the receiver does not need to send a reply back to the satellites.

The communication paths have different jobs:

• Satellites provide navigation signals to the receiver.

• The base station provides correction data to the rover.

• Bluetooth connects the nearby rover receiver and tablet.

• The tablet runs the surveying application and presents the information to the operator.

WHY ARE TWO RTK RECEIVERS USED?

In a local base-and-rover arrangement:

1. BASE RECEIVER

One receiver stays at a fixed reference location. Its coordinates must be established correctly for accurate absolute positioning.

2. ROVER RECEIVER

The second receiver moves with the surveyor, usually mounted on a surveying pole.

3. CORRECTION LINK

The base sends observations or correction data to the rover through a compatible radio link.

4. SURVEY COLLECTION

The rover combines its satellite measurements with the correction information. The surveyor uses the tablet application to collect and manage points.

The radio carries correction data; it is not directly measuring the distance between the two receivers.

Radio range depends on the equipment, antenna arrangement, terrain, interference and operating conditions. A long-distance radio claim should always be checked for the particular receiver configuration.

CAN RTK WORK WITHOUT YOUR OWN LOCAL BASE?

Yes, where a compatible correction service is available.

Network RTK can use corrections from a CORS network—Continuously Operating Reference Stations—delivered through an internet connection. Depending on the system, mobile connectivity may be provided by the receiver or the field controller.

A local radio-based base-and-rover setup can operate without mobile internet for its correction link. Online maps, cloud uploads and other app features may still require internet access.

RTK SURVEYING VERSUS TRADITIONAL CHAIN-AND-TAPE SURVEYING

Traditional chain surveying measures distances physically and establishes positions through measured lines, offsets and geometric construction. It remains useful for simple measurements and smaller jobs.

For suitable larger outdoor projects, RTK offers several practical advantages:

Faster point collection

Survey teams can collect many positions without repeatedly laying out a chain or tape between each point.

Digital coordinates

Record positions directly within a selected coordinate system, with suitable project settings and control.

Less manual transcription

Compatible software can store point identifiers, descriptions and coordinates digitally, reducing repeated copying from field notes.

Easier mapping

Collected points can support plans, parcel outlines, terrain models and other deliverables, depending on the software.

Stakeout assistance

A compatible application can guide the surveyor towards a planned coordinate.

Efficient repeat visits

Teams can revisit recorded positions using the same properly established survey reference.

Height information

GNSS provides height measurements, although engineering elevations require the correct reference system, geoid model and checks.

RTK is especially useful where there is a clear view of the sky. Dense tree cover, buildings, tunnels and reflected signals can limit performance. Survey professionals select the method that suits the site and required accuracy.

WHERE DO LASERS AND TOTAL STATIONS FIT IN?

Modern surveying often combines several instruments.

• Total stations measure angles and distances to determine point positions.

• Laser distance meters help measure distances and, on suitable models, indirect heights or offsets.

• Laser scanners collect dense 3D measurements of surfaces.

• Levelling instruments support elevation and level-transfer work.

A slope alone does not mean RTK cannot be used. Optical or laser equipment may be selected for inaccessible points, obstructed satellite reception, structural measurements or particular accuracy requirements.

RTK, total stations and laser instruments can complement each other within a well-planned survey.

WHAT TYPES OF SURVEYING CAN USE THESE WORKFLOWS?

With the appropriate receiver, instruments and software:

• Topographic and contour surveys

• Land parcel and boundary measurement

• Construction layout and stakeout

• Road and corridor surveys

• Pipeline and utility-route surveys

• Agricultural field mapping

• Solar project site surveys

• Quarry and stockpile measurements

• GIS asset mapping

• As-built documentation

• Drainage and irrigation surveys

• Drone ground-control and checkpoint surveys

Different tasks require different methods and checks. The tablet acts as the digital field interface within the selected workflow.

HOW DOES BLUETOOTH CONNECT THE TABLET AND RTK RECEIVER?

The surveyor pairs the compatible receiver with the STS tablet and selects it within the surveying application.

Depending on the receiver and app, the Bluetooth connection can carry:

• Position information

• Satellite and solution status

• Receiver configuration commands

• Survey-related messages and measurements

The tablet then displays the map and survey information and allows the operator to record points.

Bluetooth is the nearby tablet-to-receiver connection. The longer-distance base-to-rover correction link uses the receiver’s radio or an internet-based service.

Compatibility depends on the application, receiver protocol and supported Bluetooth connection—not just the presence of Bluetooth on both devices.

WHY USE A RUGGED TABLET FOR SURVEYING?

Fieldwork involves bright sunlight, dust, transport, repeated handling and changing weather.

An 8-inch display gives surveyors room to inspect maps, point lists and settings while remaining portable. A brighter screen helps outdoor visibility, and a reinforced enclosure helps protect the equipment during field handling.

STS RUGGED TABLET — FEATURED CONFIGURATION

8″ touchscreen display

A practical size for maps, survey points and field forms.

700-nit high-brightness display

Designed to support sunlight-readable outdoor operation; visibility also depends on glare and viewing conditions.

Android 13

For compatible Android surveying and field-data applications.

Bluetooth connectivity

For communication with compatible external RTK GNSS receivers.

IP68 protection

Dust protection and water-immersion resistance within the manufacturer’s specified conditions, with covers and seals correctly secured.

Rugged, drop-resistant construction

Reinforced design for demanding handling, within the specified drop-test conditions.

Hand strap

Convenient handling while moving around the survey site.

For projects specifying military-grade ruggedness, ask STS for the applicable MIL-STD-810 documentation and test conditions for the selected model. Drop height, RAM, storage, battery capacity and connectivity options should be confirmed against the final configuration.

The external RTK receiver and correction system provide precision positioning. The STS tablet provides the application platform, display and operator interface.

WHY SUNDAR TECHNO SOLUTIONS?

• Bengaluru-based industrial and rugged computing supplier.

• Customer application and hardware compatibility evaluation.

• Practical product selection based on the working environment.

• Support for customers integrating their own software and equipment.

• Bengaluru-based after-sales support.

• Supply enquiries from survey companies, equipment integrators, engineering firms and field-service teams.

Our recent customer demonstration shows the value of testing the actual application and receiver with the proposed tablet before deployment.

PAN-INDIA SUPPLY ENQUIRIES

We welcome requirements from Bengaluru, Mysuru, Mangaluru, Chennai, Coimbatore, Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada, Pune, Mumbai, Nashik, Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat, Jaipur, Delhi NCR, Gurugram, Noida, Chandigarh, Lucknow, Indore, Bhopal, Nagpur, Raipur, Bhubaneswar, Kolkata, Patna, Ranchi, Guwahati and other locations across India.

DISCUSS YOUR SURVEYING TABLET REQUIREMENT

SUNDAR TECHNO SOLUTIONS — STS

Bengaluru, Karnataka, India

WhatsApp / Mobile: +91 94820 81014

[sales@sundartechno.com](mailto:sales@sundartechno.com)

https://sundartechno.com

Share your surveying app name, receiver model, quantity and required tablet configuration with our team.

Rugged tablet for surveying, 8-inch Android rugged tablet, Android 13 survey tablet, 700-nit sunlight-readable tablet, IP68 rugged tablet India, RTK GNSS field controller, Bluetooth surveying tablet, land survey data collector, GIS field tablet, topographic survey tablet, construction surveying tablet, external GNSS receiver connectivity, rugged tablet Bengaluru.

#SundarTechnoSolutions #STS #RuggedTablet #AndroidTablet #SurveyingTablet #RTK #GNSS #RTKSurveying #LandSurveying #SurveyEquipment #SurveyingTechnology #GIS #TopographicSurvey #ConstructionSurvey #FieldDataCollection #SunlightReadable #IP68 #Bluetooth #PrecisionPositioning #Bengaluru #SurveyingIndia