Q&A on the new Leica TS16: Revolutionise your workflow

What is new about the Leica TS16, what makes the investment worth it?

The new Leica TS16 is made for surveyors and engineering surveyors in the field. We know our customers face demanding challenges, tasks and projects – with the new TS16 they are adding a reliable hard worker to their instrument fleet. It comes with the engaging Leica Captivate field software that allows the user to work in an intuitive environment with absolute control over the level of detail needed for their project requirements. Paired with ATRplus for automatic target recognition under challenging environmental conditions – like rain, cold, heat shimmer, reflections, dust and many more – the TS16 can tackle any task easily. You can now add DynamicLock to be able to move and focus on your work and safety without having to stand and wait for the instrument to lock onto the target. The new AutoHeight feature which comes with every TS16 helps you save time and increase setup accuracy as well as quality assurance by the press of a button. For theft deterrence and fleet management, the TS16 can be equipped with the the LOC8 tracking system.

Which are the most typical use cases you would recommend our customers to use the new Leica TS16?

There are different use cases we cover with this all-rounder. Starting with topographic surveys for mapping purposes, stakeout, construction measurements, continuing towards site preparation and machine guidance for heavy construction projects and even using the instrument for temporary monitoring purposes. The options are endless; it is more a question of what the user needs – the TS16 always delivers.

We’ve been reading a lot about the TS16 being the “world’s first self-learning total station”. Could you tell us more about the “self-learning” part?

Leica TS16, with its built-in intelligence, can automatically and continuously adapt to any site. Regardless of line of sight disturbances or challenging environmental conditions, it delivers highly accurate and reliable data. So by “self-learning”, we are referring to the instruments ability to adapt and “learn” all about its surroundings, helping you keep your focus on your work and personal safety while delivering perfect results for your clients.

You have mentioned the new TS16 comes with DynamicLock. Would you mind explaining this feature a bit more in detail?

The DynamicLock feature has so far been available only for the MS60 and since last March also for the TS60. We have added it to the TS16 as an option to take its ability to lock to moving prisms even better. What it does is, it saves a fundamental problem every surveyor faces at a site: having to stand and wait until the instrument re-locks to the prism. With the new ability, the instrument can detect and then follow the prism, making life on site so much easier. The surveyor can focus on his project tasks and personal safety – especially on busy construction sites – and continue working without interruptions, always knowing that his instrument will lock to the prism and follow the prism. For further information, you can watch a short animation that explains the feature in detail:

Many surveyors face the issue of getting their instruments stolen. Does the new Leica TS16 come with an answer to this problem?

We have a very efficient theft deterrence and location solution, called LOC8. It can be added as an option to the TS16. Apart from the benefits in terms of tracking and managing your fleet, LOC8 serves as a theft deterrence solution. The latter has already been proven with many successful stolen instrument recoveries across the globe. LOC8 can precisely position your instrument both indoors and outdoors – you can even lock it remotely with a click of a button on your mobile device or computer. As an additional security measure, multiple Geo Fences can be set up around the office and job site, always knowing that your instruments are safe and secure.

The new TS16 comes with AutoHeight. Can you please explain this in more detail?

Measuring the instrument height needs to be regularly done for instrument setups. Previously, measurement tapes have been used to measure the instrument height, and they got manually typed into the field software. Besides the additional equipment which is needed, these height measurements have been quite error-prone – during the measurement itself but also when manually typing it into the instrument. Now, with the AutoHeight functionality, the instrument height gets measured by the press of a button – quick, error-free and without any additional equipment.

There is an interesting fact we should address – it seems that Leica Geosystems managed to update the entire range of automated total stations within 2020.

Indeed, we have brought out new versions of our five automated total stations, including Leica Nova MS60, Leica Nova TS60, Leica Nova TM60, Leica TS16 and Leica TS13. This way, our entire range has been renewed and made to fit our customers’ needs even better. Our innovations are always derived from our users’ problems, created to solve them in the most accurate, efficient, ergonomic, thoroughly pleasant way. We are incredibly proud and grateful to our team for the spirit they have shown when tackling these colossal projects.

To learn more about Leica TS16, please visit: leica-geosystems.com/TS16