Vertical GeoSolutions

This week’s ESRI International User Conference began with Jack Dangermond (ESRI President) stating that this year’s user conference was not only the largest ESRI User Conference ever, but also the largest gathering of geographers in history.  It will be interesting to see what the headcount ends up being.

ArcGIS 10 looks to be designed to make cloud computing its primary goal.  Sharing your maps with everyone and using pre-defined map templates seems to be the key processes imbedded in ArcGIS 10.  One of the biggest benefits and a pet peeve of mine is that you no longer have to open both ArcCatalog and ArcMap to do geospatial processing and map making in two different programs.  Now they are scrolling tabs on the side of the workspace.  Everything is included under one hood at ArcGIS 10.  Another big benefit is the Image Analysis Window.  Looks like it will be very beneficial to those of us who use imagery extensively in our maps and data creation.

I am downloading ArcGIS 10 as I write this and I am eager to try out the capabilities it provides.  I’ll get back and let you know what I find.

I came across an excellent article written by Ray Caputo from the Army Geospatial Center (AGC) that discusses their different products delivered using TerraGo’s GeoPDF software.  We have been using the GeoPDF format for a couple of years here at VerticalGeo, but the AGC and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) both have extensive GeoPDF libraries (AGC Library) (many of which you must have a government Common Access Card to get to) are also producing several useful products using GeoPDF technology.  USGS has recently started converting all of their topo charts over to GeoPDF products, which creates an easy to access product that anyone can download and use with their own computer.  The USGS Store is a great resource for GeoPDF Topo Charts.  Read Ray Caputo’s article is  located here.   AGC Article .

Thanks to Directions Magazine for posting a great article highlighting the future of cloud computing and the Geospatial Industry written by Philip O’Doherty , of eSpatial.   It is a really good read and shows us some of the forward-leaning aspects of cloud computing and how it can help the Geospatial Industry.  The article is located here.  Link.

Dr. Rick Marshall of VerticalGeo attended the ILGISA (www.ilgisa.org) Spring Conference at the University of Illinois, April 15. Rick presented “ArcGIS Server and GeoPDF Solutions for Remote Airfield Visualization” during the GIS Tools breakout track. Rick also moderated the three sessions during the Historical Perspective track. The ILGISA Conference is a two day event held each Spring and Fall where GIS professionals gather and share best practices and lessons learned to others in the GIS community.  The Fall Conference will be held October 20-21, 2010 at  Northern Illinois University, Naperville.

VerticalGeo will be attending the ESRI Federal User Conference in Washington, DC, February 17-19. Dr. Rick Marshall will be presenting a paper titled, “ArcGIS Server and GeoPDF Applications for Remote Airfield Visualization”.   Rick’s presentation will explore the capabilities that ArcGIS Server and GeoPDF technology provide for mission and flight planning for Air Mobility Command mission planners and aircrews.  The presentation will be on Thursday February 18th at 10:30 in Room 149A.

The ESRI Events link for the Federal User Conference is located here. Link.

The Saint Louis University Center for Environmental Sciences will be hosting the next ESRI St Louis GIS User Group (SLUG) Meeting on February 25 in the SLU CES GIS Lab in McElwane Hall on the SLU Campus.  Further details for the user group meeting can be found on the CES webpage.

Jan 28, 2010 Update: 

Thanks to Joe Francica of the Directions Magazine’s All Points Blog for offering up their list of Haitian Earthquake Relief Resources.  Their list of resources is very extensive and is located at:

http://apb.directionsmag.com/archives/7147-Update-4-Multiple-Geospatial-Resources-for-the-Haitian-Earthquake-Efforts.html

Original Jan 27, 2010 Post:

I have been searching for sources of geospatial information for Haiti.  Here is a short list of the resources I have found:

National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency’s Unclassified Haiti Earthquake Crisis Relief Page 

U.S. Army Geospatial Center Haiti Page

U.S. Army Geospatial Center’s Haiti Maps Page

DigitalGlobe’s Earthquake Image Gallery and Damage Analysis

Delta State University Product Directory for Haiti

Delta State University’s GeoPDF Product Directory

I will continue to search for more sources and post frequent updates to the list.

GeoEye (www.geoeye.com) is producing some small scene High-Resolution Haiti imagery on it’s featured imagery website.  It is recent, very high resolution imagery, and updated frequently.  It is located here.  Link.  You can follow what is happening in Haiti through the imagery.

The following Post was located on the Google Earth Blog on Jan 13, 2010 and is located here: Link

Imagery Layer for Haiti Earthquake has been released

Google has been working with GeoEye over the last 24 hours to get fresh imagery from Haiti to help aid relief efforts. They’ve just released a KML file for it, which you’re encouraged to download. The file is actually a network link, so Google can push additional imagery to you without having to release another KML.

The imagery is remarkably sharp, and shows some amazing scenes such a a soccer field turned into a make-shift camp (shown above), and smoke continuing to billow out of some buildings.

Google has done similar things in the past, with events such as the Myanmar Cyclone or Hurricane Katrina.

In addition to the KML file, Google has set up a crisis response page for the earthquake with lots of information. Specifically, those that are able are encouraged to give donations to help rebuild lives and communities.

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) has selected VerticalGeo to become the newest USGS Business Partner.  VerticalGeo now becomes one of only 5 Business Partners in the State of Illinois, and the only Business Partner in southwestern Illinois authorized to sell and distribute USGS maps and imagery and create value added products to meet your individual needs using USGS data.  The Business Partner Program includes the additional product lines of digital cartographic data and aerial photographs.