Which surveying is considered an open survey that starts at one location and ends at another?

Route surveying is the type of surveying that is characterized as an open survey, which means it begins at one specific location and concludes at another predetermined location. This form of surveying is typically used for planning and designing infrastructure projects such as roads, railways, and pipelines. The primary goal of route surveying is to gather accurate data about the terrain and other physical features along the proposed route, which assists in assessing the feasibility and alignment of the project.

In contrast, land surveying focuses on determining property boundaries and establishing legal descriptions, while plane surveying refers to surveying on a flat surface without accounting for the earth's curvature, mostly used for smaller areas. Topographic surveying involves mapping the contours and elevations of the land's surface but does not inherently possess the start-to-end aspect of an open survey. Thus, route surveying distinctly aligns with the definition of an open survey.