Will AI Replace Surveyors?

Direct or conduct surveys to establish legal boundaries for properties, based on legal deeds and titles.

Complex problem-solving, strategic leadership, or high-empathy task requiring human judgment.

Prepare and maintain sketches, maps, reports, and legal descriptions of surveys to describe, certify, and assume liability for work performed.

Complex problem-solving, strategic leadership, or high-empathy task requiring human judgment.

Write descriptions of property boundary surveys for use in deeds, leases, or other legal documents.

Semi-structured task combining routine and non-routine responsibilities.

Verify the accuracy of survey data, including measurements and calculations conducted at survey sites.

Semi-structured task combining routine and non-routine responsibilities.

Search legal records, survey records, and land titles to obtain information about property boundaries in areas to be surveyed.

Routine cognitive or manual task with high vulnerability to automation.

Record the results of surveys, including the shape, contour, location, elevation, and dimensions of land or land features.

Routine cognitive or manual task with high vulnerability to automation.

Prepare, or supervise preparation of, all data, charts, plots, maps, records, and documents related to surveys.

Semi-structured task combining routine and non-routine responsibilities.

Compute geodetic measurements and interpret survey data to determine positions, shapes, and elevations of geomorphic and topographic features.

Semi-structured task combining routine and non-routine responsibilities.

Calculate heights, depths, relative positions, property lines, and other characteristics of terrain.

Semi-structured task combining routine and non-routine responsibilities.

Plan and conduct ground surveys designed to establish baselines, elevations, and other geodetic measurements.

Complex problem-solving, strategic leadership, or high-empathy task requiring human judgment.

Establish fixed points for use in making maps, using geodetic and engineering instruments.

Complex problem-solving, strategic leadership, or high-empathy task requiring human judgment.

Determine longitudes and latitudes of important features and boundaries in survey areas, using theodolites, transits, levels, and satellite-based global positioning systems (GPS).

Semi-structured task combining routine and non-routine responsibilities.

Train assistants and helpers, and direct their work in such activities as performing surveys or drafting maps.

Complex problem-solving, strategic leadership, or high-empathy task requiring human judgment.

Coordinate findings with the work of engineering and architectural personnel, clients, and others concerned with projects.

Complex problem-solving, strategic leadership, or high-empathy task requiring human judgment.

Analyze survey objectives and specifications to prepare survey proposals or to direct others in survey proposal preparation.

Complex problem-solving, strategic leadership, or high-empathy task requiring human judgment.

Testify as an expert witness in court cases on land survey issues, such as property boundaries.

Semi-structured task combining routine and non-routine responsibilities.

Adjust surveying instruments to maintain their accuracy.

Semi-structured task combining routine and non-routine responsibilities.

Develop criteria for survey methods and procedures.

Complex problem-solving, strategic leadership, or high-empathy task requiring human judgment.

Survey bodies of water to determine navigable channels and to secure data for construction of breakwaters, piers, and other marine structures.

Semi-structured task combining routine and non-routine responsibilities.

Direct aerial surveys of specified geographical areas.

Complex problem-solving, strategic leadership, or high-empathy task requiring human judgment.

Conduct research in surveying and mapping methods, using knowledge of photogrammetric map compilation and electronic data processing.

Semi-structured task combining routine and non-routine responsibilities.

Locate and mark sites selected for geophysical prospecting activities, such as efforts to locate petroleum or other mineral products.

Semi-structured task combining routine and non-routine responsibilities.

Determine specifications for equipment to be used for aerial photography, as well as altitudes from which to photograph terrain.

Semi-structured task combining routine and non-routine responsibilities.

Develop criteria for the design and modification of survey instruments.

Complex problem-solving, strategic leadership, or high-empathy task requiring human judgment.