Southern Surveying and Mapping

What Southern Surveying and Mapping does

Southern Surveying and Mapping (广州南方测绘科技股份有限公司) is a Guangzhou-headquartered, privately held surveying and geographic information technology group operating in China since 1998 (with company communications referencing 37+ years of industry presence). It designs, manufactures, and integrates a vertically stacked portfolio spanning high-precision GNSS RTK receivers and reference stations, robotic and motorized total stations, airborne and terrestrial 3D laser scanners (LiDAR), UAV aerial survey systems, marine unmanned survey vessels, ground-penetrating radar, safety monitoring systems, and software platforms (SouthMap, SouthLidar Pro 3.0, SmartGIS). The company operates multiple sub-brands — South (南方), Kolida (科力达), Sanding (三鼎), Ruite (瑞得), and Tianyu (天宇) — covering differentiated price/performance tiers, and runs a proprietary national high-precision positioning service (SDAS) backed by 5,000+ BeiDou reference stations covering 100% of mainland China, with reported positioning reliability improvements of 37.6%.

Its products and solutions are sold to government agencies (natural resources, water conservancy, transportation), construction and engineering firms, mining and energy operators, universities and vocational schools, and emerging low-altitude economy stakeholders via a hybrid go-to-market combining 30+ provincial direct branches, authorized distributors, e-commerce storefronts, and an annual nationwide user conference tour. Revenue is generated primarily through hardware sales (RTK, total stations, LiDAR, UAVs, vessels), supplemented by one-time and subscription software licensing, customized industry solutions and professional services, and surveying education and training programs (virtual simulation platforms, 1+X certification). Key reported performance metrics include NT10 robotic total station single-unit failure-free operation exceeding 10,000 hours, UAV survey data processing efficiency improvements of 70%, and excavator guidance systems reducing measurement workload by 90% while cutting project costs by 30%.

The company has expanded adjacent capability areas including an autonomous drone airport series (息壤), a low-altitude digital brain platform (天镜), metaverse-based surveying education systems, and digital twin platforms for water conservancy, while pursuing strategic partnerships with Shenzhen University, Guangzhou Water Investment Group, and China Unicom to anchor its low-altitude economy strategy. AI features are embedded across the portfolio — AI-assisted recognition (Eagle Eye Algorithm 2.0) in measurement robots, AI deformation models for safety monitoring, AI scene interpretation in low-altitude platforms, and machine vision in ME measurement systems — though the company's core value proposition remains hardware-led geospatial precision rather than AI-led software.

Name

Southern Surveying and Mapping

Legal name

广州南方测绘科技股份有限公司

Website

https://southsurvey.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Southern Surveying and Mapping is a Guangzhou-based privately held geospatial technology group manufacturing high-precision GNSS RTK, robotic total stations, LiDAR, UAV, and marine survey systems, plus BeiDou positioning services and surveying software, serving government, construction, energy, education, and low-altitude economy customers across 30+ Chinese provinces through multiple sub-brands.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Surveying and Mapping Equipment

NAICS

Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing (334511), Surveying and Mapping (except Geophysical) Services (54137), Surveying and Mapping (except Geophysical) Services (541370), Environmental Consulting Services (54162)

SIC

Search, Detection, Navagation, Guidance, Aeronautical Sys (3812), Wholesale-Construction & Mining (No Petro) Machinery & Equip (5082)

akta.pro primary industry

GNSS/GPS Navigation & Augmentation Systems (IMABAFAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Remote Sensing & Geospatial Vision (satellite/drone imagery) (HDAAAEAL), Satellite Imagery & Remote Sensing Geospatial Platforms (BPAMANAM), Satellite/Aerial/Remote Sensing MRV (Methane plumes, land-use change) (EUAHADAL)

Keywords

• Surveying equipment
• GNSS receivers
• 3D laser scanning
• UAV aerial mapping
• Geographic information systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Guangzhou

HQ country

China

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Surveying Equipment Sales: Sale of GNSS RTK receivers, total stations, LiDAR systems, UAVs, unmanned survey vessels, levels, and accessories under multiple brands (South, Kolida, Sanding, Ruite, Tianyu) covering the full spectrum of surveying hardware needs
2. Software Licensing and Subscriptions: Sales and licensing of software products including SouthMap 4.0, SmartGIS Survey 4.0, SouthLidar Pro 3.0, KolidaMap, engineering surveying software (工程之星), and industry-specific solutions
3. Industry Solutions and Professional Services: Customized solutions for natural resources, water conservancy, transportation, emergency response, low-altitude economy, mining, energy, smart cities, cultural tourism, and surveying education including implementation and integration services
4. Surveying Education and Training: Virtual simulation teaching platforms, metaversity systems, and 1+X certification programs for surveying education, including collaborative programs with universities and vocational schools

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Southern Surveying and Mapping manufactures and sells geospatial surveying and mapping equipment including GNSS RTK receivers, robotic and conventional total stations, 3D laser scanners, airborne LiDAR systems, UAV aerial survey platforms, unmanned marine survey vessels, BeiDou positioning terminals, and safety monitoring systems. The company also provides software (SouthLidar Pro 3.0, SouthMap 4.0, SmartGIS), the SDAS national high-precision positioning service, and integrated industry solutions across natural resources, water conservancy, transportation, construction, mining, energy, and surveying education.

Product overview

Southern Surveying and Mapping (广州南方测绘科技股份有限公司) offers a comprehensive portfolio of geospatial surveying and mapping products organized across multiple categories: RTK GNSS receivers (创享V2, 锋芒S2, 风暴, 星航2, 超级基站SR), robotic and total stations (NT10, NTS series, KTS/STS/RTS/CTS series), 3D laser scanning systems (SA130/SA130mini airborne LiDAR, SPL series terrestrial scanners, RobotSLAM handheld scanners), UAV aerial surveying systems (SF1200 and drone platforms), ME measurement systems (觅境 for signal-free environments), marine survey vessels (SU30/SU20/SU10 intelligent unmanned boats), safety monitoring solutions (MR3 Pro integrated monitoring), Beidou positioning terminals and SDAS service system, ground penetrating radar (精蛰 series), construction guidance systems (EGS01 excavator 3D guidance), metaverse training platforms (智绘未来, 虚拟仿真实训平台), and software solutions (SouthLidar Pro 3.0, SouthMap 4.0, SmartGIS Survey, 工程之星). The company operates multiple sub-brands including 科力达, 三鼎, 瑞得, and 天宇 for total stations and levels. Solutions span 17 industry verticals including natural resources, water resources, transportation, emergency response, low-altitude economy, and surveying education.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• 南方 (South): Primary brand covering RTK, total stations, 3D laser scanners, UAV systems, marine surveying equipment, safety monitoring systems, Beidou terminals, underground space equipment, spatiotemporal GIS software, and engineering surveying solutions.
• 科力达 (Kolida)
• 三鼎 (Sanding)
• 瑞得 (Ruite)
• 天宇 (Tianyu)

Products and services

• RTK GNSS Receivers (创享V2 series, 锋芒S2 series, 风暴 series) Real-scene dual-camera RTK GNSS receivers with AI capabilities for high-precision positioning. The product line integrates BDS/GNSS with visual positioning and laser technology for use in complex surveying environments by construction, engineering, and land management professionals.
• NT10 Robotic Total Station (测量机器人) National intelligent high-precision measurement robot with 0.5 arc-second accuracy, AI-assisted recognition, and remote wireless control. Provides automated target recognition and autonomous data collection for construction and engineering surveying professionals.
• SA130/SA130mini Airborne LiDAR Airborne LiDAR systems with SLAM technology for aerial surveying. SA130mini offers lighter weight for enhanced portability, targeting surveying and mapping professionals requiring efficient 3D spatial data acquisition.
• SPL Series Terrestrial 3D Laser Scanners Domestic架站式3D laser scanner series with 1500m/620m/180m range options, millimeter accuracy, dual-axis compensation, and integrated cameras. Used for construction surveying, deformation monitoring, and infrastructure inspection by surveying professionals.
• RobotSLAM II Handheld 3D Laser Scanner Professional survey-grade handheld SLAM scanner for mobile 3D data acquisition in environments where traditional fixed scanners are impractical. Targeted at surveying and engineering professionals needing rapid indoor and complex environment scanning.
• 覓境/覓境M1 ME Measurement System Signal-free centimeter-level measurement system combining RTK, LiDAR SLAM, visual SLAM, and integrated navigation. Designed for surveying and mapping professionals working in underground, indoor, and complex signal-blocked environments.
• SU30/SU20/SU10 Intelligent Unmanned Survey Vessels Multi-beam echo sounder unmanned survey vessels for marine surveying and hydrological data collection. SU30 is the flagship model; SU10 supports single-operator field work. Targets marine surveying professionals and water resource management agencies.
• MR3 Pro Integrated Safety Monitoring System Professional integrated monitoring system with high-efficiency monitoring and intelligent early warning for structural safety. Used by government infrastructure agencies for dam, bridge, and slope monitoring applications.
• 南方网 SDAS National High-Precision Positioning Service System National high-precision positioning service system with 5000+ base stations covering 100% of China. Provides centimeter-level positioning reliability with second-level fixed initialization, targeting GNSS users across multiple industries.
• SouthLidar Pro 3.0 Point Cloud Processing Software 3D laser point cloud comprehensive processing software with building mapping module for CAD drawing workflows. Supports multi-source data fusion and is sold to surveying and BIM professionals.
• SouthMap 4.0 GIS Mapping Software Geographic information data mapping software for cartographic production and spatial data management, used by GIS professionals and government mapping agencies.
• 智绘未来 Metaverse Intelligent Training System Metaverse intelligent training system for surveying education enabling immersive virtual-real integrated learning experiences, sold to universities and vocational training institutions.
• 虚拟仿真实平台 Virtual Simulation Training Platform Virtual simulation training platform bringing surveying fieldwork into the classroom for hands-on learning, sold to educational institutions.
• EGS01 Excavator 3D Guidance System GNSS-based 3D guidance system for excavators achieving ±3cm horizontal and elevation accuracy through dual-antenna positioning. Used by construction and mining operators for precision excavation.
• 息壤 Series Unmanned Aerial System / Autonomous Drone Airports Unmanned airfield series including charging, battery swap, and vehicle-mounted variants for autonomous UAV operations. Targets low-altitude economy operators and smart city applications.
• 天镜 Low-Altitude Digital Brain Management Platform Low-altitude digital brain platform with six core capabilities: multi-source device access, intelligent route planning, full-domain device coordination, configurable business workflows, AI scene interpretation, and spatiotemporal model services. Sold to low-altitude economy operators and urban governance agencies.
• Conventional Total Stations (NTS-562R, KTS/STS/RTS/CL series) Engineering intelligent total stations and sub-brand total stations (Kolida, Sanding, Ruite, Tianyu) in various accuracy grades for general engineering surveying, construction layout, and topographic surveying applications.
• 精蛲 Series Ground Penetrating Radar Underground space terminal products including ground penetrating radar for subsurface inspection, sold to infrastructure inspection and underground surveying professionals.
• 工程之星 Engineering Surveying Software Professional RTK surveying software supporting field data collection and processing, sold to surveying professionals using GNSS equipment.
• SmartGIS Survey 4.0 GIS Survey Software GIS survey software for spatial data collection and management, sold to GIS professionals and surveying companies.
• SF1200 Fixed-Wing UAV System Fixed-wing UAV system for aerial surveying applications, sold to aerial surveying professionals and mapping service providers.
• 超级基站SR RTK GNSS Base Station High-end RTK base station with latest BDS high-precision chip, ROS system, 1598 channels, all-satellite all-frequency tracking, 50+ satellite instant reception, and 30km long-distance radio communication. Used as reference infrastructure for surveying and mapping projects.

Quantifiable outcome

• Positioning reliability improved by 37.6%, second-level fixed initialization time ≤2 seconds
• +8 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability10 records

Feature10 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Shenzhen University (深圳大学)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEstablished the 'Intelligent Surveying Collaborative Innovation Center' with Shenzhen University, focusing on joint research in autonomous quad-legged robots for surveying, UAV surveying technology upgrades and equipment development, and precision measurement equipment for engineering surveying. The center integrates research, transformation, and application,承担项目合作、技术研发、成果转化、人才培养、学术交流等任务。
• Guangzhou Water Investment Group Municipal General Design Institute (广州水投市政总院)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint initiator of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (Haizhu) Low-Altitude Economy Promotion Center and Guangzhou Low-Altitude Application Innovation Research Institute, collaborating on low-altitude information solutions for urban management applications including water affairs, transportation, and municipal governance.
• China Unicom Guangzhou Branch (中国联通广州市分公司)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic cooperation partner in low-altitude economy platform initiatives, providing network infrastructure support for drone operations and low-altitude management platform connectivity.
• Guangzhou Yuwen Wisdom Technology Co., Ltd (广州御文智慧科技有限公司)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-initiator of low-altitude economy platforms, contributing drone swarm technology, low-altitude content creation, and scenario operations capabilities for urban governance and cultural tourism applications.
• China Surveying and Mapping Society Education Committee (中国测绘学会教育工作委员会)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organizer of the National University Surveying Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition, providing competition software platforms, technical support, and equipment for national surveying education competitions.
• Heilongjiang Agricultural Engineering Vocational University (黑龙江农业工程职业技术大学)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organizer of the Heilongjiang Provincial Surveying Skills Competition and Smart Surveying Experimental Teaching Seminar, serving as a model partnership for industry-education integration in surveying education.
• China Natural Resources Ministry (中华人民共和国自然资源部)majorOthersListed as a friendly link partner on the company website, representing government sector relationship for surveying and mapping industry under government supervision.
• China Association for Geospatial Information (中国地理信息产业协会)minorOthersListed as a friendly link partner on the company website, representing industry association membership and cooperation.
• China Satellite Navigation and Positioning Association (中国卫星导航定位协会)minorOthersListed as a friendly link partner on the company website, representing BeiDou navigation industry association membership.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Broad incumbents

• Topcon Corporation: Japanese positioning and surveying major with GNSS, total station and machine-control offerings that overlap with Southern's RTK, total station and excavator guidance lines, particularly in construction and agriculture.
• Trimble Inc. Global surveying, geospatial and construction-technology incumbent with overlapping hardware (GNSS, total stations, 3D laser scanners) and a much broader software/services portfolio; competes with Southern in Chinese infrastructure and construction projects, especially on higher-end specs and software ecosystems.
• Leica Geosystems (Hexagon AB): Hexagon-owned premium surveying brand spanning GNSS, total stations, laser scanners and airborne sensors; competes head-to-head with Southern at the high end of Chinese infrastructure, mining and power projects and sets the global benchmark for performance and pricing.

Direct peers

• ComNav Technology (司南导航): Shanghai-based BeiDou-focused GNSS chipset and receiver manufacturer that competes with Southern on the chip- and receiver-level for the same high-precision surveying, CORS and machine-control customers in China.
• Stonex Srl: Italian-headquartered but with strong China distribution, Stonex offers GNSS, total stations and 3D scanners that overlap with Southern's mid-tier product line, particularly for emerging markets and Chinese export channels.
• Beijing UniStrong Science & Technology (北京合众思壮): Beijing-listed GNSS and high-precision positioning company that competes with Southern in BeiDou-based surveying, GIS data collection, and government/transportation infrastructure projects.
• Hi-Target Surveying Instrument Co. (中海达): Guangzhou-headquartered Chinese peer producing GNSS RTK, marine surveying equipment, UAVs and 3D laser scanners; competes with Southern across the same product categories, price tiers and end markets in China.
• CHC Navigation (上海华测导航技术股份有限公司): Shanghai-based GNSS RTK, marine and UAV surveying manufacturer and the closest direct competitor to Southern in the Chinese high-precision positioning market; both firms compete on BeiDou-native receivers, CORS networks, and downstream verticals like construction and water.

Emerging players

• Emlid (Emlid Tech Kft.): Smaller but technically credible RTK and PPK GNSS receiver maker that competes with Southern's entry-to-mid tier RTK lines on price-performance for UAV and small-firm surveyors.

Others

• Pix4D / Bentley Systems (Seequent): Software-and-platform peers rather than hardware competitors; their point-cloud, digital-twin and infrastructure-monitoring ecosystems overlap with Southern's SouthLidar Pro, SmartGIS and MR3 Pro solution stack and shape customer expectations for software-led selling.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xweibo.com/southsurvey
• YouTubedouyin.com/user/MS4wLjABAAAAYd5t8HqJ8L_Ch5gLPV4E1y2pJfT3mR9dK6vN4wXzQ8k
• Facebookfacebook.com/SouthsurveyCO.LTD

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds8 records

Investors14 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Southern Surveying and Mapping