Suitable device/system/technology for recording and downloading locations (lat/long) of trees etc on our property

Forums › GPS, maps and mapping software › Suitable device/system/technology for recording and downloading locations (lat/long) of trees etc on our property

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larknz

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#2594171 30-Oct-2020 21:58

If you go to the LINZ website they have a number of options for downloading aerial photos with geo location information. We use the autocad version all of the time.

larknz

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#2594172 30-Oct-2020 22:01

Where I the country are you? Canterbury Maps also provides aerial photos with easting and northing co-ordinates

MikeAqua

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#2596774 3-Nov-2020 09:05

I would personally do this in QGIS. It's free with many free base-maps and tonnes of support info on the web. I use this program a lot for fishing data.

Any half decent GPS app will log waypoints for each tree. Output these to a csv file and import into QGIS as a layer (simplification).

You could also create a polygon of your property, with waypoints as corners.

It may even be possible to get a shape-file from somewhere

Mike

kotuku4

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#2596796 3-Nov-2020 09:24

Not sure if you want to map residential or rural property. There are farm and forestry systems out there that may suit your need.

For mapping, geographic information systems (GIS) we use NZTM 2000 projection, replaced nz map grid.

You can use an app such as NZmaps and store data in NZTM or degrees lat/long, or WGS84. Storing waypoints or routes. You would need record the vegetation data separately to tag to waypoints. With a phone with GPS and Glonass you should achieve positions within +/-3 metres, in good conditions.

You could use a council or other GIS online image/map and work from that.

LINZ data service provides data from around the country, including images, Lidar contours, seabed, maps, marine charts, property boundaries (Parcels) and much more. If you have GIS or cad software. I have looked at Grass GIS and cheap CAD such as CMS Intellicad with add ons for home use. Quite a steep learning curve. I bought Intellicad, not happy with an add on for handling shapefiles and geotiff images/DEM surfaces from LINZ Data, still working on that. Need reload Grass GIS and test it some more.

GPS is great in open environments, useful satellites from quite low above the horizon. Definitely not recommended for accurate positioning under tree canopy, in steep terrain, city canyons, etc

For survey grade GNSS we leave the gear in the 4WD at densely vegetated sites, unless we can get the receiver above the canopy with a 5m pole, or have suitable clearings. Our receivers provide real time positions +/-10mm horizontal, and +/-15 vertical. When we lose corrections 1-3 metres, and under canopy positions nothing to +/- 5m.

LINZ also provide Position NZ service for post-processed or real time corrections, providing you have suitable equipment and software. Real time position corrections reliant on cell data coverage. For engineering survey we prefer to use a fixed base receiver and rover receiver UHF radio linked to achieve best accuracy, and tie to known ground control points.

Surveyors joke, what does GIS stand for… … Get it Surveyed! As sometimes boundaries, and other data represented is scanned from dubious sources, and can be metres from actual positions. Use with caution.

PeDa

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#2596801 3-Nov-2020 09:33

larknz: Where I the country are you? Canterbury Maps also provides aerial photos with easting and northing co-ordinates

Kapiti. I am familiar with Koordinates and LINZ.

The wider goal of this is to have as part of a website and I will probably do that with Drupal and Leaflet which are both known to me and hence avoids another learning curve (and also provides the ecommerce and registration for events etc that are also on the list for the heritage plants we have)

PeDa

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#2596804 3-Nov-2020 09:37

@kotuku4 The terrain is open and flat. and testing with the phoned def. gets me within 3 metres and i can 'tweak' on screen to get the lat/long better defined.

@MikeAqua QGIS is something I am aware of but not yet dipped toe in to yet. Some GIS courses during my Geog degree a few decades ago means I am familiar with the concepts that were around then, and while I am sure much has changed, layers and polygons etc probably do not.

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MikeAqua

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#2596813 3-Nov-2020 09:55

PeDa:

@MikeAqua QGIS is something I am aware of but not yet dipped toe in to yet. Some GIS courses during my Geog degree a few decades ago means I am familiar with the concepts that were around then, and while I am sure much has changed, layers and polygons etc probably do not.

I had zero experience with QGIS when I started using it - and I'm a fecking idiot 🤣. Despite those obstacles I have self taught via trial and error and reading web forums etc.

I've been able to create a layer based on council owned bathymetry data in the Marlborough Sounds. Also added a structure layer for jetties, moorings and marine farms.

Currently I'm making time series layers of catch v effort x gear set up.

What you are talking about is very, very easy. You will have it done in less than a hour.

Edit: And of course with a GIS you can add all sorts of data fields - species, date of planting whatever.

Mike

tchart

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#2596937 3-Nov-2020 11:02

Nothing wrong with QGIS but I suggested ArcGIS Online as this is web based, simple to use and doesnt cost anything.

There are many alternatives but most dont have the mobile data capture side of things unless youre going for generic data co-ordinate capture.

BTW LINZ and council data is available in ArcGIS Online (most councils use Esri BTW) - heres a quick map showing the LINZ imagery and also the LINZ primary parcels https://arcg.is/fqHCS0

larknz

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#2596942 3-Nov-2020 11:12

As you are Kapiti you could go to the KCDC GIS. This has an aerial photo as a background and provides easting and northing coordinates

tchart

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#2596948 3-Nov-2020 11:22

larknz: As you are Kapiti you could go to the KCDC GIS. This has an aerial photo as a background and provides easting and northing coordinates

KCDCs data is available on ArcGIS Online; https://www.arcgis.com/home/search.html?q=owner%3A%22KapitiCoastDistrictCouncil%22&t=content&restrict=false

larknz

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#2596950 3-Nov-2020 11:28

I use this link for the KCDC GIS. It provides a display showing easting and northing

https://publicgis.kcdc.govt.nz/LocalMaps/Viewer/?map=627d29f22676457ca22bc92c19a095cc

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MikeAqua

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#2596954 3-Nov-2020 11:33

tchart:

There are many alternatives but most dont have the mobile data capture side of things unless youre going for generic data co-ordinate capture.

With QGIS there are companion apps. You can set up a form in QGIS and use the same form on your mobile, capture position data enter attributes, add a photo. Later you upload to QGIS.

Mike

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