Carlson CRT Robotic Total Station with Android and Fast360

Carlson CRT High Precision Robotic Total Station

The Carlson CRT is a professional robotic total station developed for surveyors, construction crews and engineers who need accurate measurements combined with fast automated prism handling. Available in 0.5″ and 1″ angular accuracy versions, the CRT is designed for demanding setting out, control, topographic survey and as-built work where both precision and field speed matter.

Unlike a conventional manual total station, the CRT can automatically search for and centre on a prism. This allows the surveyor to work at the prism pole while the instrument follows the target, reducing the need to repeatedly return to the total station. For construction crews this can make repetitive stakeout work more practical, while surveyors can collect points efficiently with a one-person field setup.

Fast TDrive Robotic Motor

The CRT uses Carlson’s TDrive motor system with a maximum rotation speed of 180° per second. In practice, this allows the instrument to turn rapidly when moving between targets or following a prism around a jobsite. The drive system is designed for smooth and quiet robotic movement, helping the total station respond quickly as the operator changes position.

Fast motorisation becomes especially useful during stakeout, road and infrastructure work, site surveys and projects where many individual points need to be measured. Instead of manually rotating the telescope for every observation, the robotic system takes care of much of the instrument movement.

Automatic Prism Centring and Fast360 Search

The CRT combines automatic prism centring with Fast360 target search. Automatic centring helps the telescope accurately align itself with the prism after the target is located. If the prism is temporarily lost because a vehicle, person or site object interrupts the line of sight, the robotic search system helps the instrument find the target again.

This makes the CRT particularly useful on active construction sites, where maintaining an uninterrupted line of sight is not always possible. The system also reduces the amount of manual telescope aiming required during normal fieldwork.

High Accuracy Prism Measurements

For precision work with a prism, the Carlson CRT provides a measurement range of up to 6000 metres and specified distance accuracy of 1 mm + 1 ppm. The combination of precise angular measurement and high-quality EDM makes the CRT suitable for survey control, structural layout, engineering surveys and other applications where small positioning errors can affect the final result.

The instrument is offered in both 0.5″ and 1″ angular versions. The appropriate model depends on the tolerances of the work being carried out. Survey control and specialised engineering work may benefit from the 0.5″ option, while the 1″ model remains suitable for a broad range of professional survey and construction tasks.

Measure Up to 1000 Metres Without a Prism

The CRT can also measure reflectorless distances of up to 1000 metres under suitable conditions. Reflectorless measurement is useful when placing a prism directly on the required point is difficult, unsafe or simply inefficient.

Typical examples include building façades, overhead structures, inaccessible corners, roofs, stockpiles, walls and objects across restricted areas. Surveyors can point the telescope at the required surface and collect the distance without physically reaching it. This can reduce setup time and provides another measurement method alongside normal prism work.

Android Total Station with Dual Touchscreens

The Carlson CRT runs on Android and has two 6-inch colour touchscreens. This provides a familiar interface for field crews who already work with Android survey controllers and allows the instrument to be operated directly without always requiring a separate data collector.

The onboard Carlson Layout software supports total station fieldwork directly on the CRT. Measurements and project information can therefore be handled at the instrument when that is the most practical setup. The CRT also includes 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of internal storage for its operating environment and field applications.

Built In Camera and Guide Light

An onboard camera adds visual information to the robotic workflow and can help the operator understand what the telescope is pointing toward without always looking through the eyepiece. The electronic guide light provides an additional visual reference for the person carrying the prism.

During construction stakeout, the guide light helps the prism operator move toward the instrument’s line of sight. This makes it easier to position the pole before the final coordinate guidance is used to reach the required point.

Remote One Person Surveying

The CRT can be operated remotely using a compatible external controller and Carlson field software. Long-range Bluetooth provides communication between the instrument and controller, allowing the surveyor to carry the controller at the prism pole and send commands back to the total station.

This configuration is well suited to one-person surveying. The operator can move between survey points, trigger measurements, perform stakeout routines and manage project data without having a second person permanently stationed behind the total station. Current Carlson configuration guidance uses SurvPC 7.12 or later for remote CRT operation.

Combine Total Station and RTK GNSS Work

The Carlson CRT can also form part of a combined total station and GNSS workflow. Carlson’s One-Pole configuration is designed so Layout or SurvPC can work with both the robotic total station and a compatible GNSS receiver within the same project.

This is useful because GNSS and total stations solve different field problems. RTK GNSS is efficient in open areas with good satellite visibility, while the CRT can continue providing precise measurements close to buildings, beneath structures or in other places where GNSS performance may be limited. A combined workflow allows the field crew to select the measurement method that best suits each point.

For surveyors and construction teams already using RTK GNSS, this can also simplify mixed projects such as site control, road construction, utilities, foundation layout and as-built verification. Drone and mapping teams can use precise total station observations when establishing or checking ground control where required.

Practical Data Transfer in the Field

The Android platform supports several ways of moving project data. Files can be transferred using USB, cable connection, Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, making it easier to move survey information between the instrument, controller and office computer.

This flexibility is useful for crews working across different projects and software environments because data does not have to depend on a single transfer method. Integrated wireless connectivity also supports the remote field workflow used with Carlson software.

Designed for Real Survey and Construction Environments

The CRT has an IP65 environmental protection rating and is specified to operate from -20°C to +50°C. A dual-axis compensator helps correct small instrument levelling errors in the horizontal and vertical angle readings, while the laser plummet assists with positioning the instrument accurately over a known survey point.

Each battery provides a specified operating time of approximately six hours depending on use and display settings, and the system uses interchangeable rechargeable Li-ion batteries. This makes it possible to continue working by changing batteries rather than stopping the complete survey setup for charging.

Typical Carlson CRT Applications

The combination of high angular accuracy, precise EDM measurement and robotic prism handling makes the CRT suitable for a wide range of professional measurement tasks.

• Construction layout and stakeout
• Topographic and detail surveying
• Survey control and traversing
• Road and infrastructure construction
• Engineering and structural measurement
• As-built surveys and position checks
• Ground control for mapping and related survey projects

Choosing the Right Carlson CRT Setup

The most suitable CRT configuration depends on the required angular accuracy, field software, controller and whether the instrument will mainly be operated onboard or as a remote robotic system. A crew focused on very tight engineering tolerances may have different requirements from a contractor primarily carrying out everyday construction layout.

Global GPS Systems can help configure the Carlson CRT around the way your crew actually works, including the correct controller, prism, pole, tripod, field software and compatible GNSS equipment. This makes it easier to build a complete measurement system for surveying, construction and mixed GNSS and total station workflows.