A leveling rod, also known as a surveying rod or leveling staff, is a tool used in land surveying to measure elevations and heights. It consists of a long, slender rod with graduations marked on it, which is held vertically in a specific location while a surveyor takes readings with a level or other measuring instrument. Leveling rods are typically made of lightweight materials such as aluminum or fiberglass and are designed to be portable and easy to set up. They may include telescopic sections that allow them to be extended to different heights and collapsed for storage and transportation. The graduations on a leveling rod may be marked in feet, inches, or metric units, depending on the country and standard used. Leveling rods are an essential tool for creating accurate topographic maps, determining elevations for construction or engineering projects, and other surveying applications that require precise measurements of height or elevation.
