By  Chris Andrews, COO, Rendered.ai

Chris Andrews

Looking ahead at the 2023 geospatial industry

The past few years moved us into a new phase of society in which change is the only constant. Geopolitical friction, accelerating climate change, population explosion, and pandemic have had severe impacts on people and planet including displacing the highest number of persons since World War II, straining supply lines for critical food and medical goods, and risking future calamity by putting resources and ecosystems at risk.

Geospatial technology and data cannot cure the issues that confront us, but they are critical tools in knowing, deciding, and communicating our status and pathways toward a more sustainable society.

The major trends that are going to shape GIS and geospatial technology in the marketplace in 2023 and beyond sum up as driven by the increasing importance that we establish digital twins of the built and natural environment around us as tools for monitoring the world and making decisions about commerce, governance, and general social welfare. The data, sensors, and analytics that will be used to create these digital twins will not only be used to train people, but also to train the machines that will increasingly provide first line response to change in the world around us.

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BY John L. Kelley, President and Co-founder, GeoSapient, Inc.

John L. Kelley

GeoSapient looks beyond the growing space- and aerial-borne assets into the deeper aspects of geocomputing data, workflows, and use cases.

Theme: Hungry for Data

1. SmallSat Proliferation

SmallSats are proving to be a cornerstone of the Space Industry. Their low production costs and versatility enable more and more companies and groups to enter and exploit the potential offered by satellites. What are SmallSats? The size and cost of spacecraft vary depending on the application; some you can hold in your hand, while others, like Hubble, are as big as a school bus. Small spacecraft (SmallSats) focus on spacecraft with a mass of less than 180 kilograms and about the size of a large kitchen fridge. Even with small spacecraft, various sizes and masses can be differentiated. CubeSats are a class of nanosatellites (1-10 kilograms) that use a standard size and form factor. The standard CubeSat size uses a “one unit” or “1U” measuring 10x10x10 cms and is extendable to larger sizes; 1.5, 2, 3, 6, and even 12U.

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By Lisa McCune-Noll, Senior Quality Analyst & Cartographer at – RoadBotics Michelin

Lisa McCune-Noll

RoadBotics by Michelin

When I made my 2022 GIS Industry predictions last year, I had no way to predict what was actually to come for RoadBotics ourselves – we were acquired by Michelin! After a simply amazing acquisition period, we, RoadBotics by Michelin, are hitting the ground running! And looking down the road, I can see these predictions in the future of GIS and geospatial technologies in 2023.

Our Roadway and AgileMapper platforms transforms ground level imagery, spatial data, and your visual infrastructure into meaningful, interactive maps utilizing artificial intelligence (AI). AgileMapper lets you create and store your own new data as well as migrate existing legacy data.

In the post-Covid environment, geospatial technologies enables adapting to new situations and creating new opportunities at digital speed.

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By Lowell Ballard, Director of Geospatial Solutions, Timmons Group

Lowell Ballard

Each year, geospatial technology’s impact on the structure of our world continues to grow, and 2023 will be no different. We’ll continue to see location information as a critical and integral aspect of our lives.

Geospatial technology is the root of data interactions, and once GIS data is harnessed, its integration becomes key in our ever-evolving society. From natural resources and application development to asset management and transportation services, Timmons Group works across many lines of business to capture, visualize, and integrate data in unique and compelling ways. Some of the key needs for data integration that are emerging in the industry include:

The fusion of demographics, spatial data, and policy — New funding and legislation, including the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), have provided great opportunities for the geospatial technology industry to flourish. Many parts of this law are heavily reliant on ensuring equitable delivery of services to underserved communities throughout the country, allowing for robust and dedicated focus on infrastructure needs surrounding wildfire, updating lead and copper water pipes, and broadband connectivity.

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By Brant Scheidecker, GIS Consultant at Cartegraph, an OpenGov company

At Cartegraph (now an OpenGov company), we see several existing trends accelerating in GIS and government technology with the emergence of one new trend that will drive significant investment in 2023 and beyond. In our conversations with our 1600+ customers across OpenGov suites and with the GIS experts we serve, we consistently hear the following:

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By Ashley Hitt, GISP, URISA President 2022-2023

The geospatial community has always been well connected and supportive of one another and the beginning of the pandemic in 2020 brought drastic shifts to how we work, learn, and connect professionally. As in-person events have been coming back over the past couple years, the need for hybrid collaborations in many facets of our professional lives continues.

While some organizations and/or positions were already fully remote pre-pandemic, there are even more remote/work-from-home opportunities and hybrid arrangements than ever before for geospatial roles. We’ve learned how to work together with our teams to accomplish our goals and objectives, continuing to deliver geospatial excellence in our work while not working from the same office. Our geospatial infrastructure, hardware, and software integrations have significantly advanced out of the need the pandemic presented, and while some organizations have “gone back to the office” (although some never went home during the pandemic!), many discovered a variety of approaches and solutions that offered their geospatial staff flexibility while still meeting and exceeding work expectations.

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By Alistair Maclenan, Owner, Quarry One Eleven

Alistair Maclenan

I don’t make or read predictions.

Admittedly, this could be seen as an ungraceful response to the kind request from GISCafe.com to share my 2023 industry predictions but bear with me and let me explain my thinking.

I’m not worried that my future-gazing efforts will result in people hurling my words back at me when those predictions inevitably prove to be wrong. I provide enough ammunition on an almost daily basis for those warming up their pitching arms!

I adhere to my first sentence because predicting the future is an inherently un-scientific thing to do.

All ‘opinion’ predictions, however educated, are a step away from someone peering into a crystal ball and telling you that a tall, handsome stranger will unquestionably come swaggering into view. Soon.

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By Dan O’Toole, founder and CEO, Dronedek

Dan O’Toole

One thing I know

As this new autonomous delivery paradigm is set to launch things are going to significantly change.  When I say significantly, I mean in a good way.

“We are a spoiled consumer” and we want things delivered to us better, faster, cheaper, and fresher.  Getting the most for the least is what it’s all about.  Paying less, not having to leave, having the quality and freshness at its height and all, right now, is where we want to be.

In the show Star Trek, “beam me aboard” delivered the person or item immediately from great distances to the Starship Enterprise.  While we are not quite there just yet, in the time it may take to contemplate a trip to your local restaurant or retailer, you could very well have your desired delectable or product delivered, via today’s new autonomous last mile.

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By Gareth Gibson, Marketing Director, Mapping & GIS Solutions,  Trimble

Gareth Gibson

Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning Systems Will Shape Future of GIS and Asset Management Industries

The GIS industry is experiencing a period of rapid change and growth, and the increasing use of artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML) is playing a crucial role in driving this development. By enabling GIS professionals to process and analyze data quickly and accurately, these technologies are helping to unlock the full potential of GIS and drive innovation and progress in the field.

Powerful AI/ML Hits Mainstream

When predicting trends in the GIS (geographic information system) industry in 2023, consider the major breakthroughs the IT industry experienced in 2022. Of particular interest are the AI/ML systems that burst into our collective consciousness, with several headline-grabbing products making waves.

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By Bob Sinclair, CEO, Sinclair Industries

Bob Sinclair

Here is my 2023 prediction piece and headshot – appreciate the consideration  –

“There’s a lot of talk about artificial intelligence (AI) and this needs to evolve much like maps have evolved over the years. 2023 will be the year of “Geo Consciousness”. To truly realize and understand the potential of GIS we must first recognize that a map is so much more than a map. “Geo Consciousness” is the next frontier in big data, analytics, maps, and AI. This combination of technologies will provide an opportunity to finally have maps that understand they are actually a map. For example, the team at Bob Sinclair Industries are people, that have names, that live in different locations (“our homes”).

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