Geodetic Measurements by Radar

Abstract

HART¹ has referred to the potential uses of radar in geodesy and photogrammetry. The War Office has now granted permission to publish details of geodetic observations made in Italy by radar during May–June 1945. The general principle of these observations was that an aircraft, a medium bomber with an operational speed of 230 miles per hour, flew a circular arc centred upon a ground radar beacon while the distance from a second beacon was recorded at regular (1–2 sec.) intervals. The geodetic distance between the two beacons was then computed from the radius of the arc and the minimum recorded distance from the second beacon by correcting for altitude and refraction.