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Cloud-Based Mapping Tools Emerge to Appeal to Enterprise Users

The move to cloud-hosted Geographic Information Systems seems to be on in full force following announcements made at last week’s Where 2.0 Conference, hosted by O’Reilly Media. The event saw the debut of Google Earth Builder from Google, a new geospatial data hosting service, as well as an announcement from Esri that they will be offering hosting services via ArcGIS Online for a new paradigm of ‘living maps’.
More on cloud computing

South China Sea – The New Energy Location?

The South China has been reported to contain nearly 50 billion tons of crude oil and 20 trillion meters of natural gas. The area remains largely unexplored – and untapped. That is due to many political, technological and historical reasons. However, as energy prices rise and availability decreases in the face of heightening Chinese demand, circumstances are changing. Is the South China Sea about to become the new energy location?
More on the South China Sea

National Spatial Data Infrastructure Take Root in Asia

National Spatial Data Infrastructures (NSDI) continue to expand and grow across Asia. Thailand this week has indicated that the country is aiming to initiate it’s own NSDI by 2012. As with other similar projects, the goal for establishing such organisations is to spatially enable government operations with a view to increasing efficiency, transparency and to provide increased contact between citizens, business and government.
More on NSDI 

Australian Formations Revealed in Seismic Survey

The survey extended over 373 kilometres from near the Todd River 150 kilometres east of Alice Springs to just north of Amaroo in a cooperative program carried out by Geoscience Australia under its Onshore Energy Security Program in conjunction with the Northern Territory Geological Survey.
More on seismic survey

GPS III Team Completes Key Flight Software Milestone

The successful test demonstrated the ability to communicate between the Lockheed-Martin GPS III satellite bus, network communications and navigation elements, and is a key step in reducing risk for the program’s flight software development.
More on GPS III test flight

Thailand to Launch NSDI Portal by 2012

The Thai government has laid down plans to launch the country’s National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI) portal by 2012 which will serve as the national gateway for spatial information and pave the way towards “Spatially Enabling” Thailand. Dr. Chaowalit Silapathong, Director of the Geo-Informatics office at the Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA).
More on Thailand’s NSDI

SITECH Technology Dealers Established in China for Heavy and Highway Contractors

SITECH Technology Dealers represent Trimble and Caterpillar machine control systems for the contractor’s entire fleet of heavy equipment regardless of machine brand, along with Trimble’s portfolio of Connected Site solutions—site positioning systems, construction asset management services, software and powerful wireless and Internet-based site communications infrastructure.
More on highway technology

State-of-the-Art Mapping Technology Increases Business’ Success

Location intelligence specialists Esri Australia’s research among 397 Australian businesses reveals 93 per cent of professionals who use the sophisticated data mapping technology known as Geographic Information Systems (GIS) identify it as being an important tool to achieve key business objectives.
More on GIS for business

Resourcesat-2 to Transmit Pictures

The cameras have been oriented. As soon as the satellite was put into orbit, its two solar panels unfolded themselves. All operations and checking the health of Resourcesat-2, that were required to be done before the cameras are switched on, have been completed.
More on satellite imagery

‘DAICHI’ (ALOS) Power Generation Anomaly

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has been operating the Advanced Land Observing Satellite ‘DAICHI” (ALOS), which has exceeded its design life of three years and its target life of five years. However, at around 7:30 a.m. on April 22, we found that the satellite had shifted its operation mode to the low load mode (*1) and all the onboard observation devices were turned off due to power generation reduction.
More on ALOS satellite

Shin Kurushima Dockyard Standardizes on Intergraph SmartMarine 3D

The company found SmartMarine 3D to be the perfect match for its requirements, being truly a next-generation solution with rule-based technology, enabling SKDY to include and enhance its own sophisticated automation rules to continuously drive productivity numbers. With SmartMarine 3D, SKDY continues to enhance its competitiveness in the global shipbuilding industry.
More on shipbuilding

States Planning New Townships Near Cities

What is the plan to cope with the big transformation, whereby some 200 new cities will have to be created, including upgradation of some villages to towns and some towns to cities? The strategic plan of the ministry is to facilitate creation of economically vibrant, inclusive, efficient and sustainable habitats by promoting cities as engines of economic growth.
More on states in India

Ashtech Announces the ProFlex 500 with NTRIP Caster

Ashtech announced release of version 3.5 firmware for the ProFlex 500 GNSS receiver that includes a powerful NTRIP Caster to enable surveyors, municipalities, mining, engineering and agricultural operations to easily implement and control their own very cost-effective and secure corrections network via NTRIP protocol.

SuperGeo Releases Mobile Cadastral GIS 3.0

Mobile Cadastral GIS is designed for cadastral navigation measuring and field survey on the basis of SuperGIS Mobile Engine. Integrated with GIS and GPS technology resources, Mobile Cadastral GIS enables field surveyors to recognize their current locations and the correct information of cadastral navigation swiftly.

Ergon Energy Hopes to Save Millions With Google Tool

Ergon Energy, a Queensland government-owned electricity supplier, plans to save millions of dollars through the use of Google’s latest tool, Google Earth Builder. This brand new Google tool is a revolutionary technology that employs a mapping platform to host 3D geospatial information online.

Topcon SGR-1 Guidance and Mapping Receiver for Agriculture

This new, low-cost receiver utilizes 32 channels to track signals from GPS, GLONASS, SBAS (satellite-based augmentation system) EGNOS and WAAS (wide area augmentation system), as well as L-band OmniSTAR. The position update rate is 10Hz upgradeable to 20Hz.
More on the new agricultural receiver.

US Radar Offers Self-Contained Sub-surface Penetrating Radar System

The Seeker integrates a complete imaging system into one portable, user-friendly unit, making it a convenient and practical solution for a variety of industries, including general and underground construction, road and bridge building, structural and civil engineering, environmental, law enforcement and underground utility.

National Database of Pakistan’s Cultural Assets Developed

The database is a Geographical Information System (GIS) compatible database in which contribution was made possible due to the cooperation from the Ministry of Culture and its attached bodies: National Institute of Folk Heritage (Lok Virsa), Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) and the Department of Archaeology and Museums (DOAM).

Bentley – Two-Way Interoperability With ISO 15926

Ken Adamson, Bentley vice president, Electrical, Piping, and Plant, said, “With our OpenPlant products, which natively use the ISO 15926 reference data, we have always had the capability to empower two-way, real-time interoperability among different applications.

Clark Labs and UNIGIS Renew Longstanding Partnership

UNIGIS is the leading worldwide network of universities offering postgraduate Geographic Information Science and Technology education via open and distance learning. Dedicated to promoting the skills of GIS professionals, UNIGIS and its partner institutions offer internationally recognized programs of study.