GISCafe Industry Predictions for 2024 – CHCNav

By Francois Martin,  Vice GM, International Division at CHC Navigation

GIS Trends to Watch in 2024: Perspectives from CHC Navigation

Francois Martin

As we enter 2024, the GIS industry is poised for exciting innovations that will shape the future of mapping and surveying. Whether it’s new GNSS receiver solutions with augmented reality, workflows transformed by AI, or increased use of airborne and handheld LiDAR, the coming years promise to bring advances that will make geospatial data collection faster, more accurate, and more automated. In this article, we explore some of the key trends and technologies that we believe will transform the industry landscape in 2024.

Solar Activity Peak: Challenge for GNSS Solution

The Sun is currently in its 25th active cycle, which is expected to peak in 2024, when geomagnetic storms triggered by plasma explosions known as coronal mass ejections can cause significant disruptions to GNSS. Compared to the last active cycle, high-precision GNSS positioning has become more common in various industries that rely on accurate positioning information to ensure normal operations. To minimize the negative impact of solar activity on GNSS positioning, the industry will need better GNSS positioning solutions in 2024. First, by further improving the design robustness of receivers to cope with complex space environments. Second, by more tightly integrating augmentation services with positioning chips to improve the usability of high-precision positioning results. Third, by applying machine learning technology to calculate the ionospheric model more accurately to minimize interference.

Hybrid GNSS Receiver: Fusion with more Sensors

The GNSS receiver may not see a new technological revolution in the next few years that will improve accuracy by orders of magnitude, but it is overcoming its shortcomings by combining with more sensors. GNSS receivers have been widely integrated with IMUs to eliminate errors due to tilt and to ensure that position data is still available for a short time after entering an area where the signal has been blocked. Last years, we have introduced the CHCNAV i89 Visual RTK receiver coupled to a dual-camera for Augmented Reality surveying. What’s next? Let’s look forward to 2024.

Increased AI penetration: Freeing Users from Repetitive Tasks

In recent years, as high-performance GPU chips have become more widely available, deep learning-based algorithms have become faster to train, and developers have been able to iterate on them at a much lower threshold. We have seen two major revolutions in AI brought about by machine learning: deep language models and machine vision. Machine learning can summarize human experience and perform repetitive tasks with unprecedented efficiency. For example, in the mapping industry, we can see that AI is gradually being used in LiDAR to classify point clouds, extract road features, and visualize 2D orthophotos in 3D. In the surveying industry, AI is helping construction workers convert specific coordinates into road drawings; reference stations are using machine learning techniques to compute ionospheric models faster and more accurately for distribution in GNSS RTK networks. In 2024, these technologies will continue to spread across industries, allowing people to focus more on non-repetitive tasks such as decision-making, communication, and innovation.

LiDAR and Echo Sounder: Expansion in the GIS

SLAM technology as the core of ground 3D scanning equipment with its accuracy is rapidly industrialized and expand the scope of application, LiDAR will replace the use of total station and GNSS equipment to a certain extent, so that the 3D survey more popular. At the same time, the wider use of LiDAR and supporting equipment such as UAVs will result in lower skill requirements. With smarter and friendlier solutions, newcomers can learn to plan routes and post-process data more quickly. As LiDAR technology continues to mature, it will also drive down the price of products, with more companies introducing affordable LiDAR products for small businesses and individuals by 2024.

In a somewhat similar trend in marine surveying, USV will follow the same trend to provide an accurate representation of the seafloor topography in a completely unmanned process. Compared to traditional manual surveying, the operational costs and safety risks associated with manned vessels are greatly reduced. USVs equipped with multi-beam echosounders can cover a much larger area, making them particularly suitable for mapping offshore areas. As the cost of USVs decreases, this technology will be used in more scenarios to provide data support for marine resource development.

Spatial Data Integration: Building a Digital Twin of the Physical World

Various emerging means of geospatial data acquisition will bring unprecedented richness to map content. However, the heterogeneity of data also brings new challenges. How to effectively integrate multiple data sources such as aerial orthophotos, LIDAR point clouds, and infrastructure operational data to produce internally consistent 3D maps will be one of the challenges the GIS industry looks forward to in 2024.

Conclusion

As we look ahead to 2024, the GIS industry is poised for transformation, driven by maturing technologies such as AI and tightly coupled GNSS/INS/LiDAR/imaging sensors, along with the need for robust positioning and geospatial integration. While challenges remain, the future looks bright for companies that embrace change in the GIS arena.

About CHC Navigation

CHC Navigation (CHCNAV) creates innovative mapping, navigation, and positioning solutions to make customers’ work more efficient. CHCNAV products and solutions cover multiple industries such as geospatial, construction, agriculture, and marine. With a presence across the globe, distributors in more than 120 countries, and more than 1,700 employees, CHC Navigation is recognized as one of the fastest-growing companies in geomatics technologies. For more information about CHC Navigation [Huace:300627.SZ], please visit:  www.chcnav.com

About Author:

Francois Martin, currently the Vice General Manager – International Division at CHC Navigation, holds extensive experience in the geospatial technology industry. His career spans over two decades, focusing on solution selling, marketing, and business development within the Survey, Construction, Marine and Precision Agriculture sectors. Martin’s expertise is marked by a comprehensive understanding of the geospatial technologies and the related mapping, positioning and navigation markets. His professional journey includes pivotal roles at companies such as CHC Navigation, Ashtech, and Magellan Navigation, where he played an instrumental role in expanding business operations and developing international sales distribution networks. Martin’s educational background includes an MSc in International Business Development and Marketing from ESTA School, France.

Category: Industry Predictions

This entry was posted on Tuesday, January 30th, 2024 at 12:27 pm. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.