Blurring the Lines between Consumer and Professional GIS

The market and technical distinctions between consumer and professional GIS products and services are rapidly disappearing. Consider this:

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What Is the Geospatial Industry?

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment & Training Administration has recognized the geospatial industry as one of fourteen important emerging industries — along with advanced manufacturing, automotive, biotechnology, construction, energy, financial services, health care, homeland security, hospitality, information technology, aerospace, retail, and transportation. This designation reflects both the explosive growth of the geospatial industry in [...]

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Geospatial Organizations Form a Coalition

The geospatial community has a new forum that will foster discussion of policy and technical issues, promote openness and effective collaboration, and present a united front on issues of common concern — whenever its components agree.

The geospatial industry consists of individuals, private companies, non-profit organizations, academic and research institutions, and government agencies that research, develop, manufacture, and employ geospatial technology (also known as geomatics) — including geographic information systems (GIS), total stations for surveying, the Global Positioning System (GPS) and other global navigation satellite systems (GNSS), light detection and ranging (LIDAR), and multi-spectral imaging. Geospatial disciplines include surveying, geodesy, mapping, cartography, remote sensing (satellite imagery and aerial photography), and geographic information science. The market for geomatics products can be divided, by level of accuracy, into consumer grade, resource grade, and survey grade — each with its own industry leaders.

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