This course will cover a detailed investigation of three contemporary terrestrial surveying instruments and their use. The course will commence with precise digital levelling (bar code) instruments covering design, accuracy, error sources, precise levelling techniques, errors and calibration. The theory will be supported with a practical exercise. Secondly electronic theodolites will be analysed including, circle reading, level sensors, centring systems, constrained centring, precise horizontal and zenith angle measurement, observation procedures and elimination of errors. Sources, testing and elimination of all errors in electronic theodolites will be investigated and supported with a large field exercise and some minor exercises. Finally, principles and applications of EDM, phase and pulse measurement techniques, wave propagation in atmosphere, measurement of atmospheric parameters, coefficient of refraction, velocity corrections, geometric reductions, reductions of distances to the spheroid and analysis of errors will be presented. At the conclusion of this course students gain an understanding of the impact specific field techniques and instrumentation have on the attainable precision when conducting terrestrial surveys.