Coordinate navigation app for target points, distance, direction and tolerance
Navigating to a coordinate requires CRS, coordinate order, tolerance and field positioning source, not just an arrow on screen.
Field takeaways
- Targets can be entered as lat/lon or projected coordinates.
- Check X/Y order and zone before stake-out.
- Phone GPS is for reconnaissance; RTK is for precision.
- Tolerance depends on the job.
- MapLab Survey stores target, found point, photos and notes together.
Confirm the system before you drive
A correct coordinate in the wrong system will take you confidently to the wrong place. Latitude-longitude is in degrees; UTM/TM is in metres; ED50, TUREF and WGS84 must not be treated as interchangeable. If the file note carries an EPSG code, zone or central meridian, keep it — that is the one line to check before getting in the vehicle.
The field steps
- Enter the target manually or import it from CSV.
- Check the coordinate system and the X Y order.
- Try a known control point first.
- Watch the live distance and bearing as you approach.
- Record the reached point on its own layer with a photo and note.
Distance beats a route line
Off-road, distance and bearing guidance is more useful than a road route. Walk the last metres slowly so the position settles. Near walls, trees and pylons the reading jumps while you stand still — step clear, let it settle, then return rather than chasing the number.
Stop at the tolerance
GNSS noise never holds a lasting zero on screen. Record the point you actually reached and its difference from the target. A tree-count point and a building axis do not ask for the same tolerance: metre level can be fine for scouting, engineering stake-out wants centimetre level with checks. Writing the tolerance down in advance shortens every argument in the field.
What a good record contains
The target coordinate, the reached coordinate, the difference, the position source, the date, a photo and a note. Not "we went to the point", but "which coordinate, by which method, within which tolerance".
See it in action
MapLab Survey | Professional Mobile GIS, GPS Surveying & Land Measurement App
Visit the YouTube channel ->Try these steps on your own phone.
MapLab Survey handles RTK/GNSS point capture, drawing, area and volume calculations and coordinate conversion, then exports to DXF, KML/KMZ, GeoJSON, Shapefile, GeoPackage, NCZ or CSV. Capture, calculation and export work offline. Live NTRIP corrections and online basemaps need a connection.
Frequently asked questions
What does coordinate navigation do?
It guides you to a target coordinate.
Can I navigate to UTM?
Yes, with correct zone and datum.
Is phone GPS enough?
For reconnaissance, not precision stake-out.
Can differences be recorded?
Yes.
Technical references
The field guidance in this article is aligned with the technical and official references below.
Related: Navigate to UTM coordinate · Stake-out peg · CSV coordinate list · MapLab Survey