In the world of web mapping, the process of gathering data and making it visible on the Internet comes at great cost, along with lots of time consuming procedures and potential mistakes. For consumers, opening their favorite map app on their smartphone is convenient and easy, yet the complexity of delivering a dependable and accurate map is often underappreciated.
In order to maintain the accuracy and reliability of maps, Geographical Information System (GIS) companies and GIS professionals need to go through a lengthy process which costs a lot of money, takes a lot of time, and is prone to errors.
Although the cloud has been around for some time now, the UI/UX hadn't been available for the GIS development field until recently. Now that the UI/UX has become available for GIS, it's time that GIS companies and professionals adopt it in the mapping industry.
Using the cloud to save money
Technologies associated with the existing mapping solutions are effective, yet expensive. While GIS professionals are inclined to stick with the current trend and rely on what they know has been proven to work, the cloud provides an alternative which could save them a great deal of money.
The clunky devices that professionals use for construction and landscape surveying purposes, such as Total Stations, are still the industry norm. The Trimble Control Units (TCUs) which are attached to these Total Stations are susceptible to being damaged in the field, and can cost as much as $1,500 USD. Industry professionals should be looking to cloud based technologies to replace this outdated equipment.
By using cloud software, professionals can use a standard Android phone, which would work in exactly the same way as a TCU. The Android phone can be synced to the cloud, transferring all the information in real time. Androids are easily replaceable, and if they get damaged, all the information would have already been sent to the cloud. The solution would be to simply get a new Android device and continue collecting data.
Saving time with the cloud
Professionals also require lots of training – sometimes years – to be able to properly use the existing tech. The amount of time it takes to train someone to use the existing technology comes as an expense.
For example, in order to generate reports and maps, a specialist needs to use expensive GIS software. It could take years to be able to train someone on effective use of GIS, because it is designed with the philosophy that it is "scientific software." This gives GIS software developers less priority for making it easy to use.
Building complex interfaces takes much less effort than creating something which is user friendly. For example, smartphones have touchscreens and excel in ease-of-use, yet we do not consider the amount of processing that occurs behind the screen which allows for those day-to-day actions we're so used to such as touching, tapping, long hold, and so on. Some recent cloud solutions and features can turn the complicated nature of GIS software into a user-friendly experience, much like turning Photoshop into iPhoto.
Time spent on training employees to properly use the existing tech is one of the downsides of the status quo. However, when it comes to the data collection process, the cloud is capable of significantly reducing the time needed to generate maps and reports.
In 2016, AmigoCloud worked with Open Spatial to provide the City Of Vallejo with sign maintenance, collecting an inventory of 17,000 signs in 8 weeks. In order to complete this task, the City of Vallejo needed high levels of organization, communication and collaboration between the office overseers and those out in the field.
Using point vector models and the AmigoCloud mobile application, all the info was collected and synced back to the office on the same day it was gathered. The cloud allowed for the data to be reviewed and modified or organized while the field operation was still in progress. In standard existing mapping solutions, the field operation would have to be completed before the information could be accessed for those purposes.
The City of Vallejo project was a success in terms of providing the teams with an easy-to-use, no training necessary app which led to crisp communication and collaboration, while maintaining a high level of organization. The same project would have taken at least 4 months with standard procedures.
Reduce errors and improve communication
The current mapping systems which are in place have been the long time standard in the mapping field. Even if the current process is well established and the reports are being generated, there is still the possibility of making errors between, the field crew, the field crew manager at the office, and the end result.
The current mapping process often involves having a field crew which takes down notes with a pen and paper using a GPS device. If field workers use a pen and paper and then transcribe it, but make a mistake with even one number in the coordinate, the point can be several kilometers off (or worse). Manual data input is always error prone. By using a sensor, companies eliminate the act of writing with a pen and paper or manually inputting values, thus making the process more accurate. Humans make mistakes, especially in field conditions where there is glare, gloves, or any other field hardship with entering data.
What's more, the cloud can help with the quality assurance process. After a change in a row is submitted, there may be multiple quality assurance tests which are run. Due to the cloud's ability to make scaling easy, the processes can be as simple or as complex as needed, without having to worry about human error.
GIS professionals are starting to take notice to the possibility of integrating the cloud with existing mapping solutions. What used to be considered as the realm of GIS professionals is now expanding to accommodate newer users.
Companies will no longer have to rely on GIS knowledge to solve heavy mapping problems, because the software is now becoming accessible and affordable enough that any organization with a complex geospatial need can hire a team, and have them solve difficult geospatial problems.
3D mapping clouds are also in the works, which are further developing the use of the cloud to improve on the current procedures. As mapping companies continue to look towards new technology to further develop the field, we will see more growth and integration of the cloud to help with construction, infrastructure, consumer applications, and so on.
