The aim of the invention is to determine the actual position and/or actual orientation of a measuring appliance (4b). To this end, at least two reference points (2b') lying in a spatial segment (5') scanned by a laser beam are detected and measured in terms of the distance thereinbetween and the inclination angle thereof. The actual position of the measuring appliance (4b) can be deduced from the known positions of said reference points (2b') arranged in a detectable manner and the associated distances and inclination angle thereof. The detection, monitoring and measuring of the reference points is carried out by the measuring appliance (4b) in an automated manner, the measuring appliance (4b) and specifically embodied elements associated with the reference points (2b') forming a local positioning and/or orientation measuring system. The inventive method and corresponding devices enable measurements to be carried out in a problem-free and automated manner, even in areas that cannot be accessed by other measuring systems.