The subject matter disclosed herein relates to measuring a distance along a remote surface performed by a non-stationary mobile device. The mobile device directs, from a first position of the mobile device, a first energy beam toward a first point on a remote surface, directs, from a second position of the mobile device, a second energy beam toward a second point on the remote surface, measures a position displacement between the first position of the mobile device and the second position of the mobile device, and determines the distance along the remote surface based, at least in part, on the position displacement.