Introducing the new Leica GS11 I and GS11 T GNSS Antenna

You need to measure the manhole, but a car is parked over it. There’s a downpipe in the way at the building corner, and the boundary post is on the far side of a ditch. You can see the point perfectly well. You just can’t get the pole on it.

So out come the tape and the offsets, a sketch in the notebook, and sometimes a note that says “come back for this one”.

Leica launched the new GS11 I and GS11 T GNSS smart antennas at InterGeo to make jobs like these quicker and more accurate. Both give you fast, tilt-compensated GNSS surveying. The GS11 I also adds cameras, a laser and AR stakeout, so you can measure the points you can’t reach and check your work before you leave site.

What is the Leica GS11 I and GS11 T GNSS Antenna?

The Leica GS11 is a GNSS smart antenna that brings trusted Leica positioning and visual surveying together. Dual cameras, an integrated laser, tilt compensation and augmented reality (AR) stakeout guidance help you measure hard-to-reach points, stake out faster and check your work before you leave site, and it all runs in Leica X-PAD field software.

It’s part of the new Leica X-PAD portfolio, a set of instruments, software and connected services designed for everyday topo surveys, stakeout and as-builts.

The everyday problems the GS11 solves

1. Points you can't physically reach

Traditional GNSS surveying has always meant putting the pole tip on the point. When a car, a wall or a hazard is in the way, you're left working around it.

With the GS11, the dual cameras capture images as you survey, and you can measure additional points straight from those images. The integrated laser extends that further, so you can measure points where placing the pole simply isn't practical. Fewer offsets, fewer workarounds and fewer return visits.

2. Stakeout with your head down

Anyone who has staked out a busy site knows the routine: eyes on the controller, reading deltas, looking up, stepping, looking down again. It works, but it's slow and it's easy to lose your bearings.

The GS11's AR stakeout guidance overlays the stakeout information onto the live camera view of the site. You see where the point is in relation to what's actually in front of you, so you can walk straight to it with far more confidence.

3. Levelling the bubble

Tilt compensation means you can take measurements without levelling the pole. That's a small saving on each point and a big one across a full day, especially on uneven ground or when you're working close to walls and obstructions.

4. Missed points

Few things hurt a job's margin like realising back in the office that a point is missing. The GS11 lets you review your work against the live site view and captured images before you pack up, so you can confirm the job is complete while you're still standing on it.

Those images also give you a visual record of the site to take back to the office, which helps when you're checking, drawing up or answering a client's question weeks later.

5. A flat battery halfway through the job

The GS11 has dual hot-swappable batteries, so you can change one without powering down. No restart, no reconnecting, no lost time.

GS11 I or GS11 T: which one is right for you?

The GS11 comes in two models:

• Leica GS11 I gives you the full package: dual cameras, visual surveying, image-based measurement, AR stakeout guidance, the integrated laser and tilt compensation.

• Leica GS11 T gives you tilt compensation for fast, efficient GNSS surveying without the imaging features.

As a rough guide, the GS11 I suits teams doing a lot of stakeout, topo work in built-up areas, or as-builts where a photo record is valuable. The GS11 T suits surveyors working on more open sites who want quick, tilt-compensated GNSS and don't need imaging. If you're not sure, give us a call and we'll talk it through with you.

Works in Leica X-PAD

The GS11 works with Leica X-PAD, a map-centric field software with a CAD-style environment for 2D and 3D work. You can view survey information across map, 2D, 3D and live site views, including drawings, surfaces and BIM data.

If you already use Leica X-PAD the workflows you know stay the same, and the GS11 adds visual survey, visual stakeout, real-time measurement review and image-based reporting on top.

A complete workflow from field to office

The GS11 is one part of the setup. We can help you put together the whole workflow:

• In the field: Leica GS11 running Leica X-PAD.

• Corrections: ProNet provides RTK, PPP and DGPS corrections supporting GPS, GLONASS, Galileo and BeiDou.

• In the office: n4ce for survey processing, CAD editing, DTM creation, volumes, sections and 3D visualisation.

To pre-order or ask a question, call Doug at Pro Geo Survey on 01342 458461 or email enquiries@progeosurvey.co.uk.

Read more: Leica GS11 T and GS11 I