The world is on the cusp of a new era — climate crisis, geopolitical turmoil and economic slowdown hint at a major shift. However, the geospatial industry is poised to help a changing world deal with the challenges ahead. Convergence enabled by geospatial and accelerated by digitalization is a trend to look forward to.
Geospatial trajectory
Geospatial technologies encompassing digital reality solutions, sensors, software and autonomous technologies, along with 4IR technologies such as cloud computing, AI/ML, IoT, etc., will be a defining factor for various industries. With the help of these technologies, Hexagon supports these industries on their journeys toward an autonomous and sustainable future. The further we go, the more potential we have. And that’s the trajectory of the geospatial industry as well.
It is an exciting time for the geospatial industry. New use cases are emerging, and existing users are finding innovative applications for the surveying industry, the defense sector, public safety, agriculture and forestry, disaster management, construction, and so on.
It is an exciting time for the geospatial industry. New use cases are emerging, and existing users are finding innovative applications for the surveying industry, the defense sector, public safety, agriculture and forestry, disaster management, construction, and so on.
On the other hand, companies like Hexagon democratize geospatial technologies, which are beginning to make deep inroads into the entertainment, climate services, automation, insurance sector, and many more.
Industry convergence
Over the past few years, industry convergence has created ripple effects across all industries. New business models and technology platforms will be required to meet evolving company needs, customer expectations and technology demands. Smart Digital RealitiesTM — where all data is digitally available, in one place, in real-time, with 360-degree context — fuse the physical world and the digital world, and considerably accelerate convergence. The geospatial industry integrates, for example, with the automobile, construction, building and manufacturing industries to provide autonomous processes and insights to reduce inefficiencies and improve decision-making.
Industry convergence is also a driving force behind the next wave of transformations. At Hexagon, we drive change with innovation, hence the geospatial industry’s contribution is crucial.
Awareness is the key
Amidst the changes and challenges around us, people are getting much more aware of the power of geospatial data, analytics and visualization. Customers’ demands are more specific and they are looking for integrated solutions. Tech companies encourage customers to leverage the correct data to power new ways of thinking.
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Hexagon assists customers in putting data to work and enables an autonomous and digitalized future. For instance, a few years back, Hexagon launched HxDR, a cloud-based storage, visualization and collaboration platform for reality capture and geospatial data. It seamlessly combines data from different sensors, and various stakeholders can access the data from anywhere in the world. Digital realities are helping to identify the errors and project pitfalls before they happen. Understanding deviations and impact early means increasing efficiency and safety, improving planning and saving costs.
Autonomy is not just about cars and robots but can offer so much more. It will improve the climate, protect cities, and build a smarter and brighter future for the next generation.
(Thomas Harring is the President Geosystems at Hexagon AB. The views expressed in the article are the personal opinions of the author.)
Disclaimer: Views Expressed are Author's Own. Geospatial World May or May Not Endorse it
