Most jobsites don't come with perfect, surveyed control. You might be working a TI in a tight existing space, framing on an out-of-true foundation, or aligning layout to existing construction that doesn't match the plans. Flexible Control is the name for a growing set of Dusty stationing tools built to meet the jobsite as it actually exists — so you can set, weight, and align control points without a round-trip to the VDC team.

This article explains what each Flexible Control tool does and when to use it. For step-by-step instructions and screenshots, follow the links in each section.

The tools at a glance

Create Control at Reflector

Create a control point directly at the reflector's location after stationing is locked. The new point is defined relative to your current stationing, which makes it easy to establish reusable reference points in the field.

This is especially useful for setting up semi-permanent reflectors — such as drift nests — that you can rescan in future sessions without returning to your original control points.

• After stationing, a new option appears under Add Control Point to create a point from the reflector's X/Y/Z position.
• This option is only available once the station is locked.

Anchor Layout at a Control Point

By default, Dusty fits the layout to minimize overall error across all scanned control points (a best fit). Anchoring lets you weight one or two points more heavily so the layout aligns exactly where it matters most.

• When you set an anchor, the layout shifts from the overall best-fit solution to give zero error at the anchor point. This can increase error at other control points.
• Adding a second anchor further constrains the layout — it may shift and rotate the layout to align with a feature defined by two points, such as a line running along a wall.
• Set an anchor by swiping left on a control point before stationing is locked.
• You can select up to two anchor points.

Use anchoring when a single point is critical — for example, locking layout to the corner of a stairwell or the endpoint of a major wet wall — and you'd rather absorb error elsewhere than chase clashes with existing construction across the floor.

2D Control (Limited Release)

Dusty supports both 2D and 3D stationing and automatically selects the best method for your setup conditions.

• 3D stationing uses the full X, Y, and vertical (Z) coordinates from your scanned control points. If those points sit at different heights, or the digital data has incorrect Z offsets, the layout can come out slightly tilted in 3D before it's projected onto the floor.
• 2D stationing uses only X and Y and ignores vertical differences, so the layout projects straight down onto the ground even when control points are at different heights. In field conditions this is generally more accurate and reliable.

2D stationing becomes available when the tracker is sufficiently level (within 0.258° of vertical), and the system uses it automatically whenever possible. The app's leveling guidance is there to help you reach that state — if it's ignored, the system falls back to 3D stationing.

Availability: 2D Control is a Limited Release feature, available only to customers using a Radio 2 for the laser tracker.

Corner Control

Corner Control is a stationing workflow that uses Dusty's corner reflector jigs to create control points at inside or outside right-angled corners.

Use it when you don't have surveyed control to work from, or when you want to align your layout directly to an existing building feature — like the corner of a structure or room.

What's coming

Flexible Control is a growing toolset. Dusty plans to add more capabilities for working with real-world site conditions in future releases — watch the monthly release notes for what's new.