Overview
ISO 9849:2017 - Optics and optical instruments - Geodetic and surveying instruments - Vocabulary is an international vocabulary standard that defines terms used for terrestrial geodetic and surveying field instruments and their essential components. This third edition (2017) replaces the 2000 edition and is intended to promote a standardized terminology for devices such as electro‑optical distance meters (EDM), levels, theodolites, GNSS receivers, terrestrial laser scanners (TLS) and related parts.
Key points:
- Focuses on geodetic field instruments and essential parts used in ordnance, topographic, plane and engineering surveys.
- Excludes fields such as photogrammetry, astronomy, hydrographic survey and industrial metrology.
- Accessories not necessary for instrument functioning are not covered.
- Terms are arranged in English alphabetical order; there are no normative references.
Key Topics
The standard provides clear definitions and sub‑terms for instrument types and components, for example:
- Distance measurement: electro‑optical distance meters (EDM), phase‑shift distance meter, pulsed/time‑of‑flight meters, hand‑held laser distance meters.
- Angular and leveling instruments: theodolite (transit), tachymeter, levels (automatic, digital, tilting) and levelling staff variants (digital, invar).
- Positioning and GNSS: Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), GNSS receiver, differential GNSS (DGNSS/DGPS), real‑time kinematic (RTK).
- Laser and scanning systems: terrestrial laser scanner (TLS), rotating/rotary laser, laser tracker, alignment laser, laser plummet.
- Optical components & accessories: telescope, alidade, horizontal/vertical circles, optical plummet, reflectors and retroreflectors, targets and centring devices.
- Structure: scope, normative references (none), terms and definitions (types and parts), bibliography and index.
Applications
ISO 9849:2017 is a practical reference for:
- Creating consistent terminology in standards, technical specifications and product documentation.
- Writing user manuals, training materials and procurement documents for surveying instruments.
- Supporting interoperability and clearer communication between manufacturers, surveyors and standards bodies.
- Assisting quality, calibration and testing labs to describe instruments and components unambiguously.
Who uses this standard
- Surveyors, geodetic engineers and field technicians
- Instrument manufacturers and OEM technical writers
- Standards developers, procurement teams and regulatory bodies
- GIS professionals, educators and calibration laboratories
Related information
ISO 9849:2017 is part of ISO’s body of standards for optics and geodetic instruments and references ISO/IEC terminological resources (ISO Online Browsing Platform, IEC Electropedia) for standardized definitions and usage.