Install and permissions
Install OpenSurvey3D from the App Store, and what each permission prompt is for.
OpenSurvey3D is free on the App Store for iPhone and iPad. You don't need to sign up: the app is fully usable the moment it opens.
Install
- On your iPhone or iPad, open the OpenSurvey3D App Store page, or search the App Store for OpenSurvey3D.
- Tap Get. The app needs iOS 26.2 or later.
- Open the app. It starts on the Survey tab.
What the permission prompts are for
iOS asks for each permission the first time a feature needs it, not all at once on launch. Each prompt shows the app's reason for asking:
| Permission | When it's asked | What the app says it's for |
|---|---|---|
| Location (while using the app) | The map first shows your position | "Your location shows on the map and is recorded with each asset you collect, so measurements have a position and an accuracy." |
| Camera | You take a photo or start a 3D capture | "Photograph the assets you collect and scan sites in 3D with the camera and LiDAR. Photos and scans stay on this device." |
| Microphone | You record a video note | "Video notes you record for an asset include sound. Videos stay on this device." |
| Local network | You connect a receiver over Wi-Fi | "Connect to a GNSS receiver on your Wi-Fi hotspot or local network to stream positions and send RTK corrections." |
Adding photos from your library uses the system photo picker. The app sees only the photos you choose, so there's no photo-library prompt.
If you said no
Denying a permission leaves the rest of the app working.
- Location off: the map still works, but collecting a position shows Location access is off with an Open Settings button. You can connect a GNSS receiver instead of using the phone's location.
- Camera off: photos and 3D capture aren't available. Collecting and exporting still work.
To change a permission later, open the iOS Settings app, then go to Apps → OpenSurvey3D.
Bluetooth receivers
Emlid Reach and Bad Elf receivers connect as iOS accessories. Pair the receiver once in iOS Settings → Bluetooth (or in the maker's own app). OpenSurvey3D then lists it under the Precision sheet's Source options, without a separate permission prompt.