GIS

TCarta wins contract to Map Seafloor around Kiribati

TCarta Marine has been contracted by the United Kingdom Hydrographic Office (UKHO) to provide a baseline dataset of water depths and seafloor classification around the Republic of Kiribati. Located in the Pacific Ocean, the island nation is threatened by rising sea levels.

TCarta won the open bid for supply of Satellite Derived Bathymetry (SDB) to the UKHO to extract water depth measurements and seafloor classifications, including habitat types, from multispectral satellite imagery. In this project, it is processing eight-band DigitalGlobe WorldView-2 and -3 data predominantly, as well as four-band WorldView-4 and GeoEye-1 data to measure depths down to 30 meters at a resolution of two meters.The Kiribati nation is comprised of 33 atoll islands and multiple reefs spread over an area of the Pacific Ocean nearly the size of the Continental U.S. Multiple new reefs have been discovered by TCarta using this satellite derived approach at the start of this project. www.tcarta.com

Esri to Chart the Waters of Denmark and Greenland in partnership with GST

Esri has partnered with the Danish Geodata Agency (GST) to implement a modern workflow to more efficiently create and maintain nautical charts of Danish and Greenlandic waters. It will assist with the installation of, and training for, the new enterprise production system. Because maritime traffic is increasing significantly and new routes are opening due to melting ice, it is crucial to have accurate charts in support of safe navigation and environmental protection.

GST turned to Esri for a solution when the organization needed to convert the production of navigational charts from a file-based system to a database and to combine cross-agency chart production into one inclusive system. GST expects to reduce the time it takes staff to produce charts of all Danish waters and enable them to share information across departments and multiple agencies. esri.com

Ordnance Survey to launch mapping drone

National mapping agency for Great Britain – Ordnance Survey (OS) has announced plans to launch a solar-powered drone that will fly at high altitude to complement existing satellite mapping systems. The aim of the High Altitude Psuedo Satellite (HAPS) project, called Astigan, is to provide faster, higher quality images of Earth from 67,000 ft – almost twice the cruising altitude of a commercial airliner. The platform weighs just 149kg and has a wingspan of 38 meters. Much like Airbus’ record-breaking solar-powered drone, the intention is for Astigan to be a middle ground between conventional satellite systems and your average UAVs. Eventually, it will fly for 90 days at a time without needing to land – enough time to circle Earth fourand- a-half times. https://dronelife.com

EU invests over £10bn in innovative clean technologies

The Commission has announced an investment programme worth over €10 billion for low-carbon technologies in several sectors to boost their global competitiveness. Innovative climate action has a range of benefits for the health and prosperity of Europeans with an immediate, tangible impact on people’s lives – from the creation of local green jobs and growth, to energyefficient homes with a reduced energy bill, cleaner air, more efficient public transport systems in cities, and secure supplies of energy and other resources.

The Commission wants to ensure that Europe continues to be at the top of the league as regards new high-value patents for clean energy technologies. This leadership provides a global competitive advantage, allowing Europe to harvest first mover benefits by increasing exports of European sustainable products and sustainable technology and business models. On 28 November 2018, the European Commission adopted a strategic long-term vision for a prosperous, modern, competitive and climate neutral economy by 2050 – A Clean Planet for all. https://ec.europa.eu

Drone based survey for land records in Karnataka, India

The Karnataka government and the Survey of India have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to use drones to do land surveys and help people and farmers in particular, get more accurate land records in a shorter time. The survey was intended to not only remove human errors in the preparation of land records, but also eliminate manipulation of boundary lines. Happy with the success of the pilot tests conducted in Jayanagar 4th block in the city and Ramanagar using drones, the Karnataka government now intends to use drones to prepare land records all over the state. In the first phase, drones will be used to do surveys in Hassan, Ramanagara, Tumakuru, Uttara Kannada, Belagavi and Bengaluru city over a period of about two years and in the second, it will be extended to Vijayapura, Kodagu, Dharwad, Dakshina Kannada, Mysuru, Gadag, Davangere and Kalaburagi. www.deccanchronicle.com

BIM workflows to design iconic station for Indian Railways

Voyants Solutions Private Limited has been selected to design an iconic new Gwalior Railway Station that would complement the existing station and attract tourism. The firm used BIM models and workflows to optimize building design and incorporate existing structures. The company designed a structure and development plan that specifically accommodated the challenging requirement of keeping the existing station fully operational during construction. www.bentley.com

Mapping underground infrastructure in NYC

Geospatial Corporation is providing engineers and utilities in the New York metropolitan area with accurate maps of buried pipelines and conduits under busy streets and deep waterways. These maps allow the engineers installing new cables to more accurately calculate the geometry and bending radius along multiple runs of buried pipelines and conduits regardless of the material of the line. The acquired data is critical to allow the engineers to calculate the pulling force necessary to install new cables without damaging the cable. The company’s team of data collection specialists has completed multiple projects in New York City. An example of some of the completed projects are the mapping of 7315 m of electrical cable in Queens; the mapping of a communication conduit crossing the East River, and the mapping of an electrical conduit under the Harlem River. The accurate location data helps clients avoid costly mistakes during installation. GeoUnderground allows users to accurately record and manage the location and depth of buried infrastructure. www.GeospatialCorp.com

Re-establishing oyster beds to maximize their ecological benefits

Researchers from North Carolina State University have developed a mapping tool that identifies sites for re-establishing oyster reefs that maximize their ecological benefits — such as water filtration. This GIS-based tool could inform restoration of other vital, sensitive coastal habitats.Theuerkauf and NC State colleagues David Eggleston, professor of marine sciences, and Brandon Puckett, former NC State Ph.D. student and current research coordinator for the NC Coastal Reserve, utilized GIS tools to develop a model that could predict the best locations for oyster bed reestablishment that would provide maximum likely water filtration benefits. The researchers developed three versions of their model: one that identified areas where oyster restoration yielded maximum water filtration benefits; one that identified areas that would best sustain the overall oyster population; and another that identified areas with a balance between water filtration and population enhancement. www.sciencedaily.com

End-to-end GIS solutions

Schneider Electric, a GIS solutions for utilities and communication providers, has named RMSI North America, an IT services company providing geospatial and software solutions, an ArcFM Specialised Partner. RMSI’s data solutions and migration expertise will offer customers a choice for their data needs as they prepare to implement Esri’s new Utility Network Management Extension. www.schneider-electric.com