GNSS mobile base station and data collector with electronic leveling and hands-free data collection

A method for producing a GNSS data collection system, the method comprising:

• (a) providing a GNSS receiver configured for being disposed at the top of a range pole, the GNSS receiver configured to generate three-dimensional location data for the GNSS receiver;
• (b) providing a plurality of inclination sensors in operative engagement with the GNSS receiver, the inclination sensors configured to generate inclination data for the range pole along mutually orthogonal x and y axes;
• (c) providing a hand-held data collector computer including a display;
• (d) configuring a data collection module, implemented by the data collector computer, to generate a data collection graphical user interface (GUI) visible on the display;
• (e) communicably coupling the data collector computer to the GNSS receiver and configuring the data collector to receive from the GNSS receiver, the three-dimensional location data and the inclination data for the range pole in real-time;
• (f) configuring a virtual level component, implemented by the data collector computer, to use the inclination data to display on the GUI real-time tilt information for the range pole in the form of a virtual bubble level indicator;
• (g) configuring the virtual level component to use the inclination data along with the height of the range pole to calculate and display with the GUI, a horizontal distance and direction to move the top of the range pole to level the GNSS receiver, wherein the horizontal distance is calculated using the formula:
• incline=sqrt(xtilt*xtilt+ytilt*ytilt)
• where,
• xtilt=the inclination data for the range pole along the x axis,
• ytilt=the inclination data for the range pole along the y axis, and
• horizontaldistancefromlevel=rh*sin(incline)
• where,
• rh=the height of the range pole;
• (h) configuring the data collection module to automatically capture the location data as the system is moved along a site, when the pole is oriented within a predetermined level tolerance of the horizontal distance from level, the captured location data corresponding to a plurality of three-dimensional points;
• and
• (i) further configuring the data collection module to store at least a portion of the captured location data, wherein the portion of the captured location data corresponds to points captured at predetermined minimum intervals of distance (distance interval) and time (time interval) relative to one another.