In cases where your client doesn't request a specific coordinate system and you aren't comparing the data with a previous data set, then the most likely selection for the horizontal coordinate system will be a state plane zone. In Emlid Flow that will look something like NAD83(2011) / "state" "zone". You can use this simple tool on ARCGIS to find out which state plane zone you should choose based on your location.
Some states also may primarily use a county based system. At that point you will check the county you are working in and choose accordingly.
Most common for the vertical system is orthometric height with the latest geoid (geoid 18). In Emlid Flow that corresponds to NAVD88 height.
Unit recommendation is typically US survey feet, but some states use international feet. The wrong selection can result in several feet difference.
Don't worry if you find out later that you have selected a different coordinate system than what you needed. You can always convert from one coordinate system to another.
For informational videos on coordinate systems, localizations and more, check out our video tutorials.
Below is a list of common coordinate systems and units for each state.
Alabama - NAD83(2011) / Alabama (East/West). US survey feet.
Alaska - NAD83(2011) / Alaska (zone 1-10). International feet.
Arizona - NAD83(2011) / Arizona (East/Central/West). International feet.
Arkansas - NAD83(2011) / Arkansas (North/South). US survey feet.
California - NAD83(2011) / California (zone 1-6). US survey feet.
Colorado - NAD83(2011) / Colorado (Central/North/South). US survey feet.
Connecticut - NAD83(2011) / Connecticut. US survey feet.
Delaware - NAD83(2011) / Delaware. US survey feet.
Florida - NAD83(2011) / Florida (East/North/West). US survey feet.
Georgia - NAD83(2011) / Georgia (East/West). US survey feet.
Hawaii - No suggestion.
Idaho - NAD83(2011) / Idaho (Central/East/West). US survey feet.
Illinois - NAD83(2011) / Illinois (East/West). US survey feet.
Indiana - NAD83(2011) / Indiana (East/West). US survey feet.
Iowa - NAD83(2011) / IaRCS (zone 1-14). International feet.
Kansas - NAD83(2011) / Kansas (North/South). US survey feet.
Kentucky - NAD83(2011) / Kentucky (North/South). US survey feet.
Louisiana - NAD83(2011) / Louisiana (North/South). US survey feet.
Maine - NAD83(2011) / Maine (East/West). US survey feet
Maryland - NAD83(2011) / Maryland. US survey feet
Massachusetts - NAD83(2011) / Massachusetts (Island/Mainland). US survey feet.
Michigan - NAD83(2011) / Michigan (Central/North/South). International feet.
Minnesota - NAD83(2011) / Minnesota (Central/North/South). US survey feet.
Mississippi - NAD83(2011) / Mississippi (East/West). US survey feet.
Missouri - NAD83(2011) / Missouri (Central/East/West). International feet.
Montana - NAD83(2011) / Montana. International feet.
Nebraska - NAD83(2011) / Nebraska. US survey feet.
Nevada - NAD83(2011) / (Central/East/West). US survey feet.
New Hampshire - NAD83(2011) / New Hampshire. US survey feet
New Jersey - NAD83(2011) / New Jersey. US survey feet.
New Mexico - NAD83(2011) / New Mexico (Central/East/West). US survey feet.
New York - NAD83(2011) / New York (Central/East/Long Island/West). US survey feet.
North Carolina - NAD83(2011) / North Carolina. US survey feet.
North Dakota - NAD83(2011) / North Dakota (North/South). International feet.
Ohio - NAD83(2011) / Ohio (North/South). US survey feet.
Oklahoma - NAD83(2011) / Oklahoma (North/South). US survey feet.
Oregon - NAD83(2011) / Oregon (low distortion zone). International feet.
Pennsylvania - NAD83(2011) / Pennsylvania (North/South). US survey feet.
Rhode Island - NAD83(2011) / Rhode Island. US survey feet.
South Carolina - NAD83(2011) / South Carolina. International feet.
South Dakota - NAD83(2011) / South Dakota (North/South). US survey feet.
Tennessee - NAD83(2011) / Tennessee. US survey feet.
Utah - NAD83(2011) / Utah (Central/North/South). US survey feet.
Vermont - NAD83(2011) / Vermont. US survey feet.
Virginia - NAD83(2011) / Virginia (North/South). US survey feet.
Washington - NAD83(2011) / Washington (North/South). US survey feet.
West Virginia - NAD83(2011) / West Virginia (North/South). US survey feet.
Wisconsin - NAD83(2011) / WISCRS (county). US survey feet.
Wyoming - NAD83(2011) / Wyoming (East/Central/West/West Central. US survey feet.
Training and Support
E38 Survey Solutions offers a full scope of training and support from pre-sales to custom classes.
E38 Offerings
Pre-sales support - Talk with one of our experts. Our core business is all things geo-positioning, including GNSS , Total Stations , drones , LiDAR , software and more. Shoot us a note in our chat box. There will be a technical expert on the other side, no scipts or AI. Call us anytime at 440 596 4076 If you need to conference in your team or just want to see software live over the web, book a meeting here .
If we still can't quite provide enough information to help make the best decision feel free to come on by our office or we can come out to you if you're nearby. We regularly set up customers with demos and rental gear and ship all over the US. Ask us about these options if you need something hands on.
Post-sales support - Don't hesitate to call us at 440 649 7176 for technical support. All our customers receive phone support at no cost. You can also email us at support@e38surveysolutions.com or we can set up a web call in case we need to screen share.
Lightly guided video training - Most of our customers go this route. We set up your equipment and either send out a few videos that pertain to your specific application, or create a custom video just for you if we don't have something that fits well.
Informal training on delivery - If you want to come by and pick up gear or we are able to drop it off, we are more than happy to spend some time with you on getting you up in running. We won't charge anything for this informal training.
Custom training - One size fits most, but not all. Let us know what you need and we'll tailor it to you.
BASEMAP TRAINING COURSES
We've partnered with the Basemap Consulting team to offer their training courses. Their team is out in the field providing data collection and processing services daily. They know what it takes and have a great depth of knowledge in what they do.
This is a 2-day, hands-on course that takes participants through the entire process of using the RESEPI LiDAR system on the DJI M300. From initial setup to creating a point cloud in PCMasterPro, we cover everything needed to get started and produce quality deliverables.
Day 1: We start with flying legally, airspace regulations, and an introduction to RTK/PPK and Ground Control Points (GCPs). Participants will learn how to set up a base station and capture GCPs and LiDAR checkshots. In the afternoon, we cover mission planning , followed by a LiDAR flight. We’ll process the data in PCMasterPro on-site.
Day 2: Participants will run through the workflow themselves—setting up RTK and PPK, capturing GCPs, and flying LiDAR missions with guidance from our instructors. The afternoon includes an introduction to processing deliverables and how different workflows impact the data.
Option for a 3-day extended class if more hands-on time is needed.
Mavic + Emlid RTK Integration: Getting Started
This course is designed to help users set up and operate the Mavic 3 with Emlid RTK. We’ll cover mission planning, RTK setup, GCPs, coordinate systems, PPK, CORS, and the data capture process. There’s a strong focus on accuracy, and participants will complete a real-world mission using RTK corrections using Florida's FPRN network. They’ll also learn how to set and use GCPs for even more precise mapping results.
Training locations
Basemap typically conducts their training in Daytona Beach, FL, but will travel to customer sites as well.
