GPS World

Author: Tracy Cozzens

  • TerraGo Offers Lightweight GIS Applications from ArcMap

    Editor’s Note: Learn more about how the TerraGo Edge replaces single-use GPS handheld devices and enables mobile workers and field crews to easily collect and share field data. Attend GPS World’s May webinar, Say Goodbye Proprietary GPS Devices, Hello TerraGo Edge.

    TerraGo, a geospatial collaboration and enterprise mobility software company, is offering a new version of its OpenGeoPDF software, now available with TerraGo Publisher for ArcGIS, TerraGo Composer and TerraGo Toolbar. The latest release gives end users powerful new spatial database features, including the ability to search and update feature attributes, with an interactive OpenGeoPDF map accessible to any end user without requiring them to purchase any software.

    “TerraGo’s OpenGeoPDF lets people turn static maps into interactive GIS-lite applications by letting ArcMap users share a free portable client application,” said Kevin Coles, manager of Enterprise GIS at Lumos Networks. “With OpenGeoPDF, end users can do more than view maps and imagery. They can interact with maps in ways previously only available with GIS software including the ability to control layers, measure distances, query, update and extract feature data in a universal format.”

    OpenGeoPDF produces a measurable return on investment by enabling organizations to leverage their GIS investment to create free GIS-Lite solutions for non-GIS users. One of the many benefits of the OpenGeoPDF approach is that GeoPDF maps with embedded feature attributes can be accessed, searched, updated and extracted as an OGC (Open Geospatial Consortium) GeoPackage.

    “The incredible value of geospatial data and an organization’s investment in GIS should result in more than a paper map or flat image in a PowerPoint,” said TerraGo Chief Technology Officer George Demmy. “OpenGeoPDF offers limitless, new possibilities for geospatial data interchange and creates much richer analytical applications for end users.”

    To start a trial of TerraGo Publisher for ArcGIS, download here.

    To start a trial of TerraGo Toolbar for Adobe Reader, download here.

  • Esri Offers Data Reviewer for Electric Utilities

    Data Reviewer for Electric Utilities provides more than 40 out-of-the-box checks that users can run individually, group into batch jobs (as .rbj files), or run as a scheduled service.
    Data Reviewer for Electric Utilities provides more than 40 out-of-the-box checks that users can run individually, group into batch jobs (as .rbj files), or run as a scheduled service.

    Esri has released a Data Reviewer for Electric Utilities. It provides the preconfigured ArcGIS Data Reviewer for Desktop to be used to validate, maintain and improve the integrity of electric distribution data.

    Data Reviewer for Electric Utilities provides a set of tools to simplify many aspects of automated and visual data quality control. The solution provides more than 40 out-of-the-box checks that users can run individually, group into batch jobs (as .rbj files), or run as a scheduled service.

    “As utilities continue to collect more information about their electric network, it’s imperative that this information be validated to ensure accuracy and completeness of the overall content,” Esri solutions team lead Patrick Dolan said. “The release of Data Reviewer for Electric Utilities allows utilities to automate the way they validate and measure the overall health of their electric distribution network, providing them with greater insurance that the electric network is accurate and complete.”

    Download the Data Reviewer for Electric Utilities solution for free, including a demonstration and sample electric dataset.

    Learn more about Esri solutions for utilities at esri.com/electric.

  • First Lady Launches Let’s Move! Interactive Map

    LetsMove

    To celebrate the fifth anniversary of Let’s Move!, First Lady Michelle Obama and The Partnership for a Healthier America have launched the Let’s Move! interactive map to encourage healthier lifestyles for children. Available to the public online, the map showcases the impact of these programs across the nation and makes it easier to get involved in local efforts.

    Built on Esri’s ArcGIS Online platform, the map allows users to search for their location by city or ZIP code to see what schools, localities or organizations near them are participating in a Let’s Move! program. Users can also view a full-screen app to explore each program individually.

    View the interactive map here.

     

  • Copernicus Masters Competition Submissions Due by July 13

    The Coperinicus Masters Cup Photo: Anwendungszentrum GmbH
    The Coperinicus Masters Cup
    Photo: Anwendungszentrum GmbH

    Copernicus Masters submissions of ideas, applications or business concepts involving innovative uses of Earth observation data are due by July 13. Along with cash prizes, the winners will gain access to an international network, corresponding data, start-up funding and other support valued at more than €300,000 ($322,444) total.

    The amount of data produced by Copernicus, the European Earth observation program, and its Sentinel satellites opens the door to products and applications in a wide array of business sectors. The European Space Agency (ESA) and Anwendungszentrum GmbH Oberpfaffenhofen (AZO) have thus initiated the Copernicus Masters competition to aid visionary entrepreneurs in bringing their innovations to market.

    “Start-ups and SMEs in particular stand to benefit from the virtually limitless scope of the data Copernicus provides,” said Prof Dr Volker Liebig, director of Earth observation programs and head of the European Space Research Institute (ESRIN), ESA. “The ideas submitted to previous editions of the Copernicus Masters have already demonstrated this to impressive effect, as has the constantly growing number of companies that are developing products and services based on Earth observation data in ESA’s business incubation program.”

    These companies operate in a diverse range of fields, where they address subjects such as resource efficiency in agriculture, construction and renewable energy. The Copernicus Masters also is looking for new services and products in forward-thinking segments such as big data, cloud computing, crowdsourcing, data visualisation and mobile applications, to name a few.

    In this year’s edition, prizes will be awarded in topic-specific challenges sponsored by partners, including: ESA, the German Aerospace Center (DLR), T-Systems International GmbH, Satellite Applications Catapult Ltd., Greece’s National Cadastre and Mapping Agency (NCMA), CloudEO AG and European Space Imaging GmbH. The new University Challenge specifically addresses students and research assistants around the world.

    “We and our partners are offering the participants space for innovation in areas that are already shaping the future — the Internet of Things (IoT), Industry 4.0, smart cities and renewable energy, for example,” said Thorsten Rudolph, AZO managing director. “We want to support them in realising their creative solutions to these global challenges.”

    Research and industry experts will select the winner of each challenge. The overall winner and 2015 Copernicus Master will receive, along with their challenge prize, €20,000 ($21,478) in cash and a satellite data package worth a further €60,000 ($64,434), which is being provided with the financial support of the European Commission.

    “Taking part in the Copernicus Masters gave us the chance to make some key contacts and gather valuable feedback,” said John Smedegaard, a co-founder of Ceptu, which won the CloudEO Farming Challenge in 2014. “The whole process was a huge help in advancing our idea and developing it into a commercial product through our new start-up.”

    All of the winners will be announced this fall and recognized at an awards ceremony.

    For details on this year’s prizes, partners and terms of participation, view the event website.

  • Airbus Launches WorldDEM Digital Terrain Model

    Airbus Defence and Space has launched its WorldDEM Digital Terrain Model (DTM), a highly accurate standardized representation of bare Earth elevation that can be made available for any point on the globe. This addition completes the WorldDEM portfolio, enabling Airbus Defence and Space to provide both surface and terrain elevation information in support of global customer projects.

    WorldDEM DTM can be delivered for more than 90 Million km² of the Earth’s landmass.

    The WorldDEM DTM is derived from the WorldDEM product (Digital Surface Model) by removing all man-made features and vegetation. The quality of the original WorldDEM product combined with a sophisticated editing process guarantees highly precise and consistent terrain information, Airbus said. While surface features (such as built-up areas and vegetation) are reliably removed, characteristic terrain features such as ridge lines or mountain crests are preserved.

    DTM-DSM-Airbus

    The WorldDEM DTM provides an excellent foundation layer for a wide range of applications such as civil engineering (road design, earthwork calculation), the management of natural resources (such as flood modeling), mapping (such as derivation of contour lines) as well as military mission planning (vehicle trafficability analysis, 3D terrain visualization).

     WorldDEM is based on data acquired by the high-resolution radar satellites TerraSAR-X and TanDEM-X, which started synchronous data acquisition in December 2010 and completed coverage of the Earth’s entire landmass twice over in mid-2013. The satellites covered more complex terrain areas with a third and fourth acquisition campaign to ensure consistent high quality and accuracy of the final product. WorldDEM provides the first global, single-source, high-precision Digital Surface Model and has established a new standard of global elevation models.

  • Esri, Safe Software Release Common Framework for Electrical Utilities

    Esri and Safe Software have paired to develop and openly share a Common Information Model (CIM) template for data exchange. The template demonstrates one approach to translating network data from an Esri ArcGIS database into CIM XML format. The XML can then be shared with other enterprise systems.

    “The power behind a CIM is to provide a common language to share messaging among an electric utility’s information systems,” said Bill Meehan, Esri director of utility solutions.

    The CIM comes in the wake of power industry deregulation and smart grid emergence. Utilities now share core network data more frequently than ever, and a CIM facilitates this. With a common format, a utility can share information internally across its enterprise systems, externally with other utilities, and externally with organizations such as regulators and independent system and regional transmission operators.

    A CIM is based on the International Electrotechnical Technical Commission (IEC) family of standards, IEC 61970.

    The Esri-Safe Software model also promotes faster decision making internally when data can be moved quickly from geographic information system (GIS) technology — the system of record for network data at many utilities — to destination enterprise systems, such as DMS, AMI, SCADA, OMS, and WMS, the companies said.

    Users can download the template and test CIM XML data structures with their own data or a sample dataset that Esri and Safe Software provide. “With this template, we are providing another way for electric utilities to leverage their investment in Esri technology,” Meehan said.

    The template works off of Esri’s ArcGIS (version 10.1 service pack 1 [SP1] or higher) and Safe Software’s FME software (version 2013 or higher). The sample template consists of an FME workspace; an ArcGIS Data Interoperability extract, transform and load (ETL) tool; and a sample dataset to guide users through testing how the translation process works. All the tools are provided as open source so users can adapt them to their needs.

    “Utilities can use the template as a starting point for understanding how to translate data from an Esri database to the CIM XML structure to share with other enterprise systems,” Meehan said.

    After exploring the sample dataset, users can also work to configure the template to work with their own network data.

    Download the CIM translation template on GeoNet.

  • USGS Volunteers Help with Accurate Mapping

    Screenshot of the Tennessee Law Enforcement Facility Mapping Challenge showing the more than 440 edited points (green dots). At this scale, many dots contain more than one edited or verified structure.
    Screenshot of the Tennessee Law Enforcement Facility Mapping Challenge showing the more than 440 edited points (green dots). At this scale, many dots contain more than one edited or verified structure.

    Volunteer mappers continue to make contributions to ability of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to provide accurate mapping information to the public. Recently, volunteers were asked to update all of the law enforcement structure points in Tennessee. The volunteers answered the call and added, verified, edited or deleted 440 points.

    All of the points were quality checked by either a peer reviewer or an advanced editor, so the data was ready to go into the National Geospatial Program’s web-based The National Map at the conclusion of the USGS Mapping Challenge.

    The volunteer additions and edits will be symbolized on US Topo maps during the next production cycle for Tennessee, slated for 2016.

    Mapping Challenges, conducted by the National Map Corps, ask volunteers to concentrate on specific areas and structure types that need updating. They encourage volunteers to remain engaged and incentivize participation. Once a need is determined, a call to action goes out to the volunteer corps with information on the geographic location and the type of structures that need updating. Volunteers who participate can earn a series of virtual recognition badges and are recognized on social media and the Map Corps project site.

    Using crowd-sourcing techniques, the National Map Corps encourages volunteers to collect manmade structures data in an effort to provide accurate and authoritative spatial map data for The National Map. Structures being updated include schools, hospitals, post offices, police stations and other important public buildings.  

    “At times, locating structures seems similar to solving puzzles or detective work,” commented fconely, a Challenge veteran and one of the project’s more active participants.

    Tools on TNMCorps project site explain how a volunteer can edit any area, regardless of their familiarity with the selected structures. Volunteers can register by going to The National Map Corps Editor.

    The most recent status graphic showing the number and density of The National Map Corp submitted edits or verification for the past three years.
    The most recent status graphic showing the number and density of The National Map Corp submitted edits or verification for the past three years.

  • Dude Solutions Purchases GIS Provider Mobile311

    Dude Solutions Inc., a software-as-a-service (SaaS) provider of operations management solutions, has acquired Mobile311, a GIS and mobile mapping solution provider. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

    The Mobile311 acquisition allows Dude Solutions to address the growing requirements of state and local governments, particularly those with public works needs, as well as universities and other entities that manage spatial and distributed assets, Dude Solutions said. Dude Solutions will now offer a comprehensive web-based and mobile operations solution that enables these organizations to more effectively manage both their facilities as well as assets at-large.

    “Mobile311 has built a powerful, patent-pending GIS and mobile application that aids in spatial and linear asset management — along with a growing client base,” said Kent Hudson, CEO of Dude Solutions, Inc. “Previously, spatial asset management software has been reserved for the largest cities and counties and, with this acquisition, Dude Solutions is democratizing GIS technology for any size local government client as it has with cloud-based facility management solutions.”

    Dude Solutions will offer Mobile311 GIS tools that extend the power of Dude Solutions’ offerings into clients’ spatial asset management programs. Mobile311 clients will have access to Dude Solutions’ innovations and product delivery and support. The platform allows mobile workers to access work orders and other critical geographic data in the field while giving supervisors additional reporting and analytical insights for increased efficiency.

    “There is a growing movement to utilize the power of mobile to better manage the complexities of operational asset management. With this acquisition, together we can provide the very best mobile GIS and mapping product in the market combined with Dude Solutions world-class delivery and support,” said Chuck Wright, president of Mobile311. “Building on our collective knowledge base of the operational must-haves for success, the combined organization will be a powerhouse in the marketplace.”

    Mobile311 is Dude Solutions’ second acquisition since it announced a growth investment of up to $100 million from Warburg Pincus, a global private equity firm focused on growth investing, in February 2014. The Mobile311 team has joined Dude Solutions and will now operate from Dude Solutions’ headquarters in Cary, N.C. In March, Dude Solutions acquired Windmill Software.

  • Epson Unveils 17-Inch Wide Professional Printer

    The Epson SureColor P800 printer.
    The Epson SureColor P800 printer.

    Epson has announced the SureColor P800 printer, which it says represents a new benchmark in photographic print quality. Designed for professional use, the SureColor P800 is a full 17-inch wide borderless printer with Epson MicroPiezo AMC printhead technology. Leveraging an all-new Epson UltraChrome HD eight-color pigment ink set, the SureColor P800 is capable of producing the next generation of color and black-and-white prints, Epson said.

    “We understand how important it is for our printers to produce exceptional output that not only accurately conveys a photographer’s vision, but also delivers on the promise of longevity,” said Larry Kaufman, product manager, Professional Imaging, Epson America. “The SureColor P800 redefines the 17-inch photographic printing market, providing robust photo, fine art and canvas media handling capabilities, all focused on delivering stunning exhibition-quality prints that stand the test of time.”

    The SureColor P800 features advanced media handling, including a sheet feeder for photo or matte media, and a front-in and front-out paper path for printing on thicker fine art papers and poster board. An optional 17-inch wide roll paper adapter is ideal for canvas and longer print lengths of up to 10 feet for creating panoramas. Along with individual 80 ml high-capacity ink cartridges, the SureColor P800 is designed for professional use at home or in the studio.

    Details on the SureColor P800
    The SureColor P800 offers these features:

    • UltraChrome HD Ink: Pigment ink technology delivers outstanding color with improved black density and print permanence.
    • Professional Features: Advanced black-and-white print mode for professional-level neutral or toned black-and-white prints.
    • True Productivity with High-Capacity Ink Cartridges: Nine 80 ml ink cartridges with auto-switching photo and matte black ink.
    • Advanced Media Handling up to 17-Inches Wide: Print on fine art and roll papers and create panoramas more than 10 feet long; front-in and front-out paper path for media and poster board up to 1.5 mm thick and optional rear-mounted 2 or 3-inch core roll feeders.
    • Modern Case Design: Professional look and feel; compact printer design optimized for desktop placement.
    • Connectivity: USB 2.0, Ethernet, Wireless N, Wi-Fi Direct, Apple AirPrint and Google Cloud Print support.

    The SureColor P800 will be available for purchase in June through authorized resellers; pricing follows:

    Epson SureColor P800

    $1,295.00 MSRP

    Optional Roll Paper Adapter

    $199.95 MSRP

    UltraChrome HD 80 ml Ink Cartridge

    $59.95 MSRP

    The printer is supported by a one-year, whole-unit-exchange, limited warranty plan, and specialized technical support staff.

     

  • Navitel Map of Vietnam Now Available

    Navitel’s navigation map of Vietnam is now available for purchase.

    The map of Vietnam has been developed in cooperation with DDG Technology JSC, a provider of cartographic solutions for navigation in Vietnam.

    The map contains 325,972 kilometers of road graph, 147,255 Points Of Interest (POI) and 86,370 settlements. Coupled with the address search in residential and industrial areas of settlements, the map includes the detailed road network with streets, directions, interchanges, roundabouts and other important road information.

    The map contains 10 three-dimensional POI, including St. Joseph’s Cathedral, the VNPT Tower, the Vimeco tower block, Diamond Plaza, Kumho Asiana Plaza, the Petrovietnam Tower and more.

  • New Point Cloud Capability Featured in SimActive V6.1

    SimActive Inc., a developer of photogrammetry software, has released Correlator3D version 6.1, now with point cloud generation.

    The new feature builds on SimActive’s autocorrelation techniques using the GPU. Point clouds are generated in parallel with digital surface models (DSMs), with virtually no added processing time. As with previous versions, digital terrain models (DTMs) can also be automatically extracted in a matter of seconds.

    “Although the DSM remains the de-facto deliverable for all mapping projects, an increase in interest from our UAV users led to the added functionality,” said Louis Simard, CTO of SimActive. “This further solidifies Correlator3D as a one-stop solution.”

    For a demonstration, sign up for the next SimActive Webinar, or send an email to [email protected].

     

  • FAA Summary Grants Speed UAS Exemptions

    The “summary grant” process the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) used last week to issue 30 Section 333 unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) exemptions is an example of how the agency is using a flexible regulatory approach to accommodate this rapidly evolving technology, according to a news statement from the FAA.

    The new approach will speed up Section 333 exemption approvals for many commercial UAS operators, the FAA said. Section 333 is the part of the 2012 FAA reauthorization law that lets the Secretary of Transportation determine if certain low-risk UAS operations can be authorized before finalizing the small UAS proposed rule published in February.

    Although the FAA still reviews each Section 333 petition individually, the agency can issue a summary grant when it finds it has already granted a previous exemption similar to the new request. Summary grants are far more efficient because the FAA doesn’t need to repeat the analysis performed for the original exemption on which they are based. Summary grants are a tool the FAA can use in all exemption areas, not just UAS. 

    The FAA’s experience in reviewing the Section 333 petitions shows they generally fall into two categories: film/television production and aerial data collection. Most exemptions in these categories will likely be handled through the summary grant process. For unique requests, the agency will still publish the petition in the Federal Register for public comment and will conduct a detailed analysis.

    The FAA also made two other changes to the Section 333 exemption process last week:

    • The agency now allows operations under these exemptions by people who hold a recreational or sport pilot certificate. Previously, Section 333 operators were required to have at least a private pilot certificate. The newly added certificates are easier to obtain, and therefore less costly, than a private pilot certificate.
    • A third-class medical certificate is no longer required. Now, a Section 333 operator only needs a valid driver’s license to satisfy the medical requirement. This change is consistent with the agency’s approach for sport pilot certificate holders, who may fly light sport aircraft with a driver’s license and no FAA medical certificate.  

    For more information on the FAA and UAS, go to http://www.faa.gov/uas

    Brian Wynne, president and CEO of the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI), applauded the change. “For months, AUVSI has advocated for a more streamlined process for Section 333 exemptions that will help more industries realize the benefits of UAS technology,” Wynne said. ” The FAA’s new summary grant process is a step in the right direction that cuts through the red tape while making it easier for operators to fly UAS. We applaud the agency for lifting unnecessary restrictions and enabling more commercial uses of the technology in a safe and responsible manner.”