surveying Software?

Question

Hi,
Im in the process of building a campground, Im trying to plot my land and need software to help. I am looking for something easy to use, Ive got 40 acres that I want to divide with roads and small sites. Any help would really be helpful.
Dan

Answer 1

This sounds like a perfect candidate for google earth. Using google eath you can obtain an ariel photo, they take a copy of your boundry survey and walk the property with both marking on the survey the aproximate height changes (a detailed survey would be best).

Google is now providing a free 3D modeling program very well suited to landscaping and architecture. It's called Sketchup and is available free in the Google tools. It is meant to be used in Google earth as well..... Have fun, I use sketchup all the time and love it, it is the easiest 3D modeler I have seen and has great free tutorials as well.

Answer 2

If you are not going to be doing any surveying, which is what I infer from your question, then you want a CAD program.

Surveying programs are helpful if you are processing data from field surveys, i.e. angles and distances, control points and side shots etc.

Try Cadopia. I think they have an affordable version of CAD which produces .dwg format drawings that can be also used by Autocad. So once you have your design, you can give it to an engineer or surveyor if you have to. You will not be able to create surfaces and will probably only be able to work in plan view. You can create profiles if you know the contours, but they will have to also be in 2D. You can have 3D lines and such, but that is not easy to use.