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Why GIS Deserves Its Own Day
Nov 2023
Join Nearmap to celebrate GIS Day 2023 and the revolution of GIS technology AND aerial imagery to collect, monitor, and visualize spatial data.
Nov 2023
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“What kind of world do you want to see?” That was the question Esri Founder and President Jack Dangermond posed at the 43rd annual Esri User Conference. In today's data-driven world, businesses are constantly seeking innovative solutions to inform their decisions when building the world that they want to see. This is where Geographic Information System (GIS) technology comes into play.
While GIS can create, manage, analyze, and map all types of data, there is one thing it needs to maximize its potential: aerial imagery. The combination of GIS technology and aerial imagery is revolutionizing the way entities collect, monitor, and visualize spatial data — enabling them to make intelligent decisions based on accurate, up-to-date information.
The Power of GIS and Aerial Imagery
Aerial imagery provides a bird's-eye view of the Earth's surface. This offers a unique perspective that allows entities, like government agencies, tech companies, solar professionals, AEC firms, and insurance agencies, to analyze and understand their surroundings in ways that were not possible before.
With advancements in technology, aerial imagery has become more accessible, affordable, and accurate, making it an essential tool for infrastructure design, public planning, and government decision-making.
Improved Property Assessment
One of the key applications of using aerial imagery and GIS in government is property assessment. By using current and historical aerial imagery, government agencies can remotely conduct property assessments with ease and accuracy.
In just minutes, assessors can identify taxable activity, measure properties, and analyze land use patterns. This efficient process not only saves time but also ensures fair and consistent property assessments.
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Enhanced Public Safety
Aerial imagery and GIS play a crucial role in enhancing public safety. By utilizing aerial maps, government agencies can develop robust response protocols and safely route emergency services, such as fire, police, and medical teams.
Aerial imagery provides detailed information about the built environment, allowing emergency responders to navigate more efficiently, assess potential hazards, and make informed decisions in critical situations.
Elevated Urban Planning
Aerial imagery gives clear and accurate insights into the activity and dynamics of urban areas. By analyzing high-resolution imagery with GIS tools, planners can understand land use patterns, monitor changes in infrastructure, and make data-driven decisions to support sustainable urban development.
Strengthened Public Works
With comprehensive coverage of the contiguous U.S., urban, and rural areas, aerial data provides valuable information for planning improvement projects, monitoring stormwater impact, and identifying impervious surfaces.
Aerial imagery helps cities and municipalities track the condition of infrastructure assets, prioritize maintenance and repair efforts, and ensure the efficient use of resources.
The Role of GIS in Decision-Making
GIS is a powerful tool that allows organizations to analyze, visualize, and interpret spatial data. By combining geographic data with other types of information, GIS enables decision-makers to gain valuable insights and make informed choices in various domains.
Construction and Management of Road Networks
GIS plays a vital role in the construction and management of road networks. By integrating aerial imagery with road data, organizations can plan and design efficient transportation systems.
GIS enables the identification of optimal routes, analysis of traffic patterns, and assessment of road conditions, leading to improved infrastructure planning and maintenance.
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Land Use Analysis for Infrastructure Planning
GIS facilitates land use analysis, which is critical for infrastructure planning. By overlaying aerial imagery with land use data, organizations can identify suitable areas for infrastructure development, such as utilities, parks, and public facilities.
GIS tools provide valuable insights into land suitability, environmental considerations, and potential impacts, ensuring that infrastructure projects are aligned with long-term goals and community needs.
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Waste Disposal and Stormwater Management
The accurate management of waste disposal and stormwater is vital for maintaining a healthy and sustainable environment. GIS enables government agencies to analyze topographic data, aerial imagery, and hydrological models to identify suitable locations for waste disposal facilities and stormwater management infrastructure.
By considering factors such as slope, proximity to water bodies, and land use patterns, GIS helps ensure efficient and environmentally friendly waste management practices.
Environmental Analysis and Conservation
Government agencies responsible for environmental conservation can leverage GIS to gain a comprehensive understanding of their natural resources and ecosystems. By integrating aerial imagery with ecological data, GIS enables agencies to monitor and assess environmental conditions, identify areas of conservation significance, and make informed decisions to protect biodiversity and natural habitats.
The Technologies Enabling Aerial Imagery and GIS
Aerial imagery and GIS are made possible by a combination of technologies that have revolutionized data collection, processing, and analysis. These technologies enable government agencies to leverage the power of spatial data and make more informed decisions.
Cloud-Based Solutions
Cloud technologies have played a significant role in the growth and accessibility of aerial imagery and GIS. By leveraging cloud-based platforms, like Nearmap, government agencies can store, access, and analyze vast amounts of geospatial data efficiently.
Cloud solutions also enable collaboration and data sharing, allowing multiple stakeholders to access and utilize the same datasets, reducing redundancies and promoting efficiency.
Enterprise Geodatabases
Enterprise geodatabases, such as GeoData Link, are specialized databases designed to manage spatial data. They provide government agencies with a centralized platform to store, organize, and analyze geospatial information.
With enterprise geodatabases, agencies can integrate aerial imagery, land records, infrastructure data, and other relevant datasets, allowing for comprehensive analysis and informed decision-making.
Easy-to-Use Software
The availability of user-friendly GIS software, MapBrowser has democratized the use of aerial imagery and GIS in government. Modern GIS software provides intuitive interfaces and tools that enable government employees with varying levels of technical expertise to analyze and visualize spatial data.
These software solutions allow for easy integration of aerial imagery, data analysis, and map creation, empowering government agencies to leverage the power of GIS without extensive training or specialized knowledge.
Application Programming Interfaces
Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) enable seamless integration between GIS software and other applications. By utilizing APIs, government agencies can incorporate aerial imagery and GIS functionality into their existing systems and workflows. APIs facilitate data exchange, allowing for the creation of customized applications and tools that meet the specific needs of government agencies.
Aerial imagery and GIS have transformed the way government agencies plan, analyze, and make decisions. From property assessment to public safety and urban planning to environmental management, the applications of aerial imagery and GIS are vast and diverse. These technologies provide valuable insights, enhance efficiency, and empower government agencies to make informed and data-driven decisions. By harnessing the power of aerial imagery and GIS, organizations can build smarter, more sustainable communities and serve their constituents more effectively.
Have a chat with our team about what else you could acheive with GIS data.