Geospatial Industry Driven By Construction Industry

In a recent survey among geospatial surveyors, the growth in construction, infrastructure and urban planning is revealed as an important role of the optimistic outlook for the geospatial industry. Increasing investments in large infrastructure and construction projects, and the rise of building information modelling (BIM), are expected to bring bright prospects both for geospatial equipment manufacturers as geospatial service providers. The survey was conducted by GIM International, the worldwide leading publication for mapping and surveying professionals. In the GIM International study, a relatively high number of surveying companies mentioned the AEC and infrastructure markets as areas where they foresee the biggest possibilities for business growth. The rising demand for the acquisition and management of high-quality geospatial data to support the development of infrastructure – railways, roads, telecom, etc. – is creating an abundance of chances. One survey participant from Canada noted that technical surveying levels in construction are low in Canada and the potential of GIS in this sector is still underutilized due to a lack of awareness. Meanwhile, a consultant from the USA stated that the construction sector still is too “old fashioned” and reluctant to try geospatial technology. Nevertheless, the digital transformation is creating a growing need for both geospatial data and geospatial knowledge in construction, and the blurring of the boundaries between the AEC sector and the geospatial industry is opening up a multitude of new opportunities for geospatial professionals. Surveying skills are essential in order to capture a whole range of crucial measurements with the necessary precision – not only during the planning and construction phase, but also throughout the entire life cycle of buildings.

How BIM changes the way surveyors work

However, the rapid rise of building information modelling (BIM) is increasingly changing the way that surveyors work. BIM is helping to boost the popularity of laser scanning to provide the data that project teams need. In a nutshell, this is where manufacturers of Lidar solutions come into play and why their business prospects look very promising. Competition is fierce, however, as new kids on the block are snapping at the heels of the traditional laser scanning companies in their enthusiastic attempts to disrupt the market with new and usually cheaper solutions. Read the original article and other stories