reconnaissance

reconnaissance

, reconnoissance

a preliminary inspection of an area of land before an engineering survey is made

Collins Discovery Encyclopedia, 1st edition © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

reconnaissance

[ri′kän·ə·səns]

(engineering)

A mission to secure data concerning the meteorological, hydrographic, or geographic characteristics of a particular area.

(ordnance)

A mission undertaken to obtain, by visual observation or other detection methods, information about the activities and resources of an enemy or potential enemy.

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific & Technical Terms, 6E, Copyright © 2003 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

reconnaissance

A general examination or survey of the main features, or certain specific features, of a region usually as a preliminary to a more detailed survey. The various types of reconnaissance include photo reconnaissance, radar reconnaissance, and visual reconnaissance.

An Illustrated Dictionary of Aviation Copyright © 2005 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved

The following article is from The Great Soviet Encyclopedia (1979). It might be outdated or ideologically biased.

Reconnaissance

 

in geodesy, inspection and examination of terrain to select the position of astronomical and geodetic reference points for topographical surveys. Reconnaissance work is done in conjunction with calculations of the elevation of geodetic signals, which are set up at reference points and ensure visibility between points. The calculations take into account the curvature of the earth, relief characteristics, and local obstacles to the taking of measurements.

The Great Soviet Encyclopedia, 3rd Edition (1970-1979). © 2010 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.