Last week at the Commercial UAV Conference in Las Vegas, Pix4D, a leader in geospatial mapping technology, showcased its latest innovations in 3D data capture and processing. Known for converting imagery from drones, aircraft, and mobile devices into highly accurate georeferenced 2D orthomosaics, 3D surface models, and point clouds, the Swiss company continues to push the boundaries of what’s possible in photogrammetry and LiDAR integration.

In an interview at the conference, Ashley Reade, Business Development Executive at Pix4D, discussed the company’s unique approach to geospatial data solutions. “We aim to make accurate, high-quality data accessible to everyone, from experts in surveying and construction to those with limited experience in data capture,” Reade said.

PIX4Dcatch and Bad Elf Scanning Solution Interface

A focal point of the conversation was Pix4D’s comprehensive workflow, starting with its PIX4Dcatch mobile app. Compatible with the latest Apple iPhone Pro series, the app combines photogrammetry, LiDAR, and GNSS technology to capture georeferenced 3D models with precision. This is further enhanced by a new partnership with Bad Elf, announced earlier this month, which pairs their RTK GNSS Rover with PIX4Dcatch for centimeter-level accuracy in terrestrial scanning.

In the increasingly data-driven world, accurate and expansive geolocation data is vital across industries such as telecommunications, insurance, and real estate. Smarty, a 120-person tech company based in Provo, Utah, has long been at the forefront of providing accurate address validation, geocoding, and address enrichment. The company’s latest offering, a groundbreaking U.S. secondary address data tool, promises to further revolutionize the geospatial industry.

In a recent interview with Smarty’s Vice President of Product Management, Berkley Charlton, I had the chance to dive into the details behind this innovative product. Charlton highlighted the significance of secondary addresses—additional units within a primary address, such as apartments or suites—and their critical role for various industries.

“For industries like telecommunications, knowing how many units are within a complex can determine whether it’s worth investing in infrastructure. Similarly, insurance companies can assess risk more accurately by understanding the number of units within a property,” said Charlton. This granular level of address detail is crucial for business decisions but has traditionally been difficult to access.

Until now, businesses either had to rely on incomplete datasets or purchase expensive national databases. Smarty’s new secondary address data tool offers a more accessible and efficient solution, providing access to over 56 million secondary address components across the U.S. The tool allows customers to pull specific secondary addresses related to a primary one in an instant. Using Smarty’s proprietary system, every address in the U.S. is linked to a unique identifier called a “Smarty Key,” ensuring consistent and reliable data retrieval.

When asked about the challenge of collecting such a massive dataset, Charlton emphasized Smarty’s unique position in the market: “We process over 2.3 billion U.S. addresses a day through our servers, which gives us unparalleled access to address data. This allows us to achieve 99% coverage of secondary addresses across the country.”