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 which is motorized for providing a positioning of the measurement direction of the geodetic surveying instrument , ▪ an instrument-encoder at the movement axis configured for deriving the measurement direction as a measurement value of the geodetic surveying instrument , and ▪ a transmission link of the movement axis of the geodetic surveying instrument to a motor axis of a stepper motor , wherein the transmission link is configured with a gear reduction 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 , that is cascaded under a control input from ▪ a position loop controller based on the instrument-encoder of the movement axis , 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 which is motorized for providing a positioning of the measurement direction of the geodetic surveying instrument , ▪ an instrument-encoder at the movement axis configured for deriving the measurement direction as a measurement value of the geodetic surveying instrument , and ▪ a transmission link of the movement axis 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 , that is cascaded under a control input from ▪ a position loop controller based on the instrument-encoder of the movement axis , 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 , that is cascaded under a control input from ▪ a position loop controller based on the instrument-encoder of the movement axis , which position loop controller is provided with a desired trajectory of movement from a geodetic measurement controller of the geodetic surveying instrument . <EOS>