The advent of open source geospatial tools that allows cross-organizational sharing of tools and technology, rapid acquisition of high-resolution satellite and drone imagery, and IoT device proliferation, has made geospatial intelligence the foundation for many new technologies, and extended the reach for many others. I believe we are already seeing rapid changes in how organizations incorporate geospatial into their daily workflows. The new licensing mechanisms and SaaS are pushing all technology providers to rethink how they interact with, and provide to, their ultimate end customers. The consolidation of several major players and acquisitions has been disruptive for both customers and business partners.
We have already seen a significant technology disruption in the 21st century, but today it is quite different. In the previous industrial revolutions, societies and individuals had extended timeframes to adapt to the changes presented to them. Today, however, the change is universal and immediate. It arrives in Ghana, Brazil and the US all at once, with limited time-lag. Today, the incorporation of geospatial technologies into business and government services can be fast-tracked and achieved with limited downside.
I see the continued expansion and proliferation of smart devices, especially across the developing world. This extension of sensor networks and the resulting increase in access to a broad base of content will provide access to a much broader community of potential geospatial intelligence users.
