Evaluation of the Credibility of Reflectorless Distance Measurement

Reflectorless distance measurement provides the ability to easily make quick measurements saving time and labor for surveyors. The precision and accuracy of these types of measurements are under discussion because of the variety of parameters that can affect these measurements that are not well-understood. This paper attempts to answer some of the questions that have arisen about the credibility of reflectorless distance measurements ranging up to 50 m. An experiment was carried out using 26 different materials as the reflecting surface (these materials were also of differing colors). Additionally, the experiment used three different angles of incidence of the incoming electromagnetic energy with three different types of reflectorless total stations over a variety of ranges. A further experiment was conducted with an additional total station using 11 different materials at different ranges. To properly evaluate the results, a special supporting base was manufactured for holding the reflecting surface to ensure accuracy in the evaluation. The results are presented in tables and the conclusions that are derived indicate that further investigation is needed, especially at longer distances, as the parameters that influence reflectorless distance measurement in those situations are many more, and more important than at short ranges.