Tachymetry Surveying 

Is mean a tacheometric surveying), a method of determining the horizontal distance, direction, and
relative elevation of a point with respect to the instrument station by a single sighting with a
tachymeter telescope on a graduated rod.

The terms “tachymetric surveying” and “tachymetry” (or “tacheometry”) are often used
synonymously. In Soviet usage, however, the term “tachymetry” (takheometriia) is applied to the
branch of geodesy that deals with measurement methods and the organization of measurements in
the plotting of tachymetric traverses and in the carrying out of a tachymetric survey as a form of
topographic survey of an area. The stadia method of surveying used in the USA is an example of a
tachymetric method.

In tachymetric surveying, the telescope of the tachymeter is sighted on a rod located at the point
being determined, and three coordinates of the point are obtained. These coordinates are the polar
coordinates of the point—that is, its direction and its distance s—and the difference h between the
elevation of the point and the elevation of the instrument station. The coordinates may be obtained
directly, or, with some tachymeters, the coordinates may be computed from the measurement data
obtained. In the latter case, the following equations are used:
A tachymeter or tacheometer is a kind of theodolite used for rapid measurements and determines,
electronically or electro-optically, the distance to target, and is highly automated in its operations.
Such tachymeters are often used in surveying. A tachymeter scale is also used as the name of the
scale sometimes inscribed around the rim of an analog watch, useful in converting time intervals to
speed or other rates of events.

Tachymetry or tacheometry is the process of measuring distance indirectly. This can be done by

measuring time and speed in a moving vehicle or by sighting through small angle a distant scale
transverse to the line of sight.

Stadia measurements
Other forms of tacheometry in surveying include the use of stadia rods with theodolites or plane-
table alidades.[1] These use stadia marks on the instrument's reticle to measure the distance between
two points on the stadia rod (the stadia interval). This is converted to distance from the instrument to
the stadia rod by multiplying the stadia interval by the stadia interval factor. If the stadia rod is not at
the same elevation as the instrument, the value must be corrected for the angle of elevation between
the instrument and the rod.
Subtense bars

Wild brand subtense bar

Another device used in tacheometry is the subtense bar.[1] This is a rigid rod, usually of a material
insensitive to changes in temperature and humidity such as invar, that is of fixed length (typically two
metres). This bar is mounted on a tripod over the station to which the distance is desired. It is brought
to level and a small telescope on the bar allows the bar to be oriented perpendicular to the line of
sight to an angle measuring station.

At the angle measuring station, a theodolite is used to measure the angle between indicators on the
two ends of the subtense bar. The distance is determined with simple geometry to be the altitude of a
triangle with the theodolite at the upper vertex and the subtense bar length at its base.