Typically before any earth moving operation can commence the terrain to be excavated must be surveyed. Drawings can then be produced showing the existing topographical profile of the terrain and a desired profile of the terrain after excavation has been completed.
If the excavation requires bulldozers the bulldozer driver must continually consult drawings to determine how the earth moving activity is progressing and how close the current terrain profile is to the desired terrain profile. To assist in this regard physical markers can also be located on site and can be re-located as earth moving progresses.
The disadvantage with the above system is that the terrain must be continually surveyed to determine the difference between the current terrain profile and the desired terrain profile.
Because of the inefficiencies associated with the above conventional earth moving systems it would be desirable to produce a system which monitored the operation of earth moving vehicles to provide each driver with up-to-date information on the current status of the terrain profile being excavated.