Experiences with the QDaedalus system for astrogeodetic determination of deflections of the vertical

This paper explores the astrogeodetic deflection of the vertical (VD) determination with a light-weight tachymeter-based measurement system called ‘QDaedalus’ developed at ETH Zurich. A description of the relevant components of the system is given to show the set-up and operation. The measuring process including CCD-tachymeter calibration and the astronomical data processing are summarised. The paper then analyses the achievable accuracy of VDs based on new measurement data acquired in Bavaria over several nights. Our measurements were executed atop a pillar on the roof of the TUM and at six stations in the Bavarian Alps (Estergebirge) with highly accurate VDs from previous digital zenith camera measurements available. Our comparisons indicate an accuracy level of 0.15–0.20 arc-seconds for VDs measured with QDaedalus. As a conclusion, our results show that the QDaedalus system is a promising sensor for accurate local astronomical gravity field surveys when a zenith camera is not available.