As per Intent Market Research, the Robotic Total Stations (RTS) Market was valued at USD 648.7 million in 2023-e and will surpass USD 988.3 million by 2030; growing at a CAGR of 6.2% during 2024 – 2030. The growth of this market is attributed to the factors such as growth of the construction industry, use of advanced data analysis software, and increased focus on 3D modeling & scanning across industries such as mining, and transportation.

Robotic total stations can be used for forensic mapping such as to collect crash scene evidence, thereby offering new growth opportunities to the market stakeholders. The expected challenge to market growth during the forecast period stems from a shortage of skilled workers and the availability of alternative surveying instruments.

Construction Industry is Driving the Robotic Total Stations Market Growth

Globally, there is a rising investment trend in the construction industry, with substantial funds directed towards projects such as smart cities, highways, and airports. These areas witness significant investments from both government and private entities. Countries such as China and India have disclosed their plans to build over 500 and 100 smart cities respectively. Consequently, India's plan to invest over USD 12 billion in constructing 72 new airports by 2025, particularly in green-field projects, is significantly influencing the construction industry growth.

In 2022, Europe’s total investment in construction touched at USD 1,457.4 billion, as per the European Construction Industry Federation (FIEC), up by 2% compared to 2021. The growing investment in the construction sector is driving the demand for the robotic total station for land surveying, construction layout, and monitoring deformation.

Key Findings of the Robotic Total Stations Market Study

Hardware Segment Expected to Grow With a Significant CAGR from 2024 To 2030

Based on the solution, the robotic total stations market is segmented into hardware and software. In 2023, the hardware segment has recorded a significant share of the market. During the forecast period, the same segment is expected to register a significant CAGR, pertaining to the higher accuracy offered by the RTS.

Electronic distance measurement, theodolite, robotic control unit, motorized drives are some of the important hardware assembled in RTS. The growing adoption of RTS across different industries have promoted the demand for RTS thereby, driving the share of hardware segment.

Source: Intent Market Research Analysis

High Demand for Higher Angular Accuracy RTS to Boost Market Growth

The high accuracy of RTS is expected to minimize downtime, unexpected costs and delays that may affect the project timeline. In February 2020, Leica Geosystems announced its new RTS named as Leica Nova TS60. It is considered as the most accurate, incorporating DynamicLock and AutoHeight features.

Higher angular accuracy allows RTS to capture fine details in angles, ensuring that survey measurements are more precise and reliable. Surveyors can achieve high-resolution surveys with greater detail and accuracy in the angular measurements.

Players Developing Higher Prism Ranges for Distinct Applications

Robotic total stations covers several ranges of prisms including up to 3,500 m; 3,501 m to 5,000 m; 5,001 m to 6,000 m; and 6,001 m and above. Leica Geosystems, Topcon, and Trimble are the top companies offering RTS with various ranges. As of 2023, only a few players of the market is offering a prism range of over 6,000 meters. Leica Nova MS50, the world’s first multi-station offers a prism range of 10,000 meters.

A robotic total station with a prism range above 6,000 meters are widely used in various applications where surveying and measurement tasks require long-distance measurements. These applications includes large-scale construction projects, infrastructure projects like highways, tunnels, and railways and geodetic surveys.

Surveying is the Most Preferred Application

Robotic total stations market is segmented into surveying and mapping, excavation, engineering & construction applications. In 2023, the surveying & mapping segment accounted for a significant share of the market. RTS instruments offer high precision in angle and distance measurements, ensuring accurate and reliable data for surveying and mapping tasks.

RTS is commonly employed for topographic mapping to capture detailed information about the natural and man-made features of a landscape. The instrument's high angular accuracy and electronic distance measurement contribute to the creation of accurate topographic maps.

High Demand for RTS from the Construction Sector

The construction industry accrued the highest demand for RTS in the market, pertaining to several applications from the industry. RTS is used to precisely position building elements such as foundations, columns, walls, and other structural components based on architectural and engineering design plans. It helps in establishing the correct grades and contours for the construction site.

RTS assists in verifying the accuracy and alignment of constructed elements, ensuring that they adhere to design specifications. It helps monitor tolerances and ensures that structures are built within specified limits.

Asia-Pacific Expected to Offer Huge Potential for Growth

Asia-Pacific robotic total stations market has recorded a significant share of the market in 2023. The presence of China, the world’s largest construction market, and other developing countries such as India, has driven the regional growth in 2023. China and India are the leading countries that are heavily investing in their infrastructure development.

To continue its growth trajectory, India is expected to double its infrastructure spending during 2024-2030. In addition, the Chinese government is increasing its spending on the country’s infrastructure projects by USD 1.8 trillion year-on-year to aid provinces in recovering from the COVID-19 growth fall. 

Key players operating in the global robotic total stations market are Carlson, Changzhou Dadi Surveying, Hilti, Leica Geosystems, Pentax Surveying, South Surveying, Stonex, Suzhou Foif, Topcon, Trimble, among others. The presence of large number of players have substantially fragmented the market and the same trend is expected to continue during the forecasted period.

These players are launching new products to increase their market share. For instance, in January 2022, Topcon has announced its latest scanning robotic total station GTL-1200. It combines the power of a robotic total station with a best-in-class laser scanner, enabling users to perform digital layout and capture high-resolution 3D scans, all with a single setup.

Robotic Total Stations Market Coverage

The report provides key insights into the robotic total stations market, and it focuses on technological developments, trends, and initiatives taken by the government. Within this sector, the analysis delves into market drivers, restraints, opportunities, and other pertinent factors. The report thoroughly evaluates the key players and the competitive landscape.

Report Scope