Creative Minds and Clever Kit

Rapid developments in GIS technology and its applications, and thus growing demand for geospatial data, encouraged a group of friends including geodesists, IT people and foresters to create an innovative, technologically advanced company to deal with data acquisition and processing. It was late summer 2006, the scene was the city of Szczecin in Poland, and this is the genesis of GISPRO Limited Liability.

GISPRO is a private firm the articles of association of which were signed in September 2006 in Szczecin. Since the outset the main focus has been on acquisition and processing of photogrammetric data. However, shareholders also set a challenging first aim: to equip GISPRO with state-of-the-art devices for data acquisition. So the company embarked on an ambitious investment plan, helped by EU funding. The first project, the ‘Digital Laser and Remote Sensing System' has been already accomplished and implemented; the system basically comprises high-quality laser scanners, digital cameras and positioning system installed and integrated in Nissan Pathfinder. Subsequent stages of the plan, including high-end aerial photogrammetry platform, are in the final phase of accomplishment. However, the future of the company is not based solely on technology. We have also invested in staff development, employing the best graduates from leading Polish universities; creative and unafraid of challenges.

Human Assets
It's these specialists in the field of photogrammetry, remote sensing, laser scanning and traditional geodesy who are the assets of our company. Investing in up-to-date methods of acquisition and processing of photogrammetric and remote sensing has proven effective, allowing us to realise our mission: Acquisition of geospatial data with the highest accuracy in the shortest time.

Our Digital Laser and Remote Sensing System is one of the most modern Mobile Mapping/Laser Scanning Systems MMS/MLS (Figure 2) based on Riegl scanners and Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR). It includes static laser scanners, so widening the scope of our activity. The company has always been active on the photogrammetry services market, providing us with experience in the generation of orthophotos, DTM, DSM, 3D-cities and point-cloud classification. We also carry out projects in the area of road construction, site surveying services, cartography, topographical databases, environmental protection and GIS.

Young and Innovative
GISPRO is a young and rapidly developing company, operating on both the Polish and European market. We focus on quality, accuracy and time of delivery, to complete products aimed at full customer satisfaction. The company is led by two members of the board, controlled by a supervisory board of three, and structured into four departments: Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, Geodesy and Cartography, Surveying and GIS. The board consists of president Włodzimierz Kotwas, a manager and forester, (Figure 1) and vice-president Macin Mucha, computer scientist and surveyor. Individual departments are led by our most talented engineers: Zbigniew Lis, a surveyor, heads the Department of Special Measurements; Arkadiusz Szadkowski, photogrammetrist and surveyor, the Department of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing; Monika Zakrzewska, surveyor, the Department of Geodesy and Cartography; and Radomir Bałazy, computer scientist and forester, the Department of GIS. A total of 41 engineers are employed full-time, and at peak times independent contractors may also be taken on. Our management philosophy assumes independence for departmental directors in business decision-making, and facilitates the innovative thinking of our employees. In the last accounting year we completed 21 projects and achieved revenue turnover of roughly PLN 7.5 million, approximately EUR 2 million.

Customers
Our main customers are local and international engineering and design offices, the Polish Head Office of Geodesy and Cartography, the Polish Agency for Restructuring and Modernisation of Agriculture, construction corporations, local government units, and state forests. We work actively on the Polish and European procurement market, mainly in the photogrammetry, laser-scanning and mapping segments. Due to the type of services rendered, GISPRO acts as subcontractor for engineering and design offices on many bigger projects. Offerings include measurement, analysis and creation of 2D and 3D maps (Figure 3) for the following sectors: transport, energy, mining, forest and environment, archaeology, architecture and urbanisation, water management etc. Our potential customers are involved in surveying, infrastructure design, architectural and urban planning, environmental protection, state administration bodies, local authorities, road departments and investors.

Flagship Product
Currently, our flagship product is mobile and static laser scanning (MLS & TLS, Figure 4) and Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR, Figure 5.) We have completed several Polish projects involving mapping and DTM for design purposes, records of roads and bridges, and gauge analyses: oversized travel, monitoring changes to objects in time and generating accurate Digital Terrain Models of roads and lanes. GISPRO has completed measurements on roads, railway tracks, beaches and coastal cliffs; all that remains is to scan water bodies and rivers, which we hope soon to do. On the European market GISPRO has established a number of major contacts and signed agreements with companies based in Norway, Sweden, Iceland, Portugal, Greece and Serbia. We also hope soon to procure projects related to mobile laser scanning beyond Polish borders, particularly in Central and Western Europe. A step in this direction is completing investment in an airborne photogrammetry platform equipped with large-format aerial camera, laser scanner and thermal-imaging camera; we hope this to be fully operational by mid-summer.

High Aspirations
GISPRO is one of few such technologically advanced companies in Europe, and by the end of 2011 we should complete our entire assumed investment process. Developing GIS technology and extending geospatial databases allow us to view the future with optimism. Another important factor is the growing tendency of design offices and expert companies to use photogrammetric products in their daily work. Since becoming an EU member state, Poland has been swiftly improving its transport infrastructure, local government and companies. Upgrading and making more complex their structure, companies are increasingly reaching for GIS-based management systems. All these factors lead to increase in demand for our services. 

Our goal this year is to double revenue and dedicate a new department to the real-estate market. July will see us moving to new headquarters that will increase the standard of working conditions and comfort. And in five years' time we plan to float our company on the stock exchange, so providing benefits for our shareholders and gaining funds for later development.