Esri Joins Forces with 3DR to Launch ArcGIS Drone Collection

Esri has announced that it has partnered with 3DR, a leading US drone data company, to expand Esri's current drone imagery offering, Drone2Map for ArcGIS, with an end-to-end enterprise drone data and analytics solution for Esri's ArcGIS platform. The ArcGIS Drone Collection offers scalable solutions for users ranging from small operators to enterprise-wide drone programs. Esri customers can now achieve operational efficiency by leveraging the elastic processing capabilities of the cloud. By adding 3DR's powerful Site Scan unmanned aerial systems flight planning and processing software to ArcGIS, users benefit by having extensive and powerful drone flight planning and image processing,... (read more)

2019-11-13 11:35:59

Laser Scanning of Damaged Historical Icons

Surveying Technology Is Heading for Maturity

Terrestrial laser scanning is becoming an increasingly preferred surveying technique for the 3D documentation of historical buildings. 3D point clouds provide a wealth of information which advanced 3D mapping software can exploit in a relatively simple way, at least when compared to the tedious surveying techniques of the past. However, effective cooperation between architects and the survey team of experts is necessary in order to get the best out of this geodata acquisition technology. In this article, the authors first provide an overview of equipment based on the size of the site and the surveying aim, and subsequently give four... (read more)

2019-10-31 09:16:04

Trimble to Acquire Cityworks to Expand Digital Asset and Infrastructure Management Solutions

Trimble has signed a definitive agreement to acquire privately held Azteca Systems LLC (dba 'Cityworks'), a leading provider of enterprise asset management (EAM) software for utilities and local government. Cityworks' solutions address the global challenges associated with maintaining and replacing aging utility, transportation and public assets and infrastructure. The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2019, subject to customary closing conditions and expiration of the waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act. Financial terms were not disclosed. Cityworks, based in Sandy, Utah, was launched in 1996 and provides a powerful and flexible office, cloud and mobile EAM software... (read more)

2019-10-09 08:58:20

3D Modelling for Property Valuation in China

A High-resolution Remote Sensing-based Approach

Rapid urban development in China has transformed the cityscapes, with a dramatic increase in high-rise buildings. However, the current 2D property valuation methods neglect the vertical dimension, even though that aspect contains significant indicators that impact property value – such as types of views, scope of vision and daylight. 3D modelling of geographical data can help to change this in high-rise and highly-density areas, going beyond 2D to enable identification of complex property characteristics in the vertical dimension too. This article presents research to explore a 3D modelling approach using remote sensing data for more precise property valuation. The accelerating... (read more)

2019-09-26 10:00:54

New Platform Connects Construction and Surveying Professionals

Publishing company Geomares, the name behind the leading international magazines GIM International and Hydro International for geospatial and hydrographic surveying professionals, is now expanding its activities with the launch of Geo4Construction. This new online platform brings together construction engineers and geospatial professionals in order to disseminate surveying knowledge in the Architecture, Engineering & Construction (AEC) industry and pave the way for the digital future. The AEC industry cannot escape the digital transformation, which is creating a growing need for geospatial knowledge. Highly accurate measurements are crucial throughout the built-environment life cycle, and that is precisely where surveying skills come into play.... (read more)

2019-09-13 11:05:26

The Surveyors of Our World

A Journey through History

In today’s data-driven society, in which location-based services have become an omnipresent part of everyday life, there is no doubt that surveying is all around us. But did you also know that surveyors have been indispensable to the development of the world since civilization began? In this brief journey through history, John F. Brock provides a surprising and entertaining look at the importance of surveying through the ages, from ancient times up to the modern day. It is not difficult to conjure up an image of how people in ancient civilizations may have divided up their lands. They certainly... (read more)

2019-09-13 09:42:32

Tell the World: We Are More than Scan-to-BIM

Building information modelling (BIM) will be a growing opportunity for the surveying and spatial industry, providing we focus more on adding value to BIM and concentrate on what we can offer to other industries thanks to BIM rather than merely preparing it. Opportunities in digital twins, smart buildings, smart infrastructures and smart cities require more than just BIM as data. The surveying and spatial industry will not benefit from this growing market without fully realizing the BIM market opportunity and providing advocacy, leadership and education in BIM. Scan-to-BIM is promising but even more lies beyond With the increasing availability of... (read more)

2019-08-22 10:03:30

What Do BIM, GIS, IoT, BMS, Telemetry and CAD All Have in Common?

Over the last three years, building information modelling (BIM) has undergone rapid development around the world. The value chain of design, construction and operation of built assets faces various challenges of change, some of which are of a technological nature. These include the transition from drawing in 2D to modelling in 3D with object reference and linked information. There is also an explosive increase in the volume of data on projects, including from new recording methods such as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs or ‘drones’), lasers, geo-radars, and the increased use of sensors and data transfer devices on the Internet of... (read more)

2019-08-22 09:40:52

The Rail BIM 2030 Roadmap Project

The Rail BIM 2030 Roadmap has been developed collaboratively by the Korea Railroad Research Institute, Yonsei University and the Korea Rail Network Authority. It explains the five phases of building information modelling (BIM) adoption and diffusion strategies from 2018 to 2030 for the advancement of the South Korean railway industry in the 4th Industrial Age (‘Industry 4.0’). We asked Professor Ghang Lee, director of the Building Informatics Group (BIG) at the Department of Architecture and Architectural Engineering at Yonsei University in Seoul, South Korea, five questions in order to find out more about this project. Can you please briefly explain... (read more)

2019-07-25 10:25:37

Five Decades of Mapping the Moon

This year, NASA is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the first crewed mission – Apollo 11 – landing on the moon. Besides that, this September it will be 60 years since the first unmanned mission – Luna 2 – reached the surface of the moon. Both of these milestones reflect the great contributions of the USA and the Soviet Union/Russia to space exploration, but they would not have been possible without spatial data. National Geographic has always been at the forefront of lunar mapping. At the time of the Apollo missions, crews relied on its hand-painted maps based on photos... (read more)

2019-07-15 10:17:01