Quick Answer
Emlid Flow is the mobile app that controls Emlid Reach receivers in the field. To get started, install the app, create a project with the right coordinate system, connect your receiver over Bluetooth, and confirm you have a fixed solution before you collect any points. From there, you can walk to each location, log points, and export your data when the job is done.
What Emlid Flow Actually Does
Emlid Flow runs on your phone or tablet and talks to your Reach receiver over Bluetooth. The receiver handles the satellite tracking and correction math. The app is where you set up your project, watch your fix status, collect and name points, and export the finished data.
Think of the receiver as the sensor and the app as the control panel. You will spend most of your field time looking at the app, not the receiver itself.
Step One: Create a Project
Every job in Emlid Flow starts as a project. Open the app and create a new one before you connect any hardware. Give it a clear name that matches the job, since you may end up with many projects over time and a vague name gets confusing fast.
A project stores your coordinate system, your collected points, and any base settings you use, all in one place. Keeping each job as its own project also makes it easier to export clean data later without mixing up sites.
Step Two: Set the Right Coordinate System
This step matters more than most beginners expect. A coordinate system tells the app how to turn raw satellite positions into the local grid your client or software expects, such as a national grid or a local site grid.
If you pick the wrong coordinate system, every point you collect can be shifted, sometimes by a large distance, even though the app shows no error at all. Confirm the coordinate system your project needs before you start, and check it against a known point if you have one available.
Step Three: Connect Your Receiver
Turn on your Reach receiver and connect it to the app over Bluetooth. Once connected, the app shows you live status information: how many satellites the receiver sees, the signal quality, and most importantly, the fix status.
You will usually see one of three fix states: no fix, float, or fixed. Only a fixed solution gives you the centimeter-level accuracy RTK is meant for. Never log an important point while the receiver shows float or no fix.
Step Four: Base or Network RTK
If you are running your own base receiver, set it up over a known or averaged point and confirm it is broadcasting corrections. If you are using network RTK instead, enter your correction service details in the app and wait for the rover to pick up the stream.
Either way, do not move on to collecting points until the rover reports a stable fixed solution. Our base and rover setup guide covers this step in more detail if you are setting up your own base for the first time.
Step Five: Collect Points
Once you have a fixed solution, walk to each location you need, hold the pole steady (or let tilt compensation handle small angles, if your receiver supports it), and tap to log the point. Give each point a clear name as you go, rather than relying on default numbering, since it saves time later when you are matching points to a site plan.
Take a moment after each point to glance at the reported accuracy value. If it looks unusually high for a fixed solution, wait a moment and try again before moving on.
Step Six: Stake Out Points
Emlid Flow can also work in reverse. If you already have planned points, such as property corners or construction layout marks, you can load them into the app and use the stake-out screen to walk to the exact spot. The app shows an arrow and a live distance reading that guides you toward the target as you move.
This feature is useful for construction layout, planting boundary markers, or checking that built features match a design plan.
Step Seven: Export Your Data
When the job is finished, export your points in the format your office or client needs, usually a CSV or a shapefile. Double-check the coordinate system on export matches what you expect, since some workflows convert data on the way out.
Keep a backup of the raw project file too, in case you need to reprocess or re-export the data later in a different format.
A Simple First-Project Checklist
- Create a new project with a clear name.
- Set the correct coordinate system before collecting anything.
- Connect the receiver and confirm a fixed solution.
- Set up your base, or connect to network RTK.
- Collect points with clear names, checking accuracy as you go.
- Export in the format you need, and keep a backup.
If you are still choosing which Reach receiver to pair with this app, our Emlid Reach receiver guide breaks down the base, rover and module options.