Method and system for measuring angles based on 360 degree images

A method of determining an orientation of a measurement device, the method comprising:

• orienting the measurement device at a first position;
• acquiring a first 360° panoramic image from the first position using an imaging device, the first 360° panoramic image including a plurality of object points;
• estimating an azimuth associated with the measurement device at the first position;
• determining three-dimensional coordinates of the measurement device at the first position using a location measurement device;
• repositioning the measurement device to a second position different from the first position;
• acquiring a second 360° panoramic image from the second position using the measurement device, the second 360° panoramic image including the plurality of object points;
• determining three-dimensional coordinates of the measurement device at the second position using the measurement device;
• identifying the plurality of object points in the first 360° panoramic image and in the second 360° panoramic image using a processor;
• and
• determining the orientation of the measurement device at the second position using the processor, the orientation determined based on the three-dimensional coordinates of the measurement device at the first position and the three-dimensional coordinates of the measurement device at the second position.