What is an Occupation Point?

In the context of MDT, occupation points represent the instrument setups (total station) from which point observations or other stations are initiated.

An occupation point is technically defined by the following elements:

• Base Name: The physical station where the instrument is placed.

• I. Height: The vertical measurement from the base to the telescope axis of the instrument.

• Horizontal Correction: Also called disorientation, necessary to orient the instrument with respect to the coordinate system.

• Angular Corrections: Values calculated automatically by the program to compensate for horizontal and vertical precision errors of the instrument (normally through direct and inverse circle observations).

• Point Information: Each occupation point acts as a container for the topographic points observed from that specific setup.

It is important to note that a single station can have multiple occupation points. This frequently occurs if the instrument is set up again in a different session, if the instrument height changes, or if the points taken are not consecutive with respect to the previous setup. Each occupation point is uniquely identified by the combination of the station name and its I. Height.