Today's and tomorrow's challenges from the perspective of sector groups

To take the geospatial sector’s pulse, we asked representatives from three leading industry associations – FIG, ISPRS and ICA – for their views on the key developments and challenges shaping the future. Here, they discuss how emerging technologies and innovative geospatial entrepreneurs can accelerate positive change, and outline how their organization is helping to address the talent shortage.

How would you rate the current outlook for the geospatial sector?

Abbas Rajabifard and Kirsikka Riekkinen on behalf of the International Federation of Surveyors (FIG): “The outlook for the geospatial sector is very positive, and the need for new skills, capabilities and experts is high. In response to this, the FIG Taskforce in International Trends and Future Geospatial Information Ecosystem was established in 2023. Geospatial data underpins systems across all sectors, and geospatial information intelligence and smart solutions are becoming more essential and instrumental in our approach in addressing these challenges more efficiently and effectively. Therefore, our industry needs to play a more active role in delivering a more sustainable and resilient Earth and society, and to carry its responsibility as an essential partner with other actors at the global level. This proactive approach empowers us to remain poised for future advancements in both the geospatial market and the broader digital transformation landscape.”

Lena Halounová on behalf of the International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ISPRS): “I think the geospatial sector is very important for everybody. There are a growing number of people involved in the development, and a growing number of users who understand the meaning of ‘geospatial’. The era of geospatial science and its application started mostly in the 1980s and 1990s, and the early experts are now 50- or 60-year-olds. Many of the first applications were focused on digitization of maps. This area of the geospatial sector is still perceived as the only geospatial technology by many experts from other branches. However, this situation has been significantly improving – thanks to many universities, and also other educational levels that attract the younger generation and increase geospatial understanding. The geospatial sector is still in the role of educator in areas which do not yet fully profit from this technology. This role is in fact focused on two groups: new users and decision-makers.”

Georg Gartner on behalf of the International Cartographic Association (ICA): “The geospatial sector is experiencing significant growth, driven by the proliferation of location-based services, smart city initiatives, knowledge infrastructures and advancements in artificial intelligence (AI). Challenges such as data interoperability, knowledge infrastructures and user-centred trustworthy cartography are fostering innovation. Overall, the outlook is highly promising, with transformative impacts on sectors such as urban planning, agriculture, disaster management and transportation.”

What is your vision on the role of geospatial entrepreneurs and startups in shaping the industry’s future? And how can they accelerate positive change in today’s increasingly digital world?

FIG: “Geospatial entrepreneurs and startups are uniquely positioned to shape the future of the geospatial and land administration industry, and their impact will probably continue to increase in the future. They are key drivers of progress and can accelerate positive change with their agility, innovative approaches, inclusive and scalable solutions, and ability to leverage cutting-edge technologies. In addition, as the share of public-private partnerships is growing, geospatial entrepreneurs and startups are the ones who are becoming catalysts for collaboration between different entities. This will provide the necessary expertise in the geospatial and location intelligence fields, leading to more innovative solutions, democratizing access to geospatial data for an open ecosystem, and filling industry gaps.”

ISPRS: “I would call entrepreneurs and startups ‘visionaries’. Some of them can find really important and useful gaps in the geospatial market, both for existing applications and new ones. I find the existence of startups very useful since they can bring really new ideas, they are able to react quite quickly and they sometimes attract even more users. However, their success also depends on their business plan. Some ideas are less successful and therefore not all startups survive. I applaud the successful startups that have been able to combine both sides of their activities.”

ICA: “Startups are at the forefront of innovation in the geospatial sector. They are leveraging AI, cloud computing and real-time data analytics to solve pressing issues like climate change, supply chain disruptions and urban development. By focusing on user-centric solutions and fostering collaborations with governments and large enterprises, startups can rapidly scale impactful technologies. To accelerate positive change, they must prioritize accessibility and ethical use of geospatial data, ensuring equitable benefits in an increasingly digital world.”

In what ways do you see geospatial techniques being applied to tackle real-world challenges?

FIG: “Geospatial techniques are increasingly being applied in many disciplines and fields to address some of the major global challenges. They allow us to capture, model and analyse geospatial relationships among different entities, empower us to monitor changes over time, and enable us to make data-driven decisions across different domains. This fits with FIG’s overall mission to tackle these challenges through technologies. Some impactful examples include environmental observation and monitoring to tackle global warming and its consequences, disaster management and risk mitigation, urban planning and smart cities, agriculture and food security, as well as support in public health and epidemic control. In all these domains, we – as individual geospatial specialists and as an industry – need to understand our role in the administrative and policy processes, and to work actively across sectors.”

ISPRS: “Geospatial techniques are applied in both system-based and personal applications. System-based applications can be found in many areas, such as global warming and disaster management for example. There are many sources causing global warming that are geospatially localized. Detailed and reliable models which take into account the present situation and knowledge status should incorporate conditions necessary for sustainable development. It is a task for the manufacturing industry, agriculture, forestry, hydrology, civil engineering and so on to provide data for geospatial models that help understand the causes of problems. Their results can help decision-makers and individuals to react and be ready to face these problems and limit and/or avoid their impacts. There are a lot of personal applications aiding individuals – such as navigation systems, solutions to detect personal accidents, and many more. Therefore, geospatial technologies tackle challenges in multiple ways. For example, they preserve safe external conditions for life on Earth and in people’s personal lives, and they help to avoid as many problems as possible by supporting decisions based on objective modelling methods that respect real-world situations.”

ICA: “Geospatial techniques are essential for addressing critical global challenges. Cartography remains a cornerstone of geospatial solutions, offering intuitive ways to visualize and communicate complex data. Modern cartographic techniques, powered by GIS and 3D mapping, are tackling challenges like disaster management by creating dynamic hazard maps that guide emergency responses. In urban planning, cartography helps model smart cities and optimize public services. Precision agriculture benefits from detailed soil and crop maps that improve resource efficiency. Moreover, in climate change mitigation, cartographic tools visualize rising sea levels, deforestation and ecosystem changes, translating scientific data into actionable insights for policymakers and communities.”

What can be done to address the challenge of attracting more young skilled people to our industry?

FIG: “A multifaceted approach is required to make the field more appealing, accessible and aligned with youngsters’ aspirations. To address this challenge, we must increase awareness of the geospatial sector’s impact in everyone’s daily life and especially in tackling the major global issues. We should provide clear career pathways in different geospatial domains and provide resources that outline the skills, qualifications and experience levels required for different roles. Young professionals are often attracted to fields leveraging cutting-edge technologies. Therefore, we should promote the latest technologies used in our field and offer opportunities for internships, mentoring, etc.”

ISPRS: “The best way to convince young people to work in the geospatial industry is to begin by addressing high-school students. Working with them and helping them to achieve good results from real examples is more attractive than holding lectures. Personal practical experience is very important and has a strong impact on the understanding of geospatial technology. I purposely do not mention skilled people; I have in mind those who are still hesitating about what they would like to study, and to subsequently do in their career. The present state-of-the-art technology, providing excellent results in geospatial applications, can increase their desire to follow a geospatial-focused curriculum.”

ICA: “To attract young talent, we must showcase the creativity and impact of modern cartography. Interactive mapping tools, 3D visualizations and story maps make geospatial technology more relatable and engaging. Schools and universities can integrate cartographic projects into science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and humanities curricula, sparking curiosity and hands-on learning. Promoting contests, mapathons and cartographic hackathons can inspire students to explore the field. Additionally, presenting cartography as an art-meets-science discipline that influences global issues, such as urban sustainability and climate resilience, will help draw in purpose-driven youngsters who seek meaningful careers.”

How is your organization helping to cultivate the next generation of geospatial professionals?

FIG: “Our organization has played a significant historical role in the advancement of the surveying profession worldwide, and has been a driving force in several key areas. These range from facilitating networking and cooperation to promoting technological advancements and supporting education and professional development. We strive to engage the next generation by exploring questions of future trends and needs. As an illustration of this, FIG has recently added four new areas, including promoting sustainable development, research and innovation, promoting of gender equality, and global network and partnerships.”

ISPRS: “Our association supports and encourages the young generation in several ways. For example, we created the ISPRS Student Consortium back in 2004. This is an independent organization of young professionals and students who are involved in geospatial theory and practice – photogrammetry, remote sensing and spatial science. ISPRS supports their activities, such as summer schools, held in cooperation with local organizers in many countries. Young scientists and students can apply for travel grants to take part in important ISPRS events. Many young scientists are active in various working groups. In appreciation of their achievements and to encourage continuation, ISPRS also provides two quadrennial awards: the ISPRS Best Young Author Award and the ISPRS Student Consortium Service Award.”

ICA: “We emphasize modern cartographic education as a key component of geospatial training. We develop research agendas, body of knowledges and curricula for teaching young professionals how to create story maps and leverage cartography for storytelling and advocacy. We provide scholarship programmes allowing young scholars to participate in ICA events. We also sponsor competitions that challenge participants to design maps addressing real-world issues. These initiatives aim to inspire creativity, critical thinking and technical skills in the next generation of cartographers and geospatial professionals.”

Which emerging technologies and ventures will drive the most significant advancements in the coming years, do you think?

FIG: “Rapid advancements in geospatial technology will be empowered by emerging technologies and innovative ventures. The most significant advancements will likely be driven by artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), drones and autonomous systems for more integrated mapping solutions, and platforms such as digital twins. Although AI may already be seen by many as a dominant technology, it is still emerging in geospatial applications. In particular, we believe that GeoAI and GeoIT solutions for more (open) data ecosystems can be used in conversion to digital capabilities, such as in land registries, and in other land tenure and management-related issues.”

ISPRS: AI seems to be the emerging technology in the geospatial industry. However, it should be under careful control. Strictly speaking, AI is not artificial and it is not intelligence – it is software based on the programmer’s talent and knowledge of analysed problems. The other necessary inputs are good-quality data. That is why the technology is a step ahead, but only if these conditions are fulfilled. Remote sensing classification of land cover depends on physical characteristics, i.e. spectral signatures, of individual land cover types, shadows, impact of moisture, clouds, etc. Nowadays, there are many types of software and it is easy to get results thanks to user-friendly interfaces, but AI alone does not ensure reliable results.”

ICA: “Emerging technologies like AI, machine learning and quantum computing will revolutionize geospatial domains by enabling faster, more accurate decision-making. Ventures focusing on democratizing access to geospatial data via cloud-based platforms and APIs will accelerate innovation. AI-powered cartographic tools will automate map production, offering hyper-detailed and personalized visualizations. Ventures focusing on open-source and collaborative cartographic platforms will democratize access to mapping tools, fostering innovation.”

Is there anything else you would like to share with the readers of GIM International?

FIG: “To enable us to better position our future role, the FIG Taskforce in International Trends and Future Geospatial Information Ecosystem has explored the role of FIG in the changing world. The taskforce has been dedicated to enhancing our profession’s engagement in geospatial domains, thereby securing FIG’s international stature and underscoring the essential relevance of geospatial experts in global markets. Recognizing that geospatial data underpins systems across all sectors, the taskforce has aimed to solidify the role of geospatial professionals as integral contributors in these areas. The effort of our taskforce will be tabled at the upcoming FIG Working Week in Brisbane, Australia, this April.”

ISPRS: “We are an organization of experts who collect 2D and 3D spatial images of the Earth’s surface, and analyse, process and implement them into geographic information systems (GIS). As a tool for adding any digital data for modelling purposes, a GIS is a basic input into many – and unlimited – applications. At ISPRS, we welcome cooperation with all experts who would like to use our experience.”

ICA: “Our organization remains committed to advancing cartography by driving innovation and fostering collaboration. The next ICC, set to take place in Vancouver in August 2025, promises to be another milestone event, and we can’t wait to see you there!”