Carlson Software

Carlson Software
Name	Carlson Software
Type	Private
Founded	1984
Founder	Bruce Carlson
Headquarters	United States
Industry	Software, Surveying, Civil Engineering, Mining
Products	Survey, Civil, Mining, GIS, CAD, Machine Control

Carlson Software is an American company that develops specialized software and hardware for land development, surveying, civil engineering, mining, and construction. Founded in the mid-1980s, the firm provides desktop, mobile, and cloud applications alongside integrated hardware solutions for fieldwork and machine control. Its portfolio supports workflows for professionals working with AutoCAD, MicroStation, Global Navigation Satellite System, and geospatial data formats used by agencies such as the United States Geological Survey and contractors serving the Federal Highway Administration.

History

Carlson Software was established in 1984 by Bruce Carlson in the United States during a period of rapid adoption of personal computers and AutoCAD-based drafting. Early development focused on add-ons and utilities for AutoCAD and standalone applications for surveyors who previously relied on manual drafting and mapping techniques used by firms collaborating with the United States Bureau of Land Management. Through the 1990s and 2000s the company expanded its offerings to include civil design and mining modules, responding to needs from clients such as municipal engineering departments, regional mining companies, and international surveying consultants. Strategic product releases paralleled shifts in the geospatial ecosystem driven by technologies from Trimble, Leica Geosystems, Topcon, and the growth of the Global Positioning System marketplace. The company also navigated transitions in CAD standards exemplified by the evolution of AutoCAD releases and interoperability with MicroStation from Bentley Systems.

Products and Software Suites

Carlson’s product lines include desktop CAD-based suites, field data-collection apps, and specialized packages for mining and civil design. Core offerings integrate with AutoCAD and the open-source community supporting DWG interoperability, and provide modules for topographic drafting, contouring, and parcel mapping used by county surveyors and engineering consultants. Mining packages support pit design, reserve calculation, and survey stakeout workflows used by companies operating in regions such as the Caribbean, Chile, and Australia. Civil design modules support roadway alignment, grading, and stormwater design for clients responding to standards from bodies like the American Society of Civil Engineers and state departments of transportation including the California Department of Transportation. Field software supports data transfer from GNSS receivers produced by Trimble, Leica Geosystems, and Topcon, enabling stakeout and as-built surveys for contractors working on projects funded by entities like the World Bank and regional development banks.

Hardware and Integrated Solutions

Beyond software, the company offers hardware integration and turnkey packages combining data collectors, GNSS receivers, and machine-control components. These integrated solutions are deployed on excavators, dozers, and graders supplied by manufacturers such as Caterpillar and Komatsu for earthworks and finishing. I/O interfaces and controllers interoperate with guidance systems from Topcon and positioning systems from Trimble to provide automated stakeout and grade-control workflows used by heavy-civil contractors and mining operators in open-pit and underground operations. The hardware strategy emphasizes compatibility with surveying instruments from vendors including Sokkia and Leica Geosystems for total stations and robotic stations.

Markets and Applications

Primary markets include surveying firms, civil engineering consultancies, construction contractors, municipal public works departments, and mining companies. Applications span land surveying for cadastral mapping requested by county assessors, construction layout for contractors executing projects under contracts from the United States Department of Transportation, and mine surveying for operators in jurisdictions overseen by ministries such as the Ministry of Mines (Peru). Additional uses include environmental permitting workflows for projects interacting with agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency, and utility corridor design for corporations such as AT&T and regional power companies.

Corporate Structure and Ownership

The company operates as a privately held business founded by Bruce Carlson and managed through an executive team with offices in the United States and distribution partners worldwide. Its distribution network includes resellers, engineering software suppliers, and hardware integrators in regions such as North America, Europe, Africa, and Asia-Pacific. Strategic channel partnerships with hardware manufacturers and surveying equipment resellers underpin its go-to-market approach for both software licenses and packaged hardware solutions.

Research, Development, and Partnerships

Research and development focus on interoperability with major CAD platforms and GNSS hardware, cloud-enabled data workflows, and enhancements to mine-planning algorithms. Development collaborations have involved testing with partners representing machine-control ecosystems from Caterpillar and positioning technology leadership from Trimble. Academic and industry collaborations include pilot projects with university civil engineering departments and joint demonstrations at conferences hosted by organizations such as the American Congress on Surveying and Mapping and the International Society for Mine Surveying.

Awards and Industry Recognition

The company has been recognized within trade publications and at industry events for contributions to surveying and civil software innovation, receiving accolades from channels covering geospatial technology and mining software. Recognition often highlights interoperability achievements with platforms like AutoCAD and hardware ecosystems from Leica Geosystems and Topcon, as well as successful deployment case studies showcased at regional conferences organized by associations such as the National Society of Professional Surveyors.

Category:Surveying software companies Category:Civil engineering software