The disclosure relates to a method for operating an imaging location device by which at least two-dimensional map information is generated by location of concealed location objects under an examination surface. It is proposed that a handling instruction for guiding the location device is derived using an evaluation unit of the location device from positioning data determined by means of a location unit of the location device and/or from position data determined by means of a position sensor of the location device and/or from system parameters of the location device, in order to obtain optimized accrual of map information relating to the location.