“The tasks of paleontologists and classical historians and archaeologists are remarkably similar — to excavate, decipher and bring to life the tantalizing remnants of a time we will never see.” — Adrienne Mayor Heatwaves rose up from the dusty, dry, cracked ground. Tiny black flies buzzed around the team’s eyes and faces. The only shade was under a canopy erected... read more
GPS and airborne light detection and ranging (lidar) have revolutionized archaeology. In just a little more than a decade, dozens of previously hidden cities and settlements have been discovered under heavy tree canopy and in other terrain. Many of the sites are in difficult-to-access areas, such as high atop mountains, in vast deserts, or enclosed in thick, nearly impenetrable foliage.... read more
King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) and Spire Global will launch the KAUST CubeSat research satellite by the end of 2022, according to the university. Spire is a space data, analytics and services provider. The research satellite will in collecting high-quality, high-resolution data for terrestrial, coastal and ocean ecosystems for a three-year period after launch, according to Matthew... read more
Trimble has introduced its SX12 Scanning Total Station, the next iteration of its 3D scanning total station that provides fast and efficient data capture for surveying, engineering and geospatial professionals. New features include a high-power laser pointer, high-resolution camera system, expanded capabilities in surveying and complex 3D modeling. The SX12 enables enable new workflows in tunneling and underground mining, Trimble... read more
By Philippe Simard, Ph.D. President, SimActive Inc. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought uncertainties to all businesses, and the mapping industry has been no exception. Slowdowns were observed during the first few months of 2020 as lockdowns were gradually enforced in Asia, then Europe, and finally the Americas. As expected, projects were delayed during that initial period as companies were reorganizing their... read more
RedTail Lidar System’s RTL-400 delivers the trifecta Summer is here, and with it comes the challenge of creating accurate topographic maps under tree canopies. The adoption of drone-based, 3D light detection and ranging — or lidar — is emerging as the go-to sensing technique to meet this challenge consistently, safely and cost effectively. Designed specifically for use on small drones,... read more
The National Governors Association has partnered with Esri to publish a comprehensive update to its interactive COVID-19 State and Territory Action Tracker. According to the association, the interactive mapping-based app shows how jurisdictions have taken actions to reopen certain business sectors by issuing statewide orders. It also shows how jurisdictions are undertaking regional-based approaches or implementing statewide orders with authorization... read more
Geospatial Solutions/GPS World is conducting a short survey to shed light on the impact of COVID-19 on the GNSS/PNT industry. The short survey covers topics such as changes in daily work habits communication methods with staff, technology partners and clients how each core sector is responding to the coronavirus pandemic how we are all trying to remain productive despite social-distancing... read more
The world is not flat – so why has the geolocation industry been operating in two dimensions? By Matt Rothschild, Polaris Wireless For an industry that makes its living identifying people and objects at a particular point in space, the geolocation industry — made up of applications providers, mapping companies and device manufacturers — has been very slow to make... read more
By Emily Constantine Mercurio Our nation’s sewers are under critical examination now more than any other time in history. The act of collecting sewage and stormwater, transporting it to the treatment system, and processing waste is no doubt a feat of science and engineering that we take for granted in the developed world. Sewer infrastructure is a critical public asset whose... read more
