To solve the authentic problem on traditional training simulators for photoelectric theodolite, a training simulator based on real image is designed, which consist of a virtual target generator and a virtual target stacker. The target information is picked up from real image, rotated and compressed before made into a virtual target array with some additional information. The virtual target array is added to the real-time background of photoelectric theodolite. The original scene is reconstructed, providing a more natural user interface and a more realistic simulation environment, which make it more easily for photoelectric theodolite operator to get trained at any time and any place.