ArcGIS FieldMaps data collection

Question

Hi!

I created a simple data collection map using ArcGIS Field Maps Designer. Then, I went to Vasaparken in Västerås to collect information about the benches located around the park. When I began collecting data and taking photos, everything worked at first, but I had to stop and restart the Field Maps app for each location. It displayed the following message: Has anyone experienced this problem?

The offline photo capture and feature addition worked successfully.

Vasaparken FieldMaps

fjramos · Answer

Hi Hapy,

Sorry for the late response, the averaging will be done automatically as long as it's connected to the GPS. All you have to do is stand on the point of interest, select "Start averaging" and it will automatically collect the points set in your averaging settings, in your case 30. So you just stand there until the averaging completes. There's no one correct answer for averaging setting, it all depends on the job you're doing and the accuracies of your GPS antenna or mobile device. I'll give you an example, if you're collecting something large like a tree or a 4-way intersection of a trail, you really don't need to set your averaging very high since you're collecting a large area. I'd say 5-10 would be enough for data like that. If you're collecting property corners, for a property dispute, then I would use higher averages, 25-30 for higher accuracies. It also depends on the accuracy of your GPS and mobile device, if you have a cm unit that is collecting 1cm to sub cm, I wouldn't go crazy with the averaging either since you're already collecting at very high accuracies. If you're using a mobile phone for collecting data, sometimes the accuracies on phones can vary from 5ft to 12ft, so increasing the averages may help a bit, but you're still collecting with a mobile phone. 20-30 is a good average, but don't be afraid to test out lower averages like 10 or 15 because sometimes the differences between collecting averages of 10-15 and 20-30 is very negligible. Hope it helps!

HapyMayer · Answer

Hi!  I am setting up a fieldmaps form and don't fully understand how this GPS averaging works when I go to map settings.  The goal of my form is to log trail features around our campus such as stairs and bridges. if I put "30 points to average" does that mean someone will have to log a feature 30 times in order for a point to show up?  We only have 2-3 people who will be walking campus and taking points of each feature so doing so 30 times is not feasible.  I like the idea of GPS averaging and I've seen several recommendations for setting it to 30, but I don't fully understand why that number is suggested.

fjramos · Answer

Yes, this is how I've had to set it up now. I wish there was an option to disable this Designer collection setting so we don't have to jump around the collection settings in Field Maps. I see the use of this collection setting in Designer, if you're managing a department and want all collection to be consistent, but we are only 2 employees in our dept and have different workflows. Some require only 5 points of averaging, some 10-20 and it was easier to adjust before through the Profile collection settings, than having to adjust it through the Designer.