The Survey Association

What The Survey Association does

The Survey Association (TSA), legally "The UK Land & Hydrographic Survey Association Ltd." (company number 1452116, England & Wales), is a private, membership-based trade association representing UK geospatial surveying companies and professionals. Founded in 1979 and headquartered at 79 Waterworks Road, Worcester (with the firmographic record listing Newark as the city), TSA organises its constituency across Full, Associate, Supplier, Academic, and Affiliate membership tiers. Its core function is collective advocacy, standards promotion, and member services within the UK land and hydrographic survey sector, working alongside regulatory bodies and government organisations to align practice with relevant legislation.

TSA's product surface is built around non-software services: a searchable member directory and "Find a Surveyor" tool that channels inbound demand to member firms; The Survey School in Worcester, a commercial training centre delivering accredited courses in land surveying, setting out, photogrammetry and digital imaging, underground utility surveying, and a Level 3 Diploma in Engineering Surveying (processed via ProQual); the PUMA accreditation scheme promoting PAS128 standards for utility surveying; a Continuing Company Development (CCD) scheme; a job opportunities board; downloadable client guides and guidance notes; equipment theft reporting; and an events portfolio including the AGM, GEO:Influence (jointly with CICES and RICS), technical seminars, and the annual Conference & Awards Day. The technology backbone is modest and undifferentiated — WordPress-based web properties, Dropbox for document and work-sample storage, and PCM Systems for IT support and remote backup.

Revenue mechanics are not publicly disclosed. The association is funded through membership fees, Survey School course fees, and PUMA accreditation fees, supplemented by partner-benefit arrangements (e.g., Lockton for professional indemnity insurance, Croner for a 24/7 HR/H&S/legal helpline, Citation for employment law services). TSA operates with 1-10 employees and reports no parent company, subsidiaries, funding rounds, or external investment.

Name

The Survey Association

Legal name

The UK Land & Hydrographic Survey Association Ltd.

Website

https://tsa-uk.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Survey Association (TSA) is a UK private, membership-based trade association representing geospatial land and hydrographic surveying firms and professionals through advocacy, accreditation (PUMA/PAS128), training at The Survey School in Worcester, events, and member services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Newark

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Survey Association is a UK trade association that represents private sector geospatial survey companies and professionals. It sells tiered memberships (Full, Associate, Supplier, Academic, Affiliate), delivers accredited training through The Survey School in Worcester, and operates the PUMA PAS128 accreditation scheme for utility surveying companies. It also provides a member directory, guidance notes, job board, and industry events.

Product overview

The Survey Association (TSA) is a trade association representing UK geospatial surveying companies. It operates as a unified platform offering multiple interconnected services: a membership directory connecting clients with qualified surveyors, The Survey School providing accredited training courses, the PUMA accreditation scheme for utility surveying standards, downloadable guidance resources (client guides, guidance notes), a job opportunities board for members, and industry events (AGM, GEO:Influence, seminars, conference). The membership structure includes Full, Associate, Supplier, Academic, and Affiliate categories, with a voluntary CCD scheme recognizing continued professional development. TSA does not offer a proprietary software product but serves as a coordinating body for standards, training, and industry collaboration in the UK geospatial surveying sector.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• TSA Membership Annual membership in the UK trade association for geospatial survey companies and professionals, with tiered categories (Full, Associate, Supplier, Academic, Affiliate) providing industry representation, networking, access to resources, and member benefits.
• The Survey School Training Courses Accredited training courses at The Survey School in Worcester covering Land Surveying, Setting Out, Photogrammetry & Digital Imaging, and Underground Utility Surveying, plus short courses and a Level 3 Diploma in Engineering Surveying (via ProQual). Courses are accredited by CICES and RICS.
• PUMA PAS128 Accreditation Scheme PAS128 accreditation scheme for utility surveying companies, promoting standardised quality in underground utility detection, verification, and location. Members can achieve accreditation under this scheme to demonstrate quality standards.
• Client Guides and Guidance Notes Free downloadable technical documents including basic client guides on surveying topics and detailed guidance notes for achieving best practice, accessible to members and the public.
• TSA Events Portfolio Industry events including the TSA AGM, GEO:Influence event (in partnership with CICES & RICS), technical seminars covering health & safety and insurance, and the annual Conference & Awards Day celebrating graduates from the TSA Surveying Course.
• Job Opportunities Board A listings platform for surveying job vacancies posted by TSA members, with job details including location, company, and closing dates, supporting recruitment across the UK geospatial surveying sector.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• CICES (Chartered Institution of Civil Engineering Surveyors)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTSA works in partnership with CICES and RICS to tackle issues affecting the geospatial surveying industry through the GEO:Influence event, bringing together professionals from across disciplines to share knowledge and compare notes on key business issues.
• RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTSA collaborates with RICS alongside CICES to deliver GEO:Influence events that address current issues in the surveying profession, providing industry intelligence and information on key business issues affecting the sector.
• PAS 128 Accreditation Scheme (PUMA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTSA promotes the new PAS128 accreditation scheme for utility surveying companies through its PUMA initiative, encouraging members to achieve standardised quality in underground utility detection, verification and location.
• ProQualminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTSA's Survey School offers the Level 3 Diploma in Engineering Surveying which is processed through ProQual, with ProQual requiring approved centres to maintain candidate records for a minimum of 3 years.
• LocktonminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLockton is the recommended insurance broker for TSA members, offering an exclusive Professional Indemnity Insurance scheme for Land Survey professionals through their Professions division.
• CronerminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTSA provides members with free access to Croner's 24/7 business support helpline covering HR, health and safety, and commercial legal issues as a membership benefit.
• Citation LtdminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCitation provides health and safety, employment law, and HR services to TSA members at preferential rates as a partner benefit.

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE): Major UK chartered body for civil engineers. While broader than surveying, ICE overlaps with TSA's civil engineering surveying members and is a parallel professional institution in the same infrastructure ecosystem.
• International Hydrographic Organization (IHO): Intergovernmental organisation for hydrography, nautical charting, and ocean mapping. Overlaps with TSA's hydrographic surveying remit and represents the global institutional counterparty for hydrographic standards.
• International Federation of Surveyors (FIG): Global umbrella federation for national surveying associations. Comparable to TSA at an international level and represents the global institutional peer for trade-body representation of surveyors.

Regional players

• Canadian Institute of Geomatics (CIG): Canadian professional association for geomatics, surveying, and geospatial professionals. Closest direct analogue to TSA in North America, comparable in member-benefit structure and standards role.
• European Association of Aerial Surveying Industries (EAASI): European trade association for aerial surveying companies. Directly comparable to TSA as a member-driven body for a surveying sub-discipline, but operating at a regional level with overlapping membership profiles.
• National Society of Professional Surveyors (NSPS): US professional society for land surveyors. Functions as the US analogue of TSA in member representation, advocacy, and standards — directly comparable in mandate but geographically adjacent.
• Association of Geotechnical & Geoenvironmental Specialists (AGS): UK trade association for geotechnical and geoenvironmental firms. Comparable as a UK-based member-led professional association serving overlapping infrastructure and surveying-related sectors.

Direct peers

• Chartered Institution of Civil Engineering Surveyors (CICES): UK chartered body for civil engineering surveyors and a direct TSA partner on GEO:Influence. Operates in overlapping membership territory as TSA and is a primary peer for geospatial surveying professionals.
• Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS): Larger UK chartered body for surveyors across multiple disciplines. TSA explicitly partners with RICS on the GEO:Influence event, making it the most direct institutional peer in the UK geospatial surveying space.
• Hydrographic Society UK: UK membership body specifically for hydrographic surveyors, a sub-discipline TSA explicitly covers. Overlaps directly with TSA's hydrographic surveying membership base and standards-setting remit.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/surveyassoc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/584011

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about The Survey Association