All posts by David Brown
Aerial Imagery to the Rescue
Events in 2017 demonstrated without any doubts or reservations how vitally important georeferenced aerial imagery is in assessing damage and supporting relief efforts following a natural calamity. Last September, an impromptu consortium of companies in North America mobilized their forces and collected and analyzed mountains of data at near cost to help out in what...
The Merging Trend in Aerial Mapping
My take on company consolidation in the aerial mapping industry. The old saying—that history repeats itself—seems to be as true as ever in the photogrammetric mapping industry. Twenty years ago, an investment group began acquiring aerial mapping companies with the goal to amass a powerhouse that would dominate the industry. I call this the battleship...
Editor’s Desk: Change in the Air for Aerial Lidar and UAS
By David A. Brown I have been in the geospatial industry for 35 years, first as a geologist and a geophysicist, and then in the photogrammetric industry, where I have worn many hats. And I’ve seen quite a bit of change. I’m writing this after attending back-to-back the 2014 winter MAPPS (Management Association for Private...
State of: Aerial
Demand for aerial mapping and its products is higher than ever. While several factors drive the market, the internet is by far the most significant. Nearly everyone has access to the internet and thus access to aerial photography in many formats and resolutions. Thank Google and Microsoft for that visibility and resulting demand. The problem...
