Distance Measurement

The distance measurement tool calculates the distance between two points on your site. Select two captured markers or map locations and get the horizontal distance, bearing, and elevation difference — with precision that depends on whether the points were captured with phone GPS or an RTK receiver.

Taking a Distance Measurement

To measure the distance between two points:

1. Open the site detail map for the site you are working on
2. Tap the Measure button to enter distance measurement mode
3. Tap the first point — either an existing captured marker or a location on the map
4. Tap the second point — another marker or map location
5. The measurement result appears in a panel at the bottom of the screen

A line is drawn between the two points on the map, with the distance and bearing displayed alongside.

Measurement Results

Each distance measurement provides three values:

ℹ️ Did you know?

The horizontal distance is calculated using the geodesic (curved earth) formula, which accounts for the earth's curvature. For typical construction site distances (under a few kilometres), this is equivalent to the plan distance you would see on a survey drawing.

Using Captured Points

For the most accurate results, measure between points you have already captured — especially RTK-captured points. Tap an existing marker on the map to select it as one end of the measurement.

When you select captured markers:

• The measurement uses the precise stored coordinates (not an approximation from tapping the screen)
• The elevation difference uses the recorded altitude from the GPS or RTK receiver
• The result inherits the accuracy of the underlying points — RTK Fixed points give centimetre-level distance accuracy

💡 Tip

For precise distance checks — such as verifying the distance between survey pegs — capture both points with your RTK receiver first, then measure between the saved markers. This gives you a distance accurate to a few centimetres.

Tapping Map Locations

You can also measure by tapping directly on the map without using saved points. This is useful for quick approximate measurements — such as estimating the width of an excavation or the length of a stockpile.

When tapping the map:

• The coordinates are derived from the map position you tap, not from a GPS reading
• The accuracy depends on the zoom level and how precisely you tap
• Elevation data may not be available (depending on the map data)

This approach is less precise than measuring between captured markers but is fast and convenient for rough estimates.

Accuracy Considerations

The accuracy of a distance measurement depends entirely on the accuracy of the two endpoints:

⚠️ Watch out!

Be aware of the accuracy limitations when interpreting distance results. A distance measured between two phone GPS points has a combined uncertainty of up to 20 metres. For any measurement that matters — contractual distances, setting out checks, boundary verification — use RTK-captured points.

Viewing and Saving Results

After a measurement is taken, the results panel shows the distance, bearing, and elevation difference. You can:

• View the line on the map — the measurement line remains displayed with its label
• Save the measurement — store it as a record that syncs to the web app and appears in the site's measurement list

Saved distance measurements are available for review in the SiteView web app alongside other measurement types. They contribute to the complete spatial record of your site work.

Practical Uses

• Peg-to-peg checks — verify the distance between survey pegs matches the design layout
• Setback measurements — check the distance from a structure to a boundary or reference line
• Stockpile dimensions — estimate the length and width of material stockpiles
• Pipe and cable runs — measure the approximate distance along a service route
• Access road lengths — measure distances along a site access road for planning

Comparison with Web App

The SiteView web app offers a more comprehensive Distance & Bearing tool that supports multi-segment polylines, 3D slope distances, gradient calculations, and elevation from processed DEMs. The mobile distance tool is designed for quick two-point measurements in the field.

For detailed multi-segment measurements, complex distance analysis, and DEM-based elevation profiling, use the web app.

What's Next?

• Point Capture — capture GPS points to use as measurement endpoints
• RTK Capture — capture centimetre-accuracy points for precise distance measurements
• Offline Mode — measurements are stored locally and sync when connected