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Chapter 1 It’s a Geospatial World Out There
images” or “Google Earth” and acronyms like “GIS” or “GPS” are growing increasingly commonplace in today’s society, yet the phrase “geospatial technology” seems relatively unknown, while incorporating all of these things
and more. Geospatial technology describes the use of a number of different
high-tech systems and tools that acquire, analyze, manage, store, or visualize various types of location-based data. The field of geospatial technology
encompasses several fields and techniques including:
a Geographic Information System (GIS): Computer-based mapping,
analysis, and retrieval of location-based data.
a Remote sensing: Acquisition of data and imagery from the use of satellites (satellite imagery) or aircraft (aerial photography).
a Global Positioning System (GPS): Acquiring real-time location information from a series of satellites in Earth’s orbit.
There are numerous related fields that utilize one or more of these types
of technologies. For instance, an in-car navigation system already contains
extensive road-network data mapped out and ready to use, which includes
information about address ranges, speed limits, road connections, and special features of roads (such as one-way streets). It also requires the mapping
of points of interest (such as the locations of gas stations or restaurants) and
having a means of referencing new user-defined destinations. It also has to
be able to plot the car’s real-time position in relation to these maps and may
even have a feature that shows a representation of the surrounding landscape as taken from an overhead viewpoint. As such, many of these types of
systems combine different geospatial technologies to work together in one
application.
Who Uses Geospatial Technology?
Geospatial technology is used in a wide variety of fields (Figure 1.1), including federal, state, and local government, forestry, law enforcement, public
health, biology, and environmental studies (see Hands-on Application 1.1:
Industries Using Geospatial Technology for a look at industries employing
people in these fields). As long as the job field involves utilizing some sort of
information or data that has a location associated with it, chances are that
some sort of geospatial technology is being used. Geospatial technology has
been heralded by the U.S. Department of Labor as one of the main emerging
and evolving job fields in the United States with enormous growth potential.
For instance, the O*NET utility from the Department of Labor contains job
descriptions for fields such as “Geospatial Information Scientists and Technologists,” “Remote Sensing Scientists and Technologists,” and “Precision Agriculture Technicians” (see Hands-on Application 1.2: Jobs in the Geospatial
Field on page 4 for more information about types of jobs).
geospatial
technology a number
of different high-tech
systems that acquire,
analyze, manage, store,
or visualize various
types of location-based
data.
Geographic
Information System
(GIS) computer-based
mapping, analysis, and
retrieval of locationbased data.
remote sensing
acquisition of data and
imagery from the use
of satellites or aircraft.
satellite imagery
digital images of
the Earth acquired
by sensors onboard
orbiting spaceborne
platforms.
aerial photography
the acquisition of
imagery of the ground
taken from an airborne
platform.
Global Positioning
System (GPS)
acquiring real-time
location information
from a series of
satellites in Earth orbit.
Chapter 1 It’s a Geospatial World Out There
images” or “Google Earth” and acronyms like “GIS” or “GPS” are growing increasingly commonplace in today’s society, yet the phrase “geospatial technology” seems relatively unknown, while incorporating all of these things
and more. Geospatial technology describes the use of a number of different
high-tech systems and tools that acquire, analyze, manage, store, or visualize various types of location-based data. The field of geospatial technology
encompasses several fields and techniques including:
a Geographic Information System (GIS): Computer-based mapping,
analysis, and retrieval of location-based data.
a Remote sensing: Acquisition of data and imagery from the use of satellites (satellite imagery) or aircraft (aerial photography).
a Global Positioning System (GPS): Acquiring real-time location information from a series of satellites in Earth’s orbit.
There are numerous related fields that utilize one or more of these types
of technologies. For instance, an in-car navigation system already contains
extensive road-network data mapped out and ready to use, which includes
information about address ranges, speed limits, road connections, and special features of roads (such as one-way streets). It also requires the mapping
of points of interest (such as the locations of gas stations or restaurants) and
having a means of referencing new user-defined destinations. It also has to
be able to plot the car’s real-time position in relation to these maps and may
even have a feature that shows a representation of the surrounding landscape as taken from an overhead viewpoint. As such, many of these types of
systems combine different geospatial technologies to work together in one
application.
Who Uses Geospatial Technology?
Geospatial technology is used in a wide variety of fields (Figure 1.1), including federal, state, and local government, forestry, law enforcement, public
health, biology, and environmental studies (see Hands-on Application 1.1:
Industries Using Geospatial Technology for a look at industries employing
people in these fields). As long as the job field involves utilizing some sort of
information or data that has a location associated with it, chances are that
some sort of geospatial technology is being used. Geospatial technology has
been heralded by the U.S. Department of Labor as one of the main emerging
and evolving job fields in the United States with enormous growth potential.
For instance, the O*NET utility from the Department of Labor contains job
descriptions for fields such as “Geospatial Information Scientists and Technologists,” “Remote Sensing Scientists and Technologists,” and “Precision Agriculture Technicians” (see Hands-on Application 1.2: Jobs in the Geospatial
Field on page 4 for more information about types of jobs).
geospatial
technology a number
of different high-tech
systems that acquire,
analyze, manage, store,
or visualize various
types of location-based
data.
Geographic
Information System
(GIS) computer-based
mapping, analysis, and
retrieval of locationbased data.
remote sensing
acquisition of data and
imagery from the use
of satellites or aircraft.
satellite imagery
digital images of
the Earth acquired
by sensors onboard
orbiting spaceborne
platforms.
aerial photography
the acquisition of
imagery of the ground
taken from an airborne
platform.
Global Positioning
System (GPS)
acquiring real-time
location information
from a series of
satellites in Earth orbit.