In reality, however, this technology is not all that new and is in fact steadily progressing. Some reasons for its growth include the resultant reduction in the cost of construction work, and that it nearly eliminates the need for grade stakes, hubs and stringlines. Another reason many contractors and surveyors are taking notice of this technology is that it allows contractors to accomplish jobs on time while maintaining a higher level of accuracy. Owners/developers in turn like this because their projects get built on time and (hopefully) under budget. Overall, the market of machine control offers a wealth of opportunity for surveyors (and their clients) in which they can grow, thus increasing their revenue.

The next component is the GPS network, a required component for the GPS-enabled systems. Since GPS satellites are available 24/7, work can be done at just about any time of the day or night. The signals are transmitted to the bulldozer, grader or any other piece of construction equipment that has been outfitted with a GPS receiver to provide the location of the equipment.