A disturbance observer based on reference model was introduced into the traditional feedforward control to improve the dynamic performance of a carrier-based optoelectronic theodolite and to improve the disturbance isolation and tracking accuracy. A kind of feedforward control based on the reference model disturbance observer was proposed. It not only abstained the secondary disturbance of traditional feedforward control, but also combined with the accurate estimation of the disturbance observer.The working principle of the disturbance observer was introduced and its problems existing in the application of carrier-based optoelectronic theodolite were pointed out. By introduction of the reference model of carrier-based optoelectronic theodolite, a feedforward control based on reference model disturbance observer was established, the structure chart and transfer function were given, and its transfer behavior and robustness were analyzed. Finally, some controller model simulations and experiments were carried out and contrasted with the traditional feedforward control method. Experiment results show that feedforward control based on reference model disturbance observer can overcome both friction torque disturbance and measurement errors, and the point error of fixed point is improved from 12.36″(RMS) to 5.919″(RMS). In the dynamic test, when a target turns by a cycle of 10 s, the tracking accuracy is improved from 20.615 7″(RMS) to 13.744″(RMS), the degree of isolating is increased by about 12 dB, and the dynamic performance is significantly improved. It concludes that the proposed method combines the advantages of feedforward control and disturbance observer, and it can better improve the system dynamic performance and tracking accuracy.