All posts by Gavin Schrock

A frequently used Coast & Geodetic Survey (predecessor to the NGS) marker set in 1933, across the bay from Seattle.

2022 and You

The year 2022 …. “And then one day you find ten years have got behind you. No one told you when to run; you missed the starting gun.” —Time, by Pink Floyd (Gilmour, Wright) The year of the planned update of the U.S. national spatial reference system, 2022, looms large on the horizon and is...

BLK360 + ReCap Pro: Collaboration for Reality Capture

Autodesk and Leica Geosystems collaborate on a highly anticipated scanning solution, the BLK360: practical, high-precision reality capture for everyone. We see so much written about 3D, BIM, and virtual and augmented worlds; it is easy to wax poetically about the potential for spatial analysis, automated feature recognition, space planning, and 3D design. There is much to...

“Be Inspired” – International Excellence in Infrastructure Awards 2017

Bentley presents its annual “Be Inspired” awards for advances in infrastructure engineering, design, BIM, operations, reality modeling, and construction at the 2017 Year in Infrastructure conference held in Singapore. The Bentley “Be Inspired” award winners, 2017 The winners of Bentley’s international awards for excellence and innovation in infrastructure engineering, design, operations, BIM, construction, and project...

Sputnik and Infrastructure

Today is the 60th anniversary of an event that both enlightened, and, in some ways, frightened the world.  But it greatly inspired the worlds of science, engineering, and education. And it also sparked, arguably more than any other single event, developments for the geospatial professions and industries. On October 4th, 1957, a tiny polished metal...

Credit Texas National Guard

Wind, Water, and Fire: Hurricane Response in the Geospatial Community

Response, recovery, and rebuilding in the aftermath of hurricanes Harvey and Irma and the unprecedented wildfire season in the West may be the largest combined U.S. disaster response to date. The impacts to Texas, Florida, the broader Gulf Coast region, and many western states will require large national and international effort. We are all involved;...

A demonstration scan of a London street; mobile lidar for above ground and GPR for below ground. Credit: Leica Geosystems (part of Hexagon).

GPR Revisited

Arrays of multiple sensors and advances in processing breathe new life into the field of ground penetrating radar. We continue to struggle with the opaque elements of our world. To be able to penetrate the opaqueness of night, fog, clouds, and the ocean’s depths is a relative snap compared to the challenges of seeing downward into...