Workshop on DGPS

 In the ever-evolving field of Civil Engineering, precision has become the heartbeat of every successful project. Whether it’s constructing a bridge, aligning a road, or mapping a large terrain, the demand for accurate spatial data has never been greater. To highlight the importance of modern positioning technologies, on 15th October 2025, our department in association with ACE and BAI student chapters of FISAT hosted an expert talk on “Precision in Positioning: DGPS Applications in Civil Engineering,” delivered by Mr.C Pramod, resource person from Survey Zone, a distinguished organisation that has been contributing to the fields of surveying, material testing, scientific instrumentation, hydro-metrology, and vocational training. Mr. Pramod was accompanied by his team including Mr. Amal V (Application Engineer) and Mr. Mohith Jose (Sales Manager). Survey Zone Headquartered in Eranakulam, with branches in Coimbatore and Bengaluru represents globally renowned brands such as Topcon, Comnav, Nikon, Leica, and Olympus, and is widely recognised for its commitment to precision, innovation, and excellence in technical education and applied research.

The session began with an introduction to the Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS) a satellite-based technology designed to overcome the limitations of traditional GPS.The resource person explained how standard GPS, though widely used, can have positional errors up to several meters due to atmospheric disturbances, satellite clock errors, and signal delays. Such inaccuracies are unacceptable in engineering works that demand centimeter-level precision.DGPS bridges this gap by using a fixed base station and a mobile rover receiver. The base station, located at a precisely known point, calculates the error in GPS signals and transmits correction data to the rover. This correction drastically improves positional accuracy from several meters to as close as 2–5 centimetres.

Mr. Pramod elaborated on how DGPS is reshaping traditional surveying practices and shared several real-world applications, including Topographic and Land Surveys,Infrastructure Layout and Construction Control,Road and Highway Projects etc.He emphasised several key advantages of DGPS for modern engineers like High positional accuracy up to centimetre level, Real-time data correction and reliability,Time and manpower efficiency,Integration with modern tools like GIS, CAD, and BIM. He also pointed out the disadvantages of DGPS such as the main limitation to be used inside a building due to the blockage of receivers from getting satellite signals.

The highlight of the session was a live DGPS demonstration, where participants witnessed the setup of a base station and rover unit, and observed how corrections are transmitted and applied in real-time. The demonstration helped students understand how field measurements are translated into precise geospatial coordinates, bridging the gap between classroom learning and practical application.

The session concluded with a discussion on how adopting technologies like DGPS can significantly enhance the quality, safety, and sustainability of civil engineering projects. The resource person encouraged budding engineers to gain hands-on exposure to modern surveying tools, as precision in data collection directly influences the success of design, construction, and maintenance phases.The talk was both informative and inspiring, offering students a deep insight into the future of geospatial technology. It emphasized that in the age of digital infrastructure, precision is not optional but it’s essential.As civil engineering continues to embrace automation, smart mapping, and digital modeling, DGPS will remain a cornerstone technology for accurate, efficient, and sustainable infrastructure development.

Finally the session winded up with a group photo and a student activity. A quiz on DGPS survey was floated as google form. For the first student who scored maximum marks in short time was awarded with a gift. Somya Goswami of S3 CE B was the prize winner.

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Abhiya Abbas Mundol, AP, CE