State of the Art in 3D City Modelling

Six Challenges Facing 3D Data as a Platform

Semantically enriched 3D city models have the potential to be powerful hubs of integrated information for computer-based urban spatial analysis. This article presents the state of the art in 3D city modelling in the context of broader developments such as smart cities and digital twins, and outlines six challenges that must be overcome before 3D data as a platform becomes a reality. (This article is a co-production of seven authors, all of whom are mentioned at the end of the text.) 3D city models, as digital representations of urban areas, can be used to facilitate many applications, such as urban... (read more)

2020-04-09 10:46:22

How Can Surveyors Optimally Profit from the Digitalization in the Construction Industry?

How can surveyors optimally profit from the digitalization in the construction industry and the trend towards building information modelling (BIM)? Topcon, a global positioning partner for construction and geospatial businesses, sees BIM as not just a benefit, but a requirement. Here, Cesar Mendoza, the company's product manager for vertical construction, attempts to answer this question. He believes the UK government’s Construction Strategy, published in 2011, serves as a good example and has had a major impact on the uptake of BIM in the UK. The European construction industry is expanding at a rapid rate and is expected to grow at a CAGR... (read more)

2020-03-12 08:59:05

Expanding Horizons: Geospatial Predictions for 2020

From New York to Dubai to Myanmar, smart cities have been increasingly springing up across the globe. As more countries start to digitally transform, the futuristic cities and state-of-the-art gadgets that once belonged only in the realms of science fiction may soon become our reality... and they will be made possible with the advancement of the geospatial industry. The global geospatial analytics market is estimated to be worth USD$134.48 billion by 2025; with the market registering a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 15% from 2019 to 2025[1]. Asia Pacific is also expected to see the highest growth during that... (read more)

2020-02-27 09:45:08

Industry Report: The Geospatial Industry is Alive and Kicking

How Digitalization and the Immense Need for 3D Data Drive the Business Forward

The advancement of new technology in the geospatial industry is opening up new horizons for surveyors. The profession has rapidly become high-tech, which has brought many benefits and also an ever-greater need to invest in advanced data acquisition, processing, analysis and visualization solutions. According to the findings from the annual 'GIM International' survey among geospatial professionals, the demand for such solutions is set to reach new heights in 2020 and beyond. It is a case of ‘full steam ahead’ for the surveying and mapping business – which is great news in particular for hardware and software companies. The mood among... (read more)

2020-02-14 11:04:00

Ana Roxin

Ana Roxin is an associate professor in computer science at the University of Burgundy, France. Her research addresses approaches that allow computers to simulate human reasoning and problem-solving. She has proven experience across semantic web, semantic interoperability, context-aware BIM, GIS and explainable AI. She is a member of several standardization bodies (e.g. AFNOR, CEN, ISO). (read more)

2020-02-14 10:03:50

Christian Clemen

Christian Clemen teaches and researches at HTW Dresden, Germany, on BIM from the perspective of geospatial engineering. His research projects relate to 3D data acquisition and construction progress documentation with terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) as well as 3D city models (CityGML) and land management with BIM. He is a member of BIM standardization at DIN and ISO and is active in NGOs such as the International Federation of Surveyors (FIG). (read more)

2020-02-14 10:02:57

Bridging the Gap between Geospatial and Construction

There is certainly a gap in information exchange between the geospatial and construction domains. This is a serious issue, mainly because geospatial systems and engineering surveys are not yet aligned and integrated with building information modelling (BIM). The BIM method is expected to move construction activities from plan-based individual work to model-based collaboration. Such a paradigm shift will bring huge opportunities regarding planning, building and management of the built environment in a more productive, open and sustainable way. Although it is still difficult to entirely close the gap between these two fields, this article shows how that gap can at... (read more)

2020-02-14 09:44:12

Simultaneous Capturing of Lidar and Imagery

How Major Cities May Benefit from a Hybrid Sensor System

People continue to migrate from rural areas to major cities, driving sustained urban growth and increasing the demand for accurate, detailed and up-to-date 3D city models. The creation of such models is still a cumbersome endeavour but new advancements, such as the combination of three sensor types – nadir camera, oblique cameras and a Lidar unit – in one and the same geodata acquisition system, may bring relief. Aerial surveys conducted in major cities in the UK and Ireland demonstrate the potential of this solution. Cities will continue to grow as long as the world’s population keeps flocking to urban... (read more)

2020-02-05 01:33:28

Industry Support for Geo Connect Asia 2020 Builds Momentum

An expanding list of industry leaders will be joining Geo Connect Asia 2020 – South East Asia's geospatial services and location intelligence event – taking place on 18 and 19 March in Singapore. Themed ‘Mapping the data-driven future economy’, the event will feature leading technology and non-government organizations with representatives from the likes of the World Bank, Southeast Asian mobile technology giant Grab, the UK government’s mapping agency Ordnance Survey, and others. An Asian event with a global audience, Geo Connect Asia 2020 has announced new global exhibitors and sponsors who will be bringing their latest technologies and innovations to Singapore. New exhibitors... (read more)

2020-02-05 09:44:50

Avineon Acquires Dutch GIS Consulting Company Tensing

Avineon, a US-based geospatial products and services provider, has announced the acquisition of Tensing. As one of the leading GIS consulting companies in the Netherlands, Tensing has helped clients succeed with a wealth of knowledge and experience in Esri and Safe Software’s FME technology. With a focus on innovation, client engagement and high-end technical expertise, Tensing provides consulting services, project management and GIS development and administration for clients across the Netherlands and beyond. Both an Esri Gold Partner and Safe Software (FME) Silver Partner, Tensing adds over 60 high-caliber GIS consultants to Avineon’s global professional services team. With a shared... (read more)

2020-01-28 10:31:35