GPS World

Tag: technology

  • Copernicus Sentinel-3B delivers first images

    News from the European Space Agency

    Less than two weeks after it was launched, the Copernicus Sentinel-3B satellite has delivered its first images of Earth. Exceeding expectations, this first set of images include the sunset over Antarctica, sea ice in the Arctic and a view of northern Europe.

    One of the Copernicus Sentinel-3B’s first images featured Greenland. Captured on May 7, 2018, at 13:20 GMT (15:20 CEST), the image shows sea ice swirled into eddies caused by the wind and ocean currents. The image was taken by the satellite’s ocean and land colour Instrument, which features 21 distinct bands, a resolution of 300 m and a swath width of 1270 km. The instrument can be used to monitor aquatic biological productivity and marine pollution, and over land it can be used to monitor the health of vegetation. (Image: ESA)
    One of the Copernicus Sentinel-3B’s first images featured Greenland. Captured on May 7, 2018, at 13:20 GMT (15:20 CEST), the image shows sea ice swirled into eddies caused by the wind and ocean currents. The image was taken by the satellite’s ocean and land colour Instrument, which features 21 distinct bands, a resolution of 300 m and a swath width of 1270 km. The instrument can be used to monitor aquatic biological productivity and marine pollution, and over land it can be used to monitor the health of vegetation. (Image: ESA)

    The very first image, captured on May 7 at 10:33 GMT (12:33 CEST), shows the transition between day and night over the Weddell Sea in Antarctica. The satellite also captured swirls of sea ice off Greenland on the same day. Another in this first set of images offers a rare cloud-free view of northern Europe.

    They were taken by the satellite’s ocean and land colour instrument, which features 21 distinct bands, a resolution of 300 m and a swath width of 1270 km. The instrument can be used to monitor aquatic biological productivity and marine pollution, and over land it can be used to monitor the health of vegetation.

    Josef Aschbacher, ESA’s Director of Earth Observation Programmes, said, “The launch of Sentinel-3B completed the first batch of Sentinels that we are delivering for Copernicus.

    “We finished the launch and early orbit phase in a record time and we are now getting on with the task of commissioning the satellite for service.

    “These first images from the ocean and land colour instrument already show how the satellite is set to play its role in providing a stream of high-quality environmental data to improve lives, boost the economy and protect our world.”

    The Copernicus Sentinel-3B satellite captured this rare cloud-free view of Northern Europe on May 8, 2018, at 09:33 GMT (11:33 CEST). Features over land and water can been seen clearly such as different types of land cover, snow and also a plume of phytoplankton in the North Sea. The image was taken by the satellite’s ocean and land color Instrument. (Image: ESA)
    The Copernicus Sentinel-3B satellite captured this rare cloud-free view of Northern Europe on May 8, 2018, at 09:33 GMT (11:33 CEST). Features over land and water can been seen clearly such as different types of land cover, snow and also a plume of phytoplankton in the North Sea. The image was taken by the satellite’s ocean and land color Instrument. (Image: ESA)

    The Sentinel-3B satellite lifted off from Russia on 25 April and joins it identical twin, Sentinel-3A, in orbit. This pairing of satellites increases coverage and data delivery for the European Union’s Copernicus environment programme.

    As the workhorse mission for Copernicus, the two satellites carry the same suite of instruments to systematically measure Earth’s oceans, land, ice and atmosphere.

    Over oceans, it measures the temperature, colour and height of the sea surface as well as the thickness of sea ice. These measurements are used, for example, to monitor changes in Earth’s climate and for more hands-on applications such as for monitoring marine pollution.

    Over land, this innovative mission monitors wildfires, maps the way land is used, checks vegetation health and measures the height of rivers and lakes.

    European Commissioner for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs Elzbieta Bienkowska, said, “This new satellite will deliver valuable images of how our oceans and land are changing.

    “This will not only speed up the response to natural disasters, but also create new business opportunities. Earth observation is a larger market than you would think – a driver for research discoveries, a provider of highly skilled jobs and a developer of innovative services and applications.”

    One of the Copernicus Sentinel-3B’s first images featured Greenland. Captured on May 7, 2018, at 13:20 GMT (15:20 CEST), the image shows sea ice swirled into eddies caused by the wind and ocean currents, and was taken by the satellite’s ocean and land color Instrument. (Image: ESA)
    One of the Copernicus Sentinel-3B’s first images featured Greenland. Captured on May 7, 2018, at 13:20 GMT (15:20 CEST), the image shows sea ice swirled into eddies caused by the wind and ocean currents, and was taken by the satellite’s ocean and land color Instrument. (Image: ESA)

    Bruno Berruti, ESA’s Sentinel-3 Project Manager, said, “We are extremely pleased to see these first images, which show that the satellite is in good health.

    “ESA will spend the next five months carefully calibrating the instruments and commissioning the satellite for service before it is handed over to Eumetsat for routine operations.”

    During this commission phase the two Sentinel-3 satellites will be flown in a tandem formation, separated by about 30 seconds.

    Sentinel-3B will then be phased to reach its final position – flying in the same orbit, but adjusted to be separated by 140° with respect to Sentinel-3A.

    Once commissioned, ESA will hand over satellite operations to Eumetsat. It will then be managed jointly, with ESA generating the land products and Eumetsat the marine products for application through the Copernicus services.

    Alain Ratier, Director-General of Eumetsat, added, “The Sentinel-3 constellation establishes the European backbone of a space-based, global ocean-monitoring system.

    “These first images are the first demonstration that Sentinel-3B will deliver on its promise to usher in a new era for operational oceanography and flow-on benefits for human safety, businesses and industry.

    “They will amplify the benefits of the Sentinel 3 mission for ocean forecasting and the blue economy.”

    Sentinel-3B is the seventh Sentinel satellite launched for Copernicus. Each mission carries different state-of-the-art technology to deliver a stream of complementary imagery and data to monitor the environment.

  • Esri to demonstrate Land Administration Software at FIG Congress 2018

    Location intelligence system introduced for nations in need of modernized land governance

    Esri will join this year’s FIG Congress, hosted by the International Federation of Surveyors, taking place May 6–11 in Istanbul, Turkey.

    At the annual event, Esri will showcase its new program for modernizing land administration systems tailored to the needs of developing countries and island nations.

    Good land governance requires effective policies, efficient processes and institutions that can determine, record and disseminate information about the tenure, value and use of land. The new Land Administration Modernization Program allows land administration organizations in developing nations to meet these challenges and lay the foundation for economic success.

    Esri’s program delivers an inexpensive, scalable platform that allows simple field capture, management and publication of parcel data in the cloud, or that can be implemented as an enterprise system meeting the needs of any modern land administration office.

    The software is donated to eligible countries for four years from date of order, and includes maintenance updates and support from Esri.

    At FIG Congress, Brent Jones, land records/cadastre industry manager at Esri, will host the workshop, “Modernize Land Administration Systems: Off-the-Shelf GIS Technology for Modern Cadastral Operations,” May 9, 11 a.m.–12:30 p.m., at Hamidiye Hall, Istanbul Congress Center.

    The workshop will demonstrate how Esri’s ArcGIS platform is a complete, interoperable, open, and purpose-built system for cadastral operations to improve efficiency, manage data integrity, and share data across organizations and with the public. ArcGIS delivers necessary capabilities ranging from fit-for-purpose to enterprise cadastral systems, whether the aim is improve data quality, increase throughput, or enhance spatial accuracy.

    Photo: Esri

  • Rockwell Collins showcases latest developments at Xponential 2018

    Rockwell Collins’ Alex Postnikov discusses the latest technology the company brought to Xponential 2018, which took place April 30-May 3 in Denver.

  • Bentley acquires Plaxis, SoilVision for infrastructure workflows

    Bentley Systems, a global provider of comprehensive software solutions for advancing infrastructure, has acquired Plaxis, provider of geotechnical software, based in Delft, Netherlands.

    Bentley has also agreed to acquire soil engineering software provider SoilVision, based in Saskatchewan, Canada.

    The acquisitions, with Bentley’s market-leading borehole reporting and data management software gINT, serve to make Bentley a complete digital source for geotechnical professionals.

    With the acquisitions, building information modeling (BIM) advancements can be extended to the essential subsurface engineering of every infrastructure project.

    Projects necessarily begin with geotechnical surveys and sampling, captured with gINT for versatile documentation and reporting.

    Next, professionals perform engineering related to soil properties, soil behavior, and groundwater flow using SoilVision’s SVOFFICE applications, supplemented by Plaxis’ offerings.

    Then, soil-structure interaction is analyzed through Plaxis’ design, simulation, and engineering software (for example, PLAXIS 2D, PLAXIS 3D).

    The new opportunity, by way of digital workflows enabled through Bentley’s comprehensive modeling environment, is for geotechnical applications to be integrated with Bentley’s structural applications (such as STAAD, RAM and SACS) for unprecedented geo-structural engineering performance.

    As changes may occur in owner requirements, structural strategies or site conditions (continuously surveyed through UAVs and Bentley’s ContextCapture for reality modeling), geotechnical analysis could be continuously applied for improved outcomes, as managed through ProjectWise collaboration services.

    For today’s infrastructure demands, geotechnical considerations are coming to the fore.

    Urbanization, for instance, drives growth both vertically and underground, with emphasis on the capacity of foundations and tunnels. And new infrastructure projects of every type depend upon constructed dams, embankments, dikes, levees and reservoirs to improve their resilience.

    Moreover, new asset types such as offshore wind turbine structures require new geotechnical analysis capabilities, in this case to be accomplished with Plaxis’ forthcoming MoDeTo software.

    Because infrastructure assets are crucially linked to subsurface environs, they are vulnerable to geo-environmental risks including seismic activity, subsidence and weather impacts. Leveraging new digital workflows which incorporate real-time monitoring and analytics during infrastructure operations, geotechnical professionals can play the increasingly valuable role they deserve in achieving geo-environmental resilience.

    “My colleagues and I welcome our new teams from Plaxis and SoilVision, which have in common a zeal for applying science for better engineering practice,” said Greg Bentley, Bentley Systems CEO. “Dr. Ronald Brinkgreve from Plaxis and Dr. Murray Fredlund, founder of SoilVision, exemplify this. I believe that every geotechnical engineer has benefitted from Plaxis’ continuous advancement, in scope and quality, of tools for their discipline to add value. With a professional and dedicated management team led by Jan-Willem Koutstaal, Plaxis has become one of the most successful software businesses I have ever seen.”

    Bentley added, “While most infrastructure engineering disciplines converged around intuitive 3D models, geotechnical applications seem to have followed a less graphically intensive development path, and so have remained isolated from cross-discipline workflows. This ‘disconnected’ mindset prevailed even while Plaxis, SoilVision, and gINT mainstreamed 3D innovations. Our BIM platform’s comprehensive modeling environment will finally embrace the geotechnical profession in digital workflows for every infrastructure project and asset.”

    Tony O’Brien, global practice leader for geotechnics for Mott MacDonald, said, “PLAXIS is one of our core analysis tools being used across our global geotechnics practice. When used by experienced specialists, PLAXIS can analyze many of our most complex ground-structure interaction problems. In Bentley’s hands, we have high expectations that we can accomplish more through digital workflows made possible through integration of PLAXIS technology with Bentley’s comprehensive modeling environment—workflows that are compatible with Mott MacDonald’s commitment to connected thinking and solving complex infrastructure challenges.”

  • NavVis launches Autodesk Revit add-in for BIM models

    NavVis, a global leader in mobile indoor mapping, visualization, and navigation, announces a new add-in for Autodesk Revit.

    The add-in lets Revit users connect their BIM models to 360-degree immersive imagery and point clouds captured by the NavVis mobile mapping system. The add-in simplifies the process of creating and updating outdated BIM models to reflect the current state of the building.

    NavVis technology is an all-in-one reality capture solution that has made it possible to quickly scan the current state of large industrial and commercial properties and stream the data on any device.

    The data is captured by the NavVis M6 mobile mapping system, an innovative mobile mapping system that can scan indoor environments at the speed of walking. The data is then visualized in the NavVis IndoorViewer, which is browser-based software that streams the immersive panoramic images and point clouds.

    With the Revit add-in, the NavVis IndoorViewer can now easily be integrated with Revit BIM models. Integrating Revit and IndoorViewer allows for a side-by-side comparison of the BIM model and the scanned state of the building, remotely from a desktop. This lets users quickly spot the changes that have been made since the model was created and the current state was captured, helping to speed up the process of updating BIM models. Integrating BIM and IndoorViewer also overcomes data silos and reduces planning errors that occur as a result of outdated information.

    Revit users who install the add-in will be able to access the added value of the NavVis IndoorViewer, which includes adding and searching for information and mark-ups, taking measurements, route finding and online collaboration with stakeholders.

    NavVis IndoorViewer Add-In visualizes buildings in Autodesk Revit.
    NavVis IndoorViewer Add-In visualizes buildings in Autodesk Revit.

  • Esri to donate software to in-need nations for census work

     

    Through the new Esri Official Statistics Modernization Program, the company will donate perpetual use licenses for ArcGIS software to eligible official statistical agencies in least developed countries (LDCs) and small island developing states (SIDS).

    The program provides access to Esri ArcGIS Enterprise technology in support of the upcoming census counts that all countries will undertake during the Census, 2020 Round.

    The data collected as part of these census counts is crucial to nations for competing on the global stage. By using authoritative methods of collection and the cutting-edge mapping and analytics tools that Esri is donating, developing nations can gain an advantage in making data-driven policy decisions suited to a globalized economy.

    The Esri Official Statistics Modernization Program provides access to the same software that hundreds of thousands of Esri customers—from public agencies to private enterprises—rely on every day to run their organizations. Esri will also provide guidance and best practices workflows at no cost so countries can implement their own systems to help with collecting data for their census.

    “Population and housing censuses are big efforts for countries, especially those that may not have the resources readily available,” said Linda Peters, Esri global business development manager. “These censuses are important, as the data collected is one of the primary sources of information needed for formulating, implementing, and monitoring policies aimed at inclusive socioeconomic development and sustainability.”

    Modernization efforts around census activities are helping countries leapfrog from paper-based workflows to digital and mobile ones. The United Nations (UN) expert group that specifically focuses on integrating statistical and geospatial information advised all countries to use a Global Statistical Geospatial Framework (GSGF) to aid in the modernization program.

    This framework requires nations using GIS technology like Esri’s to ensure the implementation of up-to-date capabilities like data accessibility, ease of use of the technology, and the conversion of addresses into geographic coordinates on maps (geocoding).

    The Esri Official Statistics Modernization Program was announced at the GIS for a Sustainable World conference in Geneva, Switzerland, co-organized by Esri and the UN. For more information on the program and nation eligibility, visit go.esri.com/officialstatisticsprogram.

  • Why resolution of aerial imagery matters

    An oblique image with measurements of downtown Chicago, captured in June 2017. (Image: Nearmap)
    An oblique image of downtown Chicago, captured in June 2017, with measurements. (Image: Nearmap)

    Guest column by Sanchit Agarwal
    Vice President, Field Operations, Nearmap

    With high-resolution imagery comes the ability to model reality, creating real-life visualizations for engineers, planners, construction teams and many others.

    A quantum leap in computing capacity has allowed us to model and analyze the real world — all from our desktop and mobile devices. In days past, maps were purely for visualization and direction.

    Today, they have graduated to full-blown analytics platforms empowering users to make decisions faster than ever before.

    Why?

    They closely represent truth on the ground — truth created from high-resolution aerial imagery captured at heights of up to 18,000 feet. Camera systems mounted in the bellies of planes can efficiently map the real world in incredible high detail. These aerial photographs are updated continuously.

    In years past, access to aerial mapping content and services was reserved for more significant players.

    Today, with easy access to scalable high-definition mapping content, anyone can utilize the power of maps in applications that extend far beyond directions and navigation.

    There are two essential attributes of aerial maps driving this transformation — image resolution and model density. Today, most users are applying low-resolution satellite images that lack the detail needed for accurate decisions. But, as resolution increases, the imagery becomes more detailed; the visualizations, more vivid.

    Ground features have gone from fuzzy satellite photos to clearly identifiable homes, buildings, roads, lakes and more — all captured using powerful cameras that have found the perfect pixel. With high-resolution comes added benefit.

    Aerial image of the Aria Resort in Las Vegas captured in May 2017. (Image: Nearmap)
    Aerial image of the Aria Resort in Las Vegas captured in May 2017. (Image: Nearmap)

    Users can manipulate the imagery — zoom closer and closer without losing the details. Computers can classify the features, distinguishing skylights from solar panels, walking paths from sidewalks, and pools from ponds.

    Rich imagery is yielding richer data used to instantly query massive databases and return results that answer complex questions for businesses and government.

    With high-resolution imagery comes the ability to model reality, creating real-life visualizations for engineers, planners, construction teams and others.

    These models of landscapes, cities and neighborhoods are portrayed inside design tools and mapping systems, saving the analyst countless days of traveling to the site only to be surprised that the outdated low-resolution imagery does not depict what’s actually on the ground.

    Imagery can vary greatly in resolution. Pixel resolution refers to the actual distance on the ground that each pixel represents in the orthophotography — the vertical image. For example, one-foot pixel resolution means that each pixel in the image covers one foot on the ground.

    Common resolutions include three-inch, six-inch, one-foot and one-meter. The higher the imagery resolution (for instance, three inches per pixel), the greater the visible detail within the photograph. Clearly, a three-inch resolution is much better than a one-foot resolution.

    Most mapping content currently consumed is two-dimensional and generated from low to mid-resolution nadir imagery. In other words, you see the land as if you were staring straight down at it, not height-of-ground features and certainly not change over time.

    While that was adequate for some users, others reached for higher resolution and, while they were at it, decided they needed a third and fourth dimension — namely, height and time. These new perspectives provide more analytical options, more insights and a variety of new use cases that show change over time, height and multi-perspectives of the same property or landscape.

    With the democratization of mapping products and services and the general trend toward consumption of multi-dimensional experiences, there is an implicit need to increase resolution, detail, dimensions and perspectives in mapping content and services as well.

    The Rancho Mirage community of California, captured with QGIS in February 2017. (Image: Nearmap)
    The Rancho Mirage community of California, captured in February 2017. (Image: Nearmap)

    Traditionally, satellite imagery has been used to monitor large areas of the earth at scale remotely. The resolution of the satellite imagery has graduated from multiple meters to feet with the advent of advanced mapping satellites.

    The challenge here is the resolution. Low-resolution satellite imagery, although scalable, is good for macro-analysis of cities and neighborhoods but is not detailed enough for accurate measurements and micro-analysis at the level of each individual property.

    On the other end of the spectrum come drone mapping solutions that offer the promise of delivering incredibly high-resolution datasets (sub-centimeter resolution) but fails to provide the scalability and repeatability.

    Let’s get specific. Why does resolution matter?

    • You cannot measure what you cannot see. The resolution of imagery provides a more detailed, zoomed in and richer view of the real world, thereby enabling desktop based reconnaissance, inspection, analysis and measurement of features that are not traditionally visible in satellite imagery.
    • Higher resolution means high fidelity and dependable measurements. With the added details and definition of features that high-resolution offers comes the much-needed advantage of clearly and legibly identifying feature boundaries and hence measuring the feature with high precision and accuracy.
    • Higher resolution map content means fewer site visits. Rather than travel onsite to inspect and measure, many organizations are now relying on high-resolution imagery and, in the process, not having to waste resources sending team members on site.
    • High resolution means more detailed documentation of reality. Gamers have experienced reality-like landscapes for quite some time. Now, 3D and 4D mapping content allows users to immerse themselves in the landscape, navigate through street views, and fly like a bird to inspect rooftops with ease.
    • High resolution and refreshed content means more accurate change analysis. Identifying how locations have changed over time through multiple captures that embody leaf-off and leaf-on imagery allow users to not only visualize detail but also notice progress, changes in construction, degradation of property features, growth in vegetation and more.
    • High-resolution content means more automated workflows. High-resolution content allows for better feature definition models resulting in higher success rates in interpreting and analyzing the reality algorithmically. Higher success rates of automated algorithms results in efficient exploitation of datasets to solve real world problems.
    • Machine learning thrives on high-resolution content. There’s no shortage of news on the use of machine learning and artificial intelligence in data science. With the advent of high-resolution maps, machine learning is now able to differentiate skylights from solar panels, decks from patios and pavement from pavers. In turn, the ground features identified are being stored in databases for lightning fast queries to complex problems.

    The higher the resolution, the higher your confidence will be.

  • Boundless Anywhere enables real-time mobile data collection

    Boundless Anywhere is a new mobile application for enterprises needing to collect and distribute location information from handheld devices and tablets, available for iOS or Android.

    BoundlessAnywhereMobile-WWith Boundless Anywhere, organizations can collect data in the field and store it instantly in a database. Collected data can then be visualized on clients such as desktop GIS, web and mobile. With real-time access to location-based data, the entire organization can now accomplish work faster and more efficiently.

    “Mobility is at the heart of today’s technology, and the rapid proliferation of smartphones and tablets in recent years has had a profound impact on the GIS industry,” said Anthony Calamito, chief geospatial officer at Boundless. “The ability to access all kinds of data — including location data — from the palm of our hands at any given time or place has become essential. With this extended offering, Boundless offers mobile capabilities that empower users to do more while on the move.”

    With Boundless Anywhere, users of the Boundless enterprise GIS platform can collect geospatial data wherever they are and use maps to engage a community, validate data, make observations, report, respond and communicate in real-time. The new solution simplifies field collection workflows and improves the accuracy of geospatial data, saving time and money.

    Users are able to capture new data and edit or delete existing data with or without an internet connection, and can sync instantly once they are back online. Updates and edits are instantly available on Boundless Exchange, where the entire team can analyze and share findings with the rest of the organization.

    Key advantages:

    • Collaborate in real-time to make faster decisions. View mobile edits instantly on the web, making it easy to pull data into your GIS for mapping, analysis, and reporting.
    • Ground-truth data to improve accuracy. Take expensive transcription errors out of the equation. Mobile workflows modernize field collection away from clipboards and cameras, ensuring data collected on-location is current and accurate.
    • Empower responders to collect, even when offline. A good network connection is never guaranteed in the field – the Boundless Anywhere solution lets you edit GIS data in even the most remote areas and sync it when you’re back online.
    • GIS apps don’t have to be cumbersome. Collect GIS data and photos in a straightforward interface that’s easy to use and can turn your entire team into data collectors.

    Boundless solutions are built on open GIS technology and APIs that generate actionable location intelligence across third-party apps, content services and plugins for enterprise applications.

  • NavVis launches 6D SLAM indoor mapper

    NavVis-M6-indoor-mapper-WMapping company NavVis has launched the M6, a next-generation indoor mobile-mapping system that the company says can overcome the scalability and data quality constraints of reality capture technology.

    Surveyors and architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) professionals can now use reality-capture technology for large-scale indoor mapping projects. The M6 can be used for factory planning and creating and updating as-built BIM (building information modeling) models and construction monitoring.

    The NavVis M6 is an all-in-one system that captures 360-degree immersive imagery, photorealistic point clouds, Bluetooth beacons, Wi-Fi signals and magnetic field data.

    The NavVis M6 features a mobile lidar system that lets it scan up to 30 times faster than stationary devices, letting users capture up to 30,000 square meters in a day.

    Cutting-edge 6D simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) technology significantly improves the quality of data captured. Thanks to 6D SLAM, M6 continuously scans even complex indoor environments, including uneven surfaces or changing elevations such as ramps, open spaces or long corridors without compromising the quality of the data.

    M6’s innovative software is complemented by hardware features designed to improve the quality of data and ease of capture: four laser scanners with a range of up to 100 meters are arranged to maximize scan coverage, while six cameras automatically take high-resolution images during mapping. The innovative design of the M6 includes camera placement that keeps the operator in a blind spot.

    NavVis IndoorViewer software gives stakeholders access to the scanned environment through an interactive virtual building in their browser.

    “The NavVis M6 marks a quantum leap in indoor mobile mapping,” Felix Reinshagen, CEO of NavVis. “Anyone who needs to scan large properties, run repeated scans or would like to move into the field of reality capture will profit from the groundbreaking data quality.

    “With M6, users can now quickly capture large, complex indoor environments for typical tasks such as updating floorplans, documenting construction progress or creating as-built BIM models. At the same time, M6 captures the data needed to provide customers with additional deliverables such as browser-based immersive walkthroughs and indoor navigation,” Reinshagen said.

  • TCarta delivers surface models for Caribbean disaster recovery

    TCarta, a global provider of marine geospatial products, has delivered pre- and post-disaster surface models for the Caribbean islands of Antigua and Barbuda for use in Hurricane Irma recovery efforts.

    The satellite-derived surface models contain seamless datasets of onshore elevation and offshore water-depth measurements for each island.

    The United Kingdom government commissioned the Hurricane Irma disaster mapping for Antigua and Barbuda as part of the Commonwealth Marine Economies Programme. TCarta won a competitive tender, which specifically requested end products derived from satellite imagery.

    “By specifying satellite-derived data as the deliverable in its tender, the U.K. government acknowledged the speed and cost advantages this technology offers compared with traditional shipborne surveying or airborne lidar collection,” said TCarta CEO David Critchley.

    Hurricane Irma devastated the Caribbean in September 2017. The governments of Antigua and Barbuda requested accurate data for onshore land elevations and offshore water depths from before and after the storm hit.

    The datasets will be used in digital change detection analyses to determine how Irma altered the surfaces of the land and seafloor. This will be vital information in repairing onshore drainage systems and updating coastal navigation charts.

    “A seamless onshore-offshore dataset is crucial for the hydrographic computer modeling to accurately visualize the integrated nature of the dynamic terrestrial and near-shore environments,” Critchley said.

    For the seafloor dataset, the TCarta team generated satellite-derived bathymetry products by extracting accurate water-depth measurements from high-resolution multispectral imagery acquired by the DigitalGlobe WorldView satellites. In the clear Caribbean waters around Antigua and Barbuda, bathymetric points were delivered on a 2-meter spacing to deeper than 20 meters.

    The TCarta team created digital surface models of the terrain on Antigua and Barbuda, using a technique to derive surface elevations at 0.5-meter point spacing from multiple WorldView images captured over the islands. Vegetation was then removed from surface models to yield bare-Earth elevation models.

    TCarta delivered the high-quality before-and-after datasets to the UK government which in turn distributed them to scientists on Antigua and Barbuda for damage assessment and planning for the coming hurricane season.

  • Teledyne Optech to showcase survey systems at GEOINT 2018

    Teledyne Optech will exhibit at the United States Geospatial Intelligence Foundation’s GEOINT Symposium April 23-25 in Tampa, Florida.

    Technology partners from Teledyne Scientific & Imaging, Teledyne DALSA and Teledyne CARIS will exhibit together as part of Teledyne Imaging – Space & Defense in booth 1148.

    At GEOINT 2018, visitors can discover the advanced capabilities of the Optech Galaxy PRIME, the latest model of Teledyne’s Galaxy airborne laser terrain mapper, with enhanced range performance, collection efficiency, vegetation penetration and low-reflectance target detection.

    The Polaris Terrestrial Laser Scanner (TLS) will be on hand so that visitors can experience its highly automated and user-friendly interface and see its performance at ranges from 1.5 to more than 2,000 meters.

    In addition, attendees can learn about the Optech Maverick, the company’s first wearable mobile-mapping system that fits on a backpack.

    The Teledyne Imaging – Space & Defense initiative brings together the experience and capabilities of Teledyne Optech, Teledyne Scientific and Imaging, Teledyne DALSA, Teledyne e2V and Teledyne CARIS to expand the breadth of Teledyne Imaging solutions for geospatial intelligence. Representatives of end-user agencies, integrators or original equipment manufacturers (OEM) can visit booth #1148 to learn about a range of new developments and offerings.

  • MicroStrategy 10.11 adds new capabilities

    MicroStrategy Incorporated, a worldwide provider of enterprise analytics and mobility software, has launched MicroStrategy 10.11, the newest feature release to the company’s MicroStrategy 10 platform.

    New capabilities in 10.11 include enhanced mapping for conducting geospatial analytics with Mapbox, a location data platform for mobile and web applications.

    Version 10.11 also introduces out-of-the-box visualizations, intelligent recommendations for content, prompts for dossiers and a native MicroStrategy Library app for smartphones.

    Library app. Users can now interact with data on dossiers via native apps optimized for iOS and Android smartphones. MicroStrategy customers can to operationalize the platform’s latest and modern interfaces with touch-optimized workflows on these handheld devices. Users can download the MicroStrategy Library app for iPhone by visiting the Apple app store or the MicroStrategy Library app for Android by visiting the Google Play app store, respectively.

    Geospatial services powered by Mapbox. MicroStrategy 10.11 introduces MicroStrategy Geospatial Services and delivers new mapping capabilities via a native integration with Mapbox. The new and enhanced map visualization is available for dossiers on all interfaces, including MicroStrategy Desktop, MicroStrategy Workstation, MicroStrategy Web, MicroStrategy Mobile and MicroStrategy Library.

    Users can visualize and analyze spatial data with advanced mapping capabilities, including intelligent clustering and aggregation, dynamic layers with interactive zoom and thresholds for attributes. This mapping service is available in addition to out-of-the-box Esri maps, and offers support for markers, bubbles and area types on a variety of map styles.

    Geospatial Services features include:

    • Vector maps that improve performance and response times by 300% over traditional tiled maps, including for millions of records.
    • Global postal and administrative boundaries that let users bin their data by geographies ranging from Indian postal codes to Chinese prefectures.
    • Map style options tailored to the user’s visualization, including basic, light, dark, streets, topographic and satellite maps.
    • Advanced clustering and aggregation capabilities to understand spatial trends in data beyond density.
    • Full control of data layers and levels of detail based on a map’s zoom level.

    Out-of-the-box visualizations. MicroStrategy 10.11 introduces three new visualizations that expand visual analytics capabilities for new use cases. With this latest release, users can plot and interact with data using waterfall, histogram and box plot visualizations, all of which are available out-of-the-box in all MicroStrategy interfaces.

    “We are extremely excited about the launch of version 10.11 and all of its powerful new features. Business teams can now confidently take the first step towards establishing an enterprise-wide, data-driven culture on their own,” said Tim Lang, senior executive vice president and chief technology officer, MicroStrategy. “Version 10.11 empowers teams with self-service data discovery and departmental analytics, while creating the foundation for governed data discovery at scale and enterprise-worthy analytics. The latest capabilities available in MicroStrategy 10.11 are central to MicroStrategy’s commitment to deliver the next generation of enterprise analytics and advance our goal of building the ultimate analytics platform for the Intelligent Enterprise.”

    To see MicroStrategy 10.11 in action, users can register for the upcoming webcast Unveiling MicroStrategy 10.11, to be held Wednesday, May 16,at 2 p.m. EDT.