A geodetic surveying instrument, configured to move a measurement light beam into a desired measurement direction in space, in particular a theodolite, total-station or laser-scanner, comprising ▪ at least one movement axis (2,3) which is motorized for providing a positioning of the measurement direction of the geodetic surveying instrument, ▪ an instrument-encoder at the movement axis (2,3) configured for deriving the measurement direction as a measurement value of the geodetic surveying instrument, and ▪ a transmission link of the movement axis (2,3) of the geodetic surveying instrument to a motor axis of a stepper motor, wherein the transmission link is configured with a gear reduction (11,14) and a slipping clutch arrangement, and characterized in that the stepper motor comprises a rotational motor-encoder on its motor-axis and is driven by a motor controller that provides a field oriented control of phase currents of the stepper motor, which field orientation is derived based on the rotational motor-encoder, wherein the field oriented control is a cascaded controller comprising: ▪ a field oriented current controller for driving the phase currents of the stepper motor based on current sensors for the phase currents and on the motor-encoder, that is cascaded under a control input from ▪ a speed loop controller based on the instrument-encoder of the movement axis (2,3), that is cascaded under a control input from ▪ a position loop controller based on the instrument-encoder of the movement axis (2,3), which position loop controller is provided with a desired trajectory of movement from a geodetic measurement controller of the geodetic surveying instrument. ▪ at least one movement axis (2,3) which is motorized for providing a positioning of the measurement direction of the geodetic surveying instrument, ▪ an instrument-encoder at the movement axis (2,3) configured for deriving the measurement direction as a measurement value of the geodetic surveying instrument, and ▪ a transmission link of the movement axis (2,3) of the geodetic surveying instrument to a motor axis of a stepper motor, the stepper motor comprises a rotational motor-encoder on its motor-axis and is driven by a motor controller that provides a field oriented control of phase currents of the stepper motor, which field orientation is derived based on the rotational motor-encoder, wherein the field oriented control is a cascaded controller comprising: ▪ a field oriented current controller for driving the phase currents of the stepper motor based on current sensors for the phase currents and on the motor-encoder, that is cascaded under a control input from ▪ a speed loop controller based on the instrument-encoder of the movement axis (2,3), that is cascaded under a control input from ▪ a position loop controller based on the instrument-encoder of the movement axis (2,3), which position loop controller is provided with a desired trajectory of movement from a geodetic measurement controller of the geodetic surveying instrument. ▪ a field oriented current controller for driving the phase currents of the stepper motor based on current sensors for the phase currents and on the motor-encoder, that is cascaded under a control input from ▪ a speed loop controller based on the instrument-encoder of the movement axis (2,3), that is cascaded under a control input from ▪ a position loop controller based on the instrument-encoder of the movement axis (2,3), which position loop controller is provided with a desired trajectory of movement from a geodetic measurement controller of the geodetic surveying instrument.