GPS World

Tag: GIS

  • Trimble Adds Unmanned Aircraft System to Ag Portfolio for Aerial Mapping

    Trimble UX5 Mapping UAS
    Trimble UX5 Mapping UAS

    Trimble has added its Trimble UX5 unmanned aircraft system (UAS) to its agriculture product portfolio for aerial imaging and mapping. The Trimble UX5 system can enable ag service providers to capture aerial images for scouting and monitoring crop health such as detecting pests, weeds and nitrogen deficiencies.

    The system also can locate cattle and their available forage over large areas, measure crop height, and generate topographic maps and models for land leveling and drainage applications.

    As a result, the system provides farmers’ advisors — agronomists, Trimble resellers, and other ag service providers — with a powerful data collection tool that can aid with recommendations to improve farming operations.

    The UX5 system flies at 80 kilometers/hour (50 mph) and is stable in significant crosswinds and light rain. In a single 50-minute flight, the system can cover a two square kilometer (0.8 square mile) area at five centimeter (two-inch) image resolution. It comes with a camera modified to capture the near-infrared spectrum, which helps in deducing vegetation indexes for crop health assessment. The UX5 system can capture a variety of images to be processed post flight. The output of a single flight provides geo-referenced precision images, a digital surface model (DSM) showing elevations as a color image, and a dense 3D point cloud that includes elevations.

    “The addition of the Trimble UX5 system strengthens our agriculture product portfolio and enables us to provide a solution that benefits a broad range of customers including growers, ranchers, water management contractors, agronomists and other ag service providers,” said Joe Denniston, vice president of Trimble’s Agriculture Division. “High-speed aerial imaging is a powerful tool that can quickly and easily locate problem areas to be addressed. The faster a problem area is discovered, the better the chance it can be evaluated and resolved before crop yield is impacted.”

    Trimble provides training for system operators and their observers, which focuses on safety precautions and the application of the Trimble UX5 system for maximum success. The Trimble UX5 system is available from authorized agriculture distribution partners and is subject to regulations and restrictions defined by local civil aviation authorities. Unmanned aircraft systems are not allowed to be flown in some regions or for certain applications.

  • New U.S. Topo Maps for Idaho, New Mexico, Feature Public Land Survey System

    2013 U.S. Topo quadrangle, with orthoimage off.
    2013 U.S. Topo quadrangle, with orthoimage off.

    The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with other federal agencies, has posted new Idaho U.S. Topo quadrangles (1,193) and New Mexico quads (1,980 maps), which include the Public Land Survey System (PLSS). These are added to the growing list of states west of the Mississippi River to have PLSS data added to U.S. Topo maps.

    The PLSS is a way of subdividing and describing land in the United States. All lands in the public domain are subject to subdivision by this rectangular system of surveys, which is regulated by the U.S. Department of the Interior. Other selected states will begin getting PLSS map data during the next respective revision cycle.

    The new design for U.S. Topo maps improves readability of maps for online and printed use, while retaining the look and feel of the traditional USGS topo map. Map symbols are easy to read when the digital aerial photograph layer imagery is turned on.

    Santa Fe, New Mexico 2013 US Topo quadrangle, showing PLSS data with contour, orthoimage and woodland layers off. Note: "US Topo maps are not legal documents. The PLSS information shown on these maps is for general reference purposes only, and should not be used to determine legal boundaries or land ownership. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is the authoritative source for PLSS information at the federal level, and the US Topo representation is derived from BLM GIS data files. The management of these data is not completely uniform throughout the country."
    Santa Fe, New Mexico 2013 U.S. Topo quadrangle, showing PLSS data with contour, orthoimage and woodland layers off. Note: “US Topo maps are not legal documents. The PLSS information shown on these maps is for general reference purposes only, and should not be used to determine legal boundaries or land ownership. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is the authoritative source for PLSS information at the federal level, and the US Topo representation is derived from BLM GIS data files. The management of these data is not completely uniform throughout the country.

    “It is a privilege to support production of the U.S. Topo maps, as I am an extensive user of these products,” said Kristin Fishburn, a geographer with the USGS. “The capability to turn layers on and off combined with the continuous enhancements in content makes the maps particularly useful for a recreational user. I’m excited to peruse the new Idaho and New Mexico maps.”

    Other re-design enhancements and new features include:

    • New shaded relief layer for enhanced view of the terrain
    • Military installation boundaries, post offices and cemeteries
    • New road classification
    • A slight screening (transparency) has been applied to some features to enhance visibility of multiple competing layers
    • New PDF legend attachment
    • Metadata formatted to support multiple browsers

    U.S. Topo maps are created from geographic datasets in The National Map, and deliver visible content such as high-resolution aerial photography, which was not available on older paper-based topographic maps. The new maps provide modern technical advantages that support wider and faster public distribution and on-screen geographic analysis tools for users.

    The digital topographic maps are PDF documents with geospatial extensions (GeoPDF) image software format and may be viewed using Adobe Reader, available as a no-cost download.

    These new quads replace the first-edition U.S. Topo maps for Idaho and New Mexico. The replaced maps will be added to the USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection, which are also available for free download from The National Map and the USGS Map Locator & Downloader website.

    US Topo maps are updated every three years. The initial round of the 48 conterminous state coverage was completed in September of 2012.  Hawaii and Puerto Rico maps have recently been added. More than 400 new US Topo maps for Alaska have been added to the USGS Map Locator & Downloader, but will take several years to complete.

  • Financial Results for Nokia HERE Show Growth

    Nokia has released its financial results for the fourth quarter and the full year 2013, which show growth for its HERE division, formerly known as Navteq.

    In the fourth quarter 2013, HERE had sales of new vehicle licenses of 3.2 million units, compared to 2.4 million units in the fourth quarter 2012 and 2.6 million units in the third quarter 2013. On a year-on-year basis, unit sales to vehicle customers increased primarily due to higher vehicle sales and higher consumer uptake of in-vehicle navigation.

    Sales to vehicle customers represented well over 50% of external HERE net sales in the fourth quarter of 2013, as well as in the fourth quarter of 2012 and the third quarter of 2013.

    The automotive success was partially offset by lower sales to personal navigation device (PND) customers. External sales for PNDs went up 10 percent, from €204 million in the fourth quarter of 2012 to €225 in the fourth quarter of 2013.

    HERE total sales decreased from €278 million to €254 million (10 percent), which Nokia said is because of the fast decline of internal sales (such as navigation and maps found in Nokia devices). Sales were €74 million at the end of 2012, compared to only €29 million for the end of 2013.

  • App Divides up Tree Stem for Loggers

    Corvallis Microtechnology, Inc., has released its Virtual Tree Bucking application software for use on an iPAD, iPhone or iPod touch device.

    When segmenting a tree stem into log products, the important question to ask is how to maximize the income from the stem, the company explained. In some cases, it will be more profitable to divide the tree into a saw log segment and a pulpwood segment. In other cases, it may make more sense to sell the entire stem as pulpwood and not bother cutting it up. The logger will usually rely on past experience and also do some calculations to figure out the best way to utilize the tree stem for the current market. When there is the possibility of getting three different log products out of the same stem, the decision can be difficult to make.

    The Virtual Tree Bucking app will help remove some of the guesswork. It will let the user set up the log merchandise grades, conversion factors and prices by volume or by weight. Before actually cutting up the stem, the user can divide up the stem on the screen of this app and try various scenarios to view the yield of wood quantity and potential revenue for each case. The user may enter up to three products per stem and the app will report the volume/weight and value for each log as well as the sum total for the stem.

    The app provides the option to save the reported results to a PDF file for later review. It will work with both Metric and English units.

    Also included are functions for precisely adding points, lines and areas to the screen, the ability to measure distances and areas as well as the ability to locate a point by address or by coordinates.

    The app comes with a detailed built-in help document. It is available at the Apple App Store.

    Photos: Corvallis Microtechnology, Inc.

  • TerraGo Unveils New Version of Geospatial Collaboration Software

    TerraGo, a provider of location intelligence solutions, has released v.6.0.4 of its geospatial collaboration software, including TerraGo Publisher, TerraGo Composer and TerraGo Toolbar. It is hosting a webinar on January 30 to demonstrate key capabilities.

    The latest release includes features that improve the user experience, introduce new field data collection capabilities, and provide enhanced support for Esri ArcGIS v.10.1 and v.10.2.

    According to Chief Technology Officer George Demmy, “Our software enhancements are designed to simplify the way ArcGIS users share products derived from their work and analysis with the people who consume them, anywhere they might be, and to make it simple and intuitive for those end users to analyze and update those products and even contribute their own observations without specialized software or training.”

    With a strategic group of partners, including systems integrators and software providers, and more than 1,000 global customers, including those in defense and intelligence, crisis response, transportation and natural resources, TerraGo solutions enable organizations to discover, integrate and deliver location intelligence to the edge of the enterprise and back, the company said.

  • Esri Publishes Interactive Map of World University Rankings 2013-2014

    In association with Times Higher Education, Esri published an interactive map of world university rankings for the school year 2013-2014. Click on the image below to view the map.

    WorldUniversity

  • Supergeo Releases SuperGIS Desktop 3.2

    SuperGIS32

    Supergeo has released SuperGIS Desktop 3.2.

    According to a company announcement, SuperGIS Desktop 3.2  integrates abundant GIS tools to offer GIS users from various domains a professional platform for geoprocessing and analyzing, displaying, editing, managing, and querying spatial data faster and easier. With 3.2, SuperGIS Desktop supports Multiple Map Frames and Feature Guided Pages to print and display regional and detailed data of each feature on the map for facilitating outputting of designed map.

    A Land Parcel Editor has been added into SuperGIS Desktop 3.2; hence, cadastral map administrators can easily edit and manage cadastral data in special formats.

    SuperGIS Desktop 3.2 focuses on improving map analysis, editing and management functions, and supports Multiple Map Frames to help users effectively and simultaneously process and analyze spatial data in different extents.

    For add-ons, Georeferencing Tool and OGC add-on, built in to SuperGIS Desktop 3.2, are also improved so that users can manipulate the functions more intuitively and easily.

    For more product information and to download the newest trial, visit the Supergeo website.

  • Samsung Introduces Galaxy NotePRO and TabPRO Series

    Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. unveiled the Samsung Galaxy NotePRO and TabPRO line of tablets. The  devices include the Galaxy NotePRO (12.2-inch) and TabPRO (12.2, 10.1, 8.4-inch). SamsungTabPRO12

    “We created the Galaxy NotePRO and TabPRO series to kick-off a year in which Samsung truly establishes its leadership in the tablet market,” said JK Shin, CEO and President of IT & Mobile Division, Samsung Electronics. “This new line offers the best-in-class content consumption and productivity, combining a stunning viewing experience with Samsung’s design legacy. The Samsung Galaxy NotePRO and TabPRO truly demonstrate our commitment to providing our customers with extraordinarily versatile product offerings, tailored to tablet users of every description.”

    SamsungTabPROAccording to the announcement, the new lineup provides users with an extraordinary display and a matching feature set. The Samsung Galaxy NotePRO and TabPRO combine a crystal-clear, WQXGA display, powerful productivity tools, and unique features with preloaded and free downloadable content.

    The Samsung Galaxy NotePRO and TabPRO present the world’s first 12.2-inch WQXGA Widescreen (16:10) display, offering crystal clear resolution (2560×1600) with more than 4 million pixels. With a larger viewing area, the defined screen allows users to enjoy stunning full HD video play and more information at a glance.

    A personalized Magazine UX, specifically optimized for a large screen, allows users to tailor their Galaxy tablet experience for their own needs. The UX enables them to organize their favorite content in an easy-to-use dashboard with automatic feed or news updates and then quickly access the most frequently used apps for a more comfortable reading experience. By utilizing a screen size comparable to traditional magazine-sized material, content is easier to view in its original format when reading digital magazines or e-books.

    The Samsung Galaxy NotePRO and TabPRO (12.2) come equipped with a variety of productivity tools to help users to manage both their personal and professional lives.

    Multi Window enables users to split the screen up into four different windows. An Virtual Keyboard provides them with enough space to type comfortably, leveraging haptic feedback to produce a more realistic typing experience.

    The Samsung S Pen included with the Galaxy NotePRO delivers a responsive tablet experience with access to features such as Action Memo, Scrapbook, Screen Write and S Finder. In addition, Pen Window enables users to draw a window of any size on the screen, and instantly access unique in-application features such as YouTube or a calculator.

    Users can easily access and control their home or office PC directly through their Galaxy NotePRO or TabPRO with Remote PC in order to seamlessly edit and save files remotely.

    The Galaxy NotePRO and TabPRO come pre-loaded with Cisco WebEx Meetings platform, a web conferencing solution. Users can share anything on their screen as well as starting a WebEx meeting from contact list. Samsung e-Meeting provides collaboration capabilities by giving users the ability to share content during a meeting without having to access a central server or network.

    The Samsung Galaxy NotePRO and TabPRO line will come in various connectivity options: WiFi Only, WiFi and 3G, or WiFi and LTE. Users can choose between the 12.2-inch Galaxy NotePRO that comes with an included S Pen, and the 12.2-inch Galaxy TabPRO, Galaxy TabPRO 10.1-inch and 8.4-inch without the S Pen.

    The following optional accessories are also available for purchase with the Galaxy NotePRO and TabPRO: Various Book Covers, USB LAN HUB, Universal BT Keyboard and S Action Mouse (accessories may vary by product model).

    The Samsung Galaxy NotePRO and TabPRO tablet line will be offered globally and will be available starting from Q1, 2014.

    Photos: Samsung

  • Samsung Introduces Galaxy NotePRO and TabPRO Series

    Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. unveiled the Samsung Galaxy NotePRO and TabPRO line of tablets. The  devices include the Galaxy NotePRO (12.2-inch) and TabPRO (12.2, 10.1, 8.4-inch). SamsungTabPRO12

    “We created the Galaxy NotePRO and TabPRO series to kick-off a year in which Samsung truly establishes its leadership in the tablet market,” said JK Shin, CEO and President of IT & Mobile Division, Samsung Electronics. “This new line offers the best-in-class content consumption and productivity, combining a stunning viewing experience with Samsung’s design legacy. The Samsung Galaxy NotePRO and TabPRO truly demonstrate our commitment to providing our customers with extraordinarily versatile product offerings, tailored to tablet users of every description.”

    SamsungTabPROAccording to the announcement, the new lineup provides users with an extraordinary display and a matching feature set. The Samsung Galaxy NotePRO and TabPRO combine a crystal-clear, WQXGA display, powerful productivity tools, and unique features with preloaded and free downloadable content.

    The Samsung Galaxy NotePRO and TabPRO present the world’s first 12.2-inch WQXGA Widescreen (16:10) display, offering crystal clear resolution (2560×1600) with more than 4 million pixels. With a larger viewing area, the defined screen allows users to enjoy stunning full HD video play and more information at a glance.

    A personalized Magazine UX, specifically optimized for a large screen, allows users to tailor their Galaxy tablet experience for their own needs. The UX enables them to organize their favorite content in an easy-to-use dashboard with automatic feed or news updates and then quickly access the most frequently used apps for a more comfortable reading experience. By utilizing a screen size comparable to traditional magazine-sized material, content is easier to view in its original format when reading digital magazines or e-books.

    The Samsung Galaxy NotePRO and TabPRO (12.2) come equipped with a variety of productivity tools to help users to manage both their personal and professional lives.

    Multi Window enables users to split the screen up into four different windows. An Virtual Keyboard provides them with enough space to type comfortably, leveraging haptic feedback to produce a more realistic typing experience.

    The Samsung S Pen included with the Galaxy NotePRO delivers a responsive tablet experience with access to features such as Action Memo, Scrapbook, Screen Write and S Finder. In addition, Pen Window enables users to draw a window of any size on the screen, and instantly access unique in-application features such as YouTube or a calculator.

    Users can easily access and control their home or office PC directly through their Galaxy NotePRO or TabPRO with Remote PC in order to seamlessly edit and save files remotely.

    The Galaxy NotePRO and TabPRO come pre-loaded with Cisco WebEx Meetings platform, a web conferencing solution. Users can share anything on their screen as well as starting a WebEx meeting from contact list. Samsung e-Meeting provides collaboration capabilities by giving users the ability to share content during a meeting without having to access a central server or network.

    The Samsung Galaxy NotePRO and TabPRO line will come in various connectivity options: WiFi Only, WiFi and 3G, or WiFi and LTE. Users can choose between the 12.2-inch Galaxy NotePRO that comes with an included S Pen, and the 12.2-inch Galaxy TabPRO, Galaxy TabPRO 10.1-inch and 8.4-inch without the S Pen.

    The following optional accessories are also available for purchase with the Galaxy NotePRO and TabPRO: Various Book Covers, USB LAN HUB, Universal BT Keyboard and S Action Mouse (accessories may vary by product model).

    The Samsung Galaxy NotePRO and TabPRO tablet line will be offered globally and will be available starting from Q1, 2014.

    Photos: Samsung

  • Panasonic Unveils Rugged 7-Inch Tablet

    Panasonic has introduced the latest member of its Toughpad family. Panasonic said the Toughpad FZ-M1 is the thinnest  and lightest  rugged 7-inch fanless tablet with a fourth–generation Intel  Core  i5 processor available today. Running Windows 8.1 Pro, the Toughpad FZ-M1 is designed for enterprise and government environments. With a broad range of configuration options available, it can be customized to meet the unique needs of mobile professionals in markets such as field services and sales, retail, supply chain and logistics, and government. ToughPadFZM1

    “Most tablets on the market today are designed to be ‘good enough’ to meet most users’ needs. But ‘good enough’ won’t cut it for a large portion of the mobile workforce, who need tools they can depend on in challenging conditions to get the job done without compromise,” said Rance Poehler, president, Panasonic System Communications Company of North America. “The Toughpad FZ-M1 is built for those workers. Its highly portable and compact size, power, connectivity and configuration options, and sheer toughness make it the ideal tablet to connect mission-critical workers of all types with the data they need to do their jobs at any time.”

    According to the announcement, the Toughpad FZ-M1 is designed to improve productivity and efficiency in a host of professional scenarios, including customer service, inventory management and asset tracking, maintenance, eForms, route delivery, eCitations, electronic medical records, inspections, mobile point-of-sales and geographic information system (GIS). Unlike many consumer tablets and other competitive products, the Toughpad FZ-M1 is built for easy integration into existing IT infrastructures and for smooth deployments and ongoing support. The device also delivers organizations with better and longer life cycle management that means a lower total cost of ownership, saving time and resources.

    The Toughpad FZ-M1 is powered by the new 4th generation Intel Core i5 vPro processor, providing enterprise-class performance on the go with unique hardware enhanced security features, remote manageability and capabilities designed to increase end user productivity and data protection. An Intel Bay Trail-M processor model will also be available for cost-sensitive applications.

    Its user-replaceable battery delivers eight hours of uninterrupted work, with quick-charging technology that reaches 100% capacity in just two and a half hours. An optional high capacity battery delivers 16 hours of power, and an optional bridge battery enables users to switch out batteries without powering down the device, providing for virtually unlimited use.

    At 1.2 lbs. and 0.7″ thin for the standard configuration, the Toughpad FZ-M1 is the world’s lightest* and thinnest* tablet in its class. Its fully-rugged design is tested to meet MIL-STD-810G specifications for drops (up to 5 feet), shock, vibration, altitude, humidity and extreme temperatures. The FZ-M1 is the first rugged 7-inch 4th generation Intel  Core  i5 tablet with a fanless design, allowing it to easily meet IP65 standards for rain and dust. The tablet has also been submitted for ANSI 12.12.1 certification (Class1, Div2) for use in incendiary environments.

    Display Designed For Mobile Workers
    The Toughpad FZ-M1’s 7-inch, 500 nit, daylight-readable WXGA display features an anti-reflective screen treatment, making it ideal for outdoor use. Its high-sensitivity capacitive, 10-point multi-touch screen can even be used with thick industrial-type gloves. An optional stylus is available for signature capture and similar applications.

    Highly Configurable
    The Toughpad FZ-M1 offers a broad range of configuration options, allowing organizations to customize the ideal tool for their workforces. Configuration options include dedicated GPS, Barcode reader, Ethernet or serial port; and a choice of near field communications (NFC), SmartCard reader, UHF radio-frequency identification (RFID) (up to 10 ft. range), or Magnetic Stripe reader. Additionally, the Toughpad FZ-M1 is the first rugged 7-inch tablet on the market offering 4G LTE multi-carrier embedded wireless broadband connectivity, enabling IT administrators to switch carriers via software to select the best 4G LTE carrier for their workers for any geographic area.

    Toughpad FZ-M1: Key Features

    • High-Performance Processing Power: 4th generation Intel  Core  i5 vPro processor, or an Intel Bay Trail-M processor (available Summer 2014)
    • Operating System: Windows 8.1 Pro 64-bit with Windows 7 Professional downgrade option available
    • Durability: MIL-STD-810G, 5′ drop, IP65 fully sealed fanless design
    • Screen: 7-inch daylight-readable WXGA display (1280×800); high-sensitivity 10-point capacitive multitouch input, with an optional Stylus pen
    • Storage & Memory: 128GB SSD (256GB SSD option available) with 8 GB RAM (Intel  Core  i5 vPro processor model)
    • Connectivity & I/O: Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC7260 Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth v4.0 (Class 1), USB 3.0, micro SDXC card slot, docking connector, optional 4G LTE multi-carrier embedded wireless broadband. Other options include dedicated GPS, Barcode reader, Ethernet, serial port, and choice of near field communications (NFC), SmartCard reader, UHF radio-frequency identification (RFID) reader (up to 10 ft. range), or Magnetic Stripe reader
    • Lightweight Portability: 1.2 lbs., 0.7″ thin (standard configuration)
    • Battery: 8 hours per MobileMark 2007 testing (user-replaceable); optional hot swap bridge battery and high capacity battery (16 hours) available
    • Camera: 720P built-in front camera with mic; 5MP rear camera with auto focus and LED light
    • Security: Enterprise-class security features include encryption, IPsec VPN, trusted boot and root protection
    • Warranty: The Toughpad FZ-M1 is backed by the industry’s most comprehensive 3-year warranty and U.S.-based customer support

    For a full list of specifications and more detailed information on the Toughpad FZ-M1, visit http://www.PanasonicToughpad.com.

    As with other Toughpad models, Panasonic will offer a full set of enterprise-grade accessories to support the Toughpad FZ-M1, including cases, mounts, printers, keyboards and multi-unit storage and charging solutions.

    Pricing and Availability
    The Toughpad FZ-M1 Intel Core i5 vPro processor model will be available in early spring 2014 at a street price of $2,099.

    All Toughpad tablets can be purchased through authorized Panasonic resellers.

  • Important Deprecation Announcement for ArcGIS 10.1 and the 10.2.1 Release

    Esri announced, via blog, their deprecation plan for ArcGIS 10.1. According to the announcement, at each release, Esri assesses if there are any platforms (operating systems, databases, development environments, or hardware) that are at the end of their supportability. Additionally, it reports that it reviews technology to see if any of the newer functionality has superseded older functionality. In either case, Esri tries to give as much advanced notice as possible for any changes in supported platforms or functionality through our Deprecation Plan documents.

    Esri said that given the pace in the change of technology, it has been fairly conservative in what it deprecates (that is, recommends that a software feature, characteristic, or practice should be avoided, typically because it is being superseded). However, with the update to the Deprecation Plan for ArcGIS 10.1 and 10.2, plus the release of ArcGIS 10.2.1, it says it has a number of items that need to be deprecated. Esri says that many of these changes have been a long time coming (for both platforms and functionality); and also noted upcoming plans to give early notice for software that will eventually be impacted.

    With the ArcGIS 10.2.1 update to the Deprecation Plan, the pattern is changing from a once-a-year release format to new updates with every release. The Deprecation Plan is also expanding to cover apps, mobile, and ArcGIS Runtime SDK products.

    Following are some of the major changes reported by Esri:

    • There will not be a release of the ArcGIS Runtime SDKs at 10.2.1.
    • ArcGIS 10.2.1 will be the last release that supports Microsoft Windows XP and Windows Vista for ArcGIS for Server, ArcGIS for Desktop, ArcGIS Engine, ArcGIS Reader, and Runtime SDK (for Java and WPF).
    • ArcGIS 10.2.1 will be the last release that supports Microsoft Windows Server 2003 and Windows Server 2003 R2 for ArcGIS for Server, ArcGIS for Desktop, ArcGIS Engine, ArcGIS Reader, and Runtime SDK (for Java and WPF).
    • The ArcGIS 10.2 series of releases (ArcGIS 10.2, 10.2.1, and 10.2.2) will be the last releases that include the ArcSDE command line tools.
    • The ArcGIS 10.2 series of releases (ArcGIS 10.2, 10.2.1, and 10.2.2) will be the last releases that include the ArcSDE application server.

    For updated information on the company’s deprecation plans, refer to the following link: Deprecation Plan for ArcGIS 10.1 and ArcGIS 10.2.1. (This deprecation plan is also linked from a technical article in the Esri Support Knowledge Base.)

     

  • senseFly Releases Tech Using Drones to Take Oblique Images

    senseFly-oblique-imagery3

    senseFly’s drones eBee and swinglet CAM, both designed for mapping missions, are now also capable of quickly taking oblique images to complement a mapping project or add additional documentation.

    This patent-pending technology is based on a proprietary control algorithm that takes oblique images of photo targets without the need of a camera gimbal, enabling senseFly’s ultralight mapping drones to take aerial shots with an up to 45-degree inclination from the photo target.

    The algorithms running on board the drone’s autopilot automatically place and orient the drone based on the defined image resolution and inclination (0-45°) selected by the operator. The drone then adapts its trajectory according to local wind and target altitude.

    Having a system that positions the camera autonomously with respect to the photo target enables senseFly’s drone systems to take precise oblique images without the need for live video feedback or a camera gimbal.

    As these new techniques do not require any hardware changes, this ability is freely available to the community of eBee and swinglet CAM (late 2012 model) users with the new release of eMotion 2.2.

    Beside creating stunning visuals, senseFly’s latest release of Postflight Terra 3D will enable users to go one step further and add these oblique images to a standard mapping flight, adding visibility to facades and vertical surfaces.