GPS World

Tag: roads

  • Categorize roads in real time with new kit

    RAK equipment records video and tracks GPS coordinates of distressed roads.
    RAK equipment records video and tracks GPS coordinates of distressed roads. Photo: RAK 

    Red Hen Systems Inc. is offering a way to accurately categorize road conditions and linear miles.

    The Road Assessment Kit (RAK) can be installed and operated for assessing roads, bridges, curbs, sidewalks, signs and more.

    The all-in-one system uses real-time video geotagging with Red Hen’s patented video mapping system, the VMS-333. The VMS-333 connects to a GPS receiver and camera or video recorder to automatically geotag photos, videos and audio notes with GPS coordinates.

    The data can then be analyzed in Google Earth with isWhere, Red Hen’s geospatial media mapping software, which provides a track log of the route traversed. Data can also be mapped in Esri ArcMap.

    A screenshot of isWhere.
    A screenshot of isWhere. Photo: RAK 

    The survey hardware can be moved from one vehicle to another in 30 minutes or less and is suitable for routine vehicle operation in between annual road surveys.

    Using GoPro cameras, the kit can capture up to four views with GPS data points in a single data collect.

     

  • Mapmechanics Offers Scalable Digital Mapping for Africa

    GIS map provider Mapmechanics has boosted the number of African countries for which it offers HERE vector (scalable) map data.

    HERE mapping from Mapmechanics consists of street-level vector map and includes major highways, main roads and also some minor roads and city streets, and is useful for route planning, drive-time analysis, vehicle tracking and geo-demographics. A key feature of the data is that its structure is consistent across many countries, enabling users to adopt the same analytical and display strategies from one country to another.

    The new African countries added to the Mapmechanics portfolio are Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Republic of the Congo, São Tome and Principe.

    Because it is in a standard and widely recognized format, the mapping lends itself well to use with other data such as traffic speed and density where this is available. It can also be used for techniques such as reverse geocoding (finding a location by its coordinates).

    The mapping also enables users to add a sense of place to activities such as geo-demographic studies, store location analysis, leaflet distribution territories or depot management, and ensures that users can overlay just the features they need on shaded maps.

    Mapmechanics already offers HERE mapping for many of the more prominent African countries, including for instance Botswana, Egypt, Kenya, Mozambique, South Africa and Tunisia. Altogether around two dozen African countries are now covered, and more will be added in future.

    HERE mapping is just one of a wide range of mapping products offered by Mapmechanics for the UK and the world, all of which can be obtained directly from the company or through its transactional website.