Bridging skies and strategies in Athens

How does an industry transform itself in real time? How can companies advance their collective potential? The European Association of Aerial Surveying Industries (EAASI) answered these and other questions during its sixth annual Partners Summit, held in the Greek capital of Athens from 19-22 November 2024.

Since its founding in 2019, EAASI has been more than just an association. It is a place to discuss and debate the present and future of the crewed aerial mapping industry. Each successive summit has told a growth story, with 2024 marking a particularly significant milestone. Attended by 86 representatives from 24 countries and 50 leading companies, the event was a testament to the association’s growing credibility and the increasing strategic importance of aerial surveying technologies.

Industry growth and collaborative vision

EAASI President Florian Romanowski set the tone for the summit with a compelling opening address that emphasized the association’s transformative potential. “In an era of rapid technological transformation, our summit represents more than just an annual gathering. It is a strategic platform where innovation meets collaboration, where we collectively map out the future of crewed aerial surveying across Europe,” he declared.

The association’s growth trajectory underscores this vision, having expanded from 48 to 56 members representing over 20 countries. With their total fleet of 80 aircraft, the members cover a large percentage of the European aerial surveying capacity. This expansion is not just numerical, but also represents a deepening of technological capabilities and collaborative potential across the European geospatial landscape.

One highlight of the summit was the keynote by Alessandro Annoni, president of the International Society for Digital Earth. Drawing from his extensive experience at the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre, Annoni illuminated the critical role of integrated data from satellites, uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs or ‘drones’) and crewed aircraft in creating actionable insights. He emphasized how digital twins and spatial data infrastructures are no longer futuristic concepts, but immediate technological imperatives for infrastructure management, urban planning and environmental monitoring.

Technological innovation and integration

Annoni’s roadmap toward collaborative technological ecosystems by 2030 presents a vision of unprecedented technological integration. He highlighted the potential of artificial intelligence, high-speed networks and extended reality to transform how we understand and interact with spatial information. The Milan Digital Twin project served as a compelling case study, demonstrating how sophisticated partnerships and technologies like Lidar and photogrammetry can generate transformative spatial intelligence.

Another significant contribution to the summit came from Dr Panos Lolonis, head of the Geospatial Information Department at the Hellenic Cadastre. He provided valuable insights into Greece’s efforts to modernize cadastral mapping and integrate advanced technologies into public geospatial data management. Dr Lolonis discussed how high-resolution aerial surveys, including the use of orthophotos with resolutions as low as 20cm in urban areas, have significantly improved the accuracy and efficiency of land parcel delineation. He also emphasized the importance of building a national spatial data infrastructure (NSDI) to support innovative land management, urban planning and sustainable development.

Practical applications

The summit also featured sponsor presentations, which demonstrated the transformative impact of advanced geospatial technologies. Technology providers including Hexagon, Teledyne, IGI, Esri, Phase One, Pointly, Vexcel, GeoLas and RIEGL demonstrated how advanced sensing technologies and artificial intelligence are generating actionable insights across diverse sectors.

Presentations explored sophisticated applications that highlighted the geospatial industry’s expanding impact. Environmental conservation efforts now leverage high-resolution aerial imagery to track ecosystem changes, while disaster response strategies utilize real-time spatial data to coordinate emergency interventions. Infrastructure development projects are increasingly dependent on precise mapping technologies that can capture centimetre-level details across vast landscapes.

Nurturing future talent

The importance of cultivating the next generation of geospatial professionals received significant attention during the summit. As an example of the innovative research emerging from young professionals, Quddus Busari received the Outstanding Thesis Award for AI-driven tree structure characterization. Bridging between advanced technology and environmental science, his work demonstrates how machine learning algorithms can now provide unprecedented insights into forest ecosystems.

EAASI Young Ambassadors Alice Hilton and Charlène Negrello shared inspiring perspectives on attracting younger generations to aerial mapping. Their contribution highlighted the need for dynamic storytelling about the geospatial industry, emphasizing its critical role in addressing global challenges like climate change, urban development and resource management.

Strategic dialogues and industry challenges

The summit’s interactive format facilitated a deep exploration of critical industry challenges. Panel discussions and debates created a comprehensive dialogue addressing standardization protocols, emerging certification frameworks, Air Traffic Management complexities, innovative business models, and academic/industry engagement strategies.

The EAASI Vision debate at the Partners Summit 2024 centred on shaping the association’s goals for the next five years. Insights from a recent member survey highlighted key priorities, including increased advocacy, enhanced networking opportunities and a stronger focus on industry visibility. Attendees emphasized the need for clear, actionable objectives supported by measurable outcomes to ensure EAASI’s relevance and effectiveness. Discussions also focused on member engagement, with calls for greater transparency in committees and active sharing of information to foster collaboration and innovation. Suggestions for addressing funding challenges included introducing proportional fees based on turnover while ensuring the association delivers tangible value to members. The debate reaffirmed EAASI’s commitment to strategic planning, emphasizing sustainability, certification standards, and attracting new talent. By aligning its efforts with industry needs, EAASI aims to empower its members and drive meaningful progress in the aerial surveying sector.

An interesting panel on value generation, moderated by Simon Musäus, brought together experts like Dr Uwe Bacher from Hexagon, Seppe Casettari from GeoHistoric, and Bruno Pérez from the Instituto Geográfico Nacional de España. The discussion explored strategies for maximizing the commercial potential of crewed airborne surveys, delving into complex topics like data monetization, intellectual property considerations and the evolving economic models of geospatial information.

Looking ahead: EAASI’s 2025 strategic roadmap

The summit concluded with a clear commitment to translating dialogue into strategic action. EAASI Secretary-General Marcos Martínez emphasized the importance of collective engagement, stating: “Our strength lies in collective action. The insights generated at the summit can only become transformative when our members actively contribute their unique perspectives.”

EAASI’s committees outlined ambitious plans for 2025, including advanced standardization efforts, market expansion strategies, enhanced university student engagement programmes and improved Air Traffic Control collaboration. The Standardisation Group is developing a new certification framework, the Market Expansion Committee will present targeted use cases, and the University Student Engagement Committee will launch expanded mentorship and educational initiatives.

Conclusion

The EAASI Partners Summit 2024 was more than an event – it was a decisive moment of collective vision and commitment. By bringing together diverse stakeholders, the summit demonstrated the geospatial industry’s potential to drive technological innovation, address complex challenges and create meaningful societal impact. As the industry looks toward an increasingly integrated and intelligent future, EAASI’s collaborative approach offers a compelling blueprint for sustainable technological advancement, promising a new era of spatial understanding and technological capability.