Unique Leica Digital Level LS15: “Unavoidable” productivity gains with image-based aiming and automated measuring

How do aiming and focussing work with the LS15?

With the LS15, looking through the telescope is obsolete. Just aim and measure. Aiming is done easily by aligning the staff and the crosshairs within the camera view on the display. By the push of a button, the instrument focuses and measures automatically.

What are the benefits of the LS15's digital camera and autofocus?

There are three main benefits, which I would like to point out:

1. Increased productivity
2. Better quality of measurement data
3. Further comfort and safety in the field

Can you tell us, which productivity gains can be achieved with the LS15?

The extra investment into the LS15 pays for itself. With it, as opposed to other levels, you don’t lose time finding, aiming and focussing, which shaves off valuable seconds on every single measurement. These small time savings result into practical productivity increases of up to 40 per cent, depending on the length of the line that has to be measured. Measurement jobs are done not only faster but also more reliably. Users can better concentrate on their main task: achieving highest accuracy levelling results.

Which effects do the digital camera and autofocus have on quality?

Humans make mistakes. Through automation, the autofocus function eliminates this human factor in the measurement process and makes the whole operation less error-prone. In this way, repetitions of a levelling line and costly site revisits are avoided.

Why is comfort an issue and how does the LS15 improve comfort?

Comfort increases productivity and safety significantly. Imagine the task of measuring a level run more than 10 kilometres, day after day, using a conventional level. First of all, carrying levelling equipment over long distances in sometimes rough terrain is already no easy feat. Add to that frequently looking through the telescope over a day thatis very straining, and not only on the eyes. With the LS15, users do not have to look through the telescope any more. Instead, they can see everything on a high quality display, which is much more convenient and less fatiguing.

Repeatedly looking through the telescope over a whole workday can be very straining.

Lastly, everybody with some practical levelling experience knows instrument setups are often not comfortable. In order to look through the telescope, it is frequently necessary to bend or kneel down. With the LS15, difficult setups are no longer a problem. The user sees everything he needs to see displayed on the screen. He can operate the instrument in a relaxed upright posture while the instrument does the job.

Will this additional automation become standard in digital levelling?

Yes, this trend is already evident in some markets.

According to Alexander Georg, sales manager for Surveying Ground solutions at Leica Geosystems in Germany, the LS15 is a great success:

"Since the launch of the newest generation of our digital levels – Leica LS10 and LS15 – the vast majority of our customers have chosen the LS15 with its unique imaging technology. It is obvious why: The small extra charge for the LS15 pays for more than itself. The digital imaging technology is unique. With its camera view allowing for easy aiming and the autofocus function speeding up measurements, the LS15 facilitates significant time savings."

Falko Henning
Product Manager Digital Levels
Leica Geosystems AG, Heerbrugg, Switzerland