Is land and building surveying from orbit possible?

Question

Optical or laser.

Answer 1

We use orbit data all the time in land surveying.  That is what GPS is.

We have to have land based receivers and occupy the points to get data.

We can't do it from the satelite alone at this time, and will probably never be able to do it accurately with respect to the vertical datum.

Answer 2

It depends on the application. If you want approximate coordinates, it is possible to georeference satellite data with known ground locations, and compensate for any distortions in the image. When it comes to dealing with land registration, construction, etc., satellite imagery is not considered accurate or reliable enough for applications with legal consequence, nor is aerial photogrammetry, which is very accurate when performed with care. When legal interest is involved, people are almost always directly on site with at least GPS, if not optical survey equipment.