GISCafe Guest 
Sanjay Gangal
Sanjay Gangal is the President of IBSystems, the parent company of AECCafe.com, MCADCafe, EDACafe.Com, GISCafe.Com, and ShareCG.Com. A Conversation with Trimble’s Nathan Patton: How Robotics, Data, and AI Are Reshaping ConstructionNovember 25th, 2024 by Sanjay Gangal
LAS VEGAS — The Trimble Dimensions Conference in Las Vegas offers a rare glimpse into the construction industry’s future. This year’s gathering featured innovative tech on display, underscoring a drive to redefine how projects are managed and built. Central to this vision was Nathan Patton, Trimble’s Product Marketing Manager for Construction Technology, who shared insight into the possibilities that AI, robotics, and data capture bring to construction. With his background as a former surveyor, Patton is as much a storyteller of Trimble’s journey as he is an advocate for its transformative potential. Patton’s path to Trimble is notable. Before joining the company, he was a surveyor using Trimble’s equipment on job sites. “I was a customer of Trimble long before I ever came to work here,” he explained. This gives him a unique perspective as someone who understands the practical realities of Trimble’s technologies and what they mean for the people using them. His role today involves taking Trimble’s sophisticated innovations — tools like terrestrial scanning, mobile mapping, and cloud data management — and distilling them into solutions that construction firms can understand, trust, and deploy.  With the Trimble Reality Capture Platform Service, users can facilitate seamless collaboration with a central source of data for visualization, issue tracking, model comparison, measuring and more — all inside Trimble Connect’s web-based interface. Trimble’s Visionary Keynote Champions Connection and Innovation in the Construction Industry’s New Digital EraNovember 12th, 2024 by Sanjay Gangal
Las Vegas — Against a backdrop of rapid technological advancement, Trimble’s CEO delivered a powerful keynote at this year’s Trimble Dimensions conference in Las Vegas, presenting a vision for the future of construction and design centered on connection and transformation. Rob Painter set the stage with a compelling metaphor, drawing a parallel between Trimble’s journey and the relentless progression of the Olympic Games, where world records are shattered, new techniques are introduced, and the very definition of excellence is redefined with each passing year. Painter invited the audience to imagine 1988, the Summer Olympics in Seoul, where American sprinter Carl Lewis took gold in the 100 meters with a time of 9.92 seconds. Fast forward to the most recent games in Paris: the last-place finisher in this year’s 100-meter race crossed the line faster than Lewis’s record-breaking time. This moment, Painter argued, encapsulates the dizzying pace of advancement not only in sports but in the world of construction and design as well. “Even if you’re at the top of your game today, one year—or one moment—might not be enough to keep you there,” he said. In a world moving as fast as ours, companies must keep pace with change or risk falling behind.
This year, Trimble framed its strategy around what it called the “power of connection.” Using the Olympics as a metaphor for continually rising standards, Painter urged attendees to embrace an industry redefined by digital connections, integrated workflows, and artificial intelligence. “The power of connection is the core of this revolution,” he emphasized, outlining Trimble’s plans to link people, data, workflows, and ecosystems into a connected digital fabric that will underpin the construction industry’s future. Building a 3D Future: How Bentley Systems and Cesium are Transforming Infrastructure Through Open-Source InnovationOctober 28th, 2024 by Sanjay Gangal
The Year in Infrastructure Conference, hosted by Bentley Systems in Vancouver, became a stage for showcasing the future of digital infrastructure, with a compelling keynote from Patrick Cozzi, founder of Cesium and now Bentley’s Chief Platform Officer. Cozzi took attendees on an in-depth journey through Cesium’s path from a visualization tool for aerospace to an industry-defining, open-source geospatial platform now powering Bentley’s ambitious vision for infrastructure engineering. Cesium, known as an open-source platform for creating highly detailed 3D applications, has made significant strides since Bentley’s acquisition, demonstrating a groundbreaking approach to digital infrastructure. Addressing a full auditorium, Cozzi highlighted Cesium’s evolution and Bentley’s vision to create a world where digital twins, geospatial data, and 3D models work together seamlessly, all powered by Cesium’s robust capabilities.
Mark Coates: Navigating the Future of Infrastructure with Policy, Partnerships, and InnovationOctober 22nd, 2024 by Sanjay Gangal
 Mark Coates, VP Infrastructure Policy Advancement, Bentley Systems The Year in Infrastructure Conference in Vancouver was abuzz with discussions about the future of infrastructure, digitalization, and sustainability. Among the many thought leaders present, Mark Coates, Vice President of Infrastructure Policy Advancement at Bentley Systems, offered a compelling perspective on how global collaboration, digital tools, and innovative policies can transform the infrastructure landscape. In an exclusive interview, Coates detailed his team’s mission to identify and promote best practices from innovative infrastructure projects worldwide. “We see these fantastic lighthouse projects,” he explained. “The goal is to make sure they don’t remain isolated, but rather become the next level of norm across industries, governments, and financial institutions.” This, Coates believes, is essential to addressing infrastructure challenges in a world increasingly affected by environmental and operational changes. NETROnline completes scanning of the challenging first half of the Edgar Tobin Aerial Survey film archive using GeoDyn’s PromptScanOctober 3rd, 2024 by Roger Thomas
NETROnline, the producers of www.historicaerials.com, have successfully completed the scanning of the first half of the 1.2 million frames of the Tobin aerial film archive that dates back to the 1930’s. This archive documents in detail the massive changes that took place across the southern United States during the first half of the 20th century.
The scanning was performed using GeoDyn’s PromptScan M2 photogrammetric scanner. To date, NETROnline has scanned over 600,000 frames at a resolution of 13 microns, accurately capturing and preserving the full detail from this important archive. The initial phase of the project has been the most challenging as it included many rolls of film from the 1930’s that are primarily nitrate-based, as well as over thousand frames that had been previously cut out of the rolls and which required careful handling. Without scanning, these films would soon have deteriorated beyond scannable condition, risking a significant heritage loss. Propeller Aero: Shaping the Future of Site Management with Advanced Drone and Surveying TechnologiesSeptember 23rd, 2024 by Sanjay Gangal
Propeller Aero, a global leader in drone surveying and site data management, is at the forefront of transforming how industries such as construction, mining, and civil engineering handle their work sites. At the 2024 Commercial UAV Conference in Las Vegas, I sat down with Hamish Hawthorn, VP of Corporate Development at Propeller, to discuss their latest innovations and the growing impact of their technology on the industry.
Revolutionizing Site Management with Smart Survey Solutions“Propeller is a smart survey solution that allows project teams to map, measure, and monitor their work sites with unprecedented accuracy,” Hawthorn explained. The core of Propeller’s platform lies in its ability to collect high-precision data through drone flights equipped with Real-Time Kinematic (RTK) modules and Propeller’s AeroPoints, smart ground control points thatanchor drone data to the Earth for accuracy. Once this data is uploaded to Propeller’s platform, it generates highly accurate 3D models that allow teams to monitor changes, measure progress, and make critical site decisions efficiently. Propeller’s technology is designed to be user-friendly, enabling teams with minimal surveying experience to leverage advanced data in real time. “Our platform is built to make things simple, so our users can measure and manage their sites without needing specialized skills,” Hawthorn noted. “It’s about connecting the field to the office and delivering precise insights that can save time and money.” Smarty Expands Its Address Data Capabilities: A Look at the Latest Innovation in Secondary Address DataSeptember 6th, 2024 by Sanjay Gangal
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.” Locusview’s Digital Construction Management Solutions: Revolutionizing Utility OperationsAugust 16th, 2024 by Sanjay Gangal
Locusview is at the forefront of digital construction management, offering comprehensive solutions tailored to the unique needs of electric and gas utilities. During a recent interview with Danny Petrecca, VP of Business Development at Locusview, we explored how the company is bridging the digitization gap in utility construction management, especially in the face of modern challenges such as grid modernization, distributed energy resource (DER) integration, and wildfire threat reduction. Understanding the Digital Construction Management GapDanny highlighted that while utilities have made strides in many areas, there remains a significant gap in how they manage construction data in the field. Traditional methods, often paper-based or reliant on siloed applications, introduce inefficiencies and errors, particularly in the collection and management of as-built data. This is where Locusview steps in, providing a digital construction management (DCM) solution that transforms how utilities handle data from design to closeout.
Tackling Challenges in the Electric Utility SectorElectric utilities, as Danny explained, are currently facing immense pressure to modernize the grid. This modernization involves various initiatives, from undergrounding power lines to enhancing grid resilience through advanced distribution management systems (ADMS). However, these projects demand accurate, up-to-date data, especially within a utility’s geographic information system (GIS). Unfortunately, many utilities still rely on outdated methods, which not only slow down the process but also compromise data quality. Locusview’s DCM solution addresses these challenges by digitizing the entire construction workflow. By equipping field crews with easy-to-use digital tools, Locusview ensures that accurate spatial data, material data, and inspection forms are captured and efficiently integrated back into GIS and asset management systems. This digitization significantly improves capex efficiency and accelerates project closeouts, all while reducing the potential for human error. Nearmap: Transforming Location Intelligence from Imagery to InsightsJuly 21st, 2024 by Sanjay Gangal
In the rapidly evolving field of location intelligence, Nearmap stands out as a pioneering force, reshaping how aerial imagery is captured, processed, and delivered to its diverse clientele. At the recent 2024 Esri User Conference in San Diego, I had the opportunity to sit down with Steve Santovasi, Director of Product ; Dan Maurer, EVP of Strategy & Operations; and Scott Townsend, SVP of Global Marketing at Nearmap. Our conversation illuminated Nearmap’s innovative journey, its strategic goals, and the remarkable technological advancements they have achieved. The Nearmap JourneyNearmap, founded 17 years ago, has revolutionized the aerial imagery sector. From its inception, the company has focused on bridging the gap between image capture and delivery, employing proprietary camera systems to collect high-resolution imagery across Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and the United States. These camera systems, now in their fourth iteration, are installed on aircraft such as the Cessna 310, Piper Navajo, and Chieftain, and are managed by a survey operations team. Dan Maurer explains, “We started by re-engineering the link between the capture of imagery and its delivery to customers. Our end-to-end process ensures that imagery is processed and delivered efficiently, whether through our web-based interface, MapBrowser, or via APIs.” Initially focused on orthogonal 2D imagery, Nearmap has since expanded its offerings to include oblique 3D images and AI-driven insights, providing users with comprehensive tools to solve their specific challenges. Maurer adds, “We’ve moved from just delivering imagery to providing insights and answers, integrating this data directly into the workflows of GIS users across various industries.” Expanding Capabilities and Humanitarian EffortsNearmap’s advanced imaging capabilities include near-infrared captures through their latest HyperCamera 3 systems, adding a valuable layer of data for environmental and urban analysis. “We are rolling out the HyperCamera 3, which captures four-band imagery, enhancing our ability to provide detailed and nuanced insights,” says Santovasi. In addition to their regular data collection, Nearmap plays a crucial role in disaster response. They conduct post-disaster capture flights known as their ImpactResponse imagery, which provides critical data to aid recovery efforts for those that need it most. “Our humanitarian flights after disasters are part of our commitment to supporting communities in need,” notes Townsend. Read the rest of Nearmap: Transforming Location Intelligence from Imagery to Insights Esri’s Impact on the AEC Industry: An Interview with Marc GoldmanJuly 11th, 2024 by Sanjay Gangal
As the world continues to advance in technology and infrastructure, the role of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry has become increasingly significant. Esri, a leader in GIS technology, has been at the forefront of this integration. We had the opportunity to speak with Marc Goldman, Director of the AEC Industry at Esri, to delve into the company’s involvement in the AEC sector and its future direction. Esri’s Evolution in the AEC SectorEsri is primarily recognized as a GIS company, catering to various industries with a strong emphasis on owner and operator sectors such as Departments of Transportation, utilities, campuses, and airports. However, about five years ago, Esri identified the need to focus on AEC firms that were actively developing and managing GIS solutions for these sectors. This realization led to the establishment of an AEC sector within Esri, which has since become one of the company’s fastest-growing divisions. Goldman explained, “The infrastructure organizations have been using ArcGIS and Esri’s solutions to plan their projects and manage their assets. We recognized the value in directly supporting the AEC firms who were often implementing these solutions on behalf of the owners and operators. This shift has allowed us to better support the entire lifecycle of buildings and infrastructure projects, from early planning stages through design, engineering, and construction, and into long-term operations.”
Read the rest of Esri’s Impact on the AEC Industry: An Interview with Marc Goldman |
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