Work

Google Earth Plotter

Using coordinate transformations to plot surveying data in Google Earth

Window showing surveying data plotted in Google Earth

I worked on this project at Loughborough University in .

This was my final year project for my Civil Engineering degree at Loughborough University. I created a computer program to plot surveying data measured with a total station (a digital measuring tool on a tripod) on Google Earth.

The program transformed data captured in local coordinate systems to the global coordinate system WGS84.

Window showing surveying data plotted in Google Earth
The total station was set up at each of the points marked with a triangle, and measured the circular points. The lines between points represent the order in which the data was gathered.

I wrote a dissertation and journal paper about the project. They discussed the development of the program, the accuracy of the aerial imagery used in Google Earth, and the accuracy of the Helmert transformation used by the program.