The problem with using electronic distance measuring equipment (EDM) lies not in the equipment but in ourselves. We certifiers are supposed to review the work of others. This requires us to have a decent understanding of the equipment used in the measurement. In the not-too-distant past the only EDM available was Total Station, a theodolite (surveyor’s transit) device which incorporated the electronics required to shoot a laser beam to a distant target reflector, receive back the reflected signal, and calculate the distance to the reflector. It incorporated an “optical plummet” in some cases, to eliminate the need for a plumb bob, used to center the instrument over the ground point.
I have little knowledge of the modern, cheap EDM rigs. I am not qualified to judge the quality of measurements produced by such instruments, thus cannot act as a certifier for those people who may choose to use them. I suspect I am not alone in this.
Steel tapes may not be high-tech, but they are understood by all of us certifiers. That’s why they are the standard we use.
Considering that I can lay out a calibration course in about a half hour with a steel tape, I can’t see that our adherence to steel-taping is causing anyone serious inconvenience.