Export your survey work from your Android device to QGIS and AutoCAD

In this tutorial we will explain how to export your Android device surveying project created with SW Maps, Mapit GIS or Mapit Spatial to QGIS and AutoCAD.

Before starting, you will need the following:

• Smartphone/tablet with Android
• Mapit GIS, Mapit Spatial or SW Maps app for Android.
  We have prepared some tutorials on how to connect your simpleRTK2B receiver with these apps:
  • https://www.ardusimple.com/how-to-use-ardusimple-products-with-android-smartphones-tablets/
  • https://www.ardusimple.com/rtk-mock-location-with-android/
  • https://www.ardusimple.com/custom-geoid-for-orthometric-height-measurements-in-android/
• simpleRTK2B GNSS receiver
• PC with QGIS software (free software) and AutoCAD

Step 1: Export your surveying project

• It is important that all the points you want to export belong to the same layer.
• If you use SW Maps: in the app main screen, click the app icon to open the left menu, select Share or Export and select KMZ export format.
• If you use Mapit GIS or Mapit Spatial: in the app main scree, open the left menu, select Manage Layers, select the layer to export, click the ⋮ button, select Export, pick your preferred export location (or share) and select KML in Export Format
• In any of the above cases, bring your exported project in KML format to the PC where you have QGIS and/or AutoCAD

Step 2: Import your KML project in QGIS and export it as DXF

• Open QGIS and create a new project
• Go to Layer > Add Laer > Add Vector Layer
• Select the exported KML and press the Add button.
  This will add a layer with your project name in the Layer window.

• You can optionally drag and drop the XYZ Tiles – OpenStreetMap from the browser window to the Layers window, make sure to place the OpenStreetMap under your project layer.
  You can now see all the points from your project in a map. This is useful to double check your work.

• Right click on your project layer, select Export > Save Feature As..
• In the Save Feature As window, select Autocad DXF format and write your file name
• Select geometry type Point to include the z-dimension
• Press the CRS icon

• Write UTM in the filter bar and browse in the filtered list until you see a Coordinate Reference System that contains your working area (the picture below will update for each CRS showing in a red shaded rectangle the area of application).
  In our case, we select WGS72 UTM fuseau 30 since it includes the area where we are located.

• You can now open the DXF file in AutoCAD.
• Make sure you find your project points with Zoom Extents command or similar
• Distance between points is in meters