They protect both the client and the provider of positioning services, and facilitate communication between them. In 1993, ACSM asked an ad hoc committee to look into accuracy standards for modern three-dimensional geodetic networks. Recently, the FGCS has circulated a draft proposal for new accuracy standards. In an effort to help disseminate the information, and to highlight the role of GPS in realizing modern accuracy standards, this article addresses some of the fundamental concepts incorporated into that draft.
Standards are independent of the measurement equipment and the methodology.
Standards should have a long life, that is, they should not be rewritten merely because new technology becomes available. Rather, standards should be derived from the objectives of the geodetic network in terms of fulfilling the needs of professionals and the society. Thus, standards may require revision as the uses of geodetic networks change. Specifications, on the other hand, contain the rules as to how the standards can be met, that is, specifications are the recipe. As new technology becomes available, the specifications may require modifications or additions.