METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DEAD RECKONING AND GIS DATA COLLECTION

A surveying device includes a global positioning system (GPS) receiver unit configured to provide first positioning information signals; a dead reckoning (DR) unit configured to provide second positioning information signals; and a geographic information system (GIS) data collection unit configured (e.g., through appropriate software) to collect GIS data using the first and second positioning information signals. The GPS receiver unit may be a differential GPS receiver unit or a real time kinematic (RTK) GPS receiver unit. Examples of GPS receiver units that may be configured in accordance with the present invention include the Trimble GPS Pathfinder Pro XR unit and the Trimble Placer GPS unit. The GIS data collection software may be Trimble ASPEN or Trimble Asset Surveyor.