The MapScaping Podcast - GIS, Geospatial, Remote Sensing, earth observation and digital geography

Hivemapper

In this week’s episode, I’m thrilled to welcome back Ariel Seidman, founder of HiveMapper. Ariel was my very first podcast guest back in 2019, and HiveMapper has come a long way since then!

We explore how HiveMapper has evolved from a drone-based mapping system to a cutting-edge platform collecting street-level data at a global scale. Ariel shares the challenges of scaling large-scale mapping efforts, the pivot to building their own hardware, and the role of blockchain-based incentives in driving adoption.

Here are just a few topics we cover:

• Why HiveMapper shifted focus from drones to street-level mapping.
• The power of combining hardware and software to solve mapping challenges.
• How HiveMapper has already mapped 28% of the global road network.
• The revolutionary edge computing and data filtering techniques driving efficiency.
• What it takes to compete with industry giants like Google Maps.

Whether you're fascinated by the intersection of geospatial technology and innovation or looking for insights into scaling impactful startups, this episode is packed with value.

Let me know your thoughts or hit reply if you’d like to discuss the episode!

 

https://beemaps.com/

Connect with Ariel here https://www.linkedin.com/in/aseidman/

 

PS

I have just finished creating a web-based tool that lets you explore and download OpenStreetMap data, It is a bit different from other tools and I would appreciate some feedback. 

https://mapscaping.com/openstreetmap-category-viewer/ 

 

 

 

Tracking Elephants

Tracking elephants in Southern Africa’s Kavango-Zambezi (KAZA) region, the largest transfrontier conservation area in the world.

Lead scientist Robin Naidoo from the World Wildlife Fund-US explains the complex, cross-border collaboration required to understand elephant movements across vast landscapes and the role of GNSS.

 

Connected with Robin 

https://www.worldwildlife.org/experts/robin-naidoo

 

Read more information about this study here

https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1365-2664.14746

 

https://news.mongabay.com/2024/09/jumbo-collaring-effort-reveals-key-elephant-movement-corridors/

 

Check out https://www.movebank.org/

Female Voices in Geospatial

Today's episode touches on some pretty big topics like Imposter Syndrome, Mentorship, Career Progression, Adaptability and Diversity

Today you are going to hear two stories from two very different voices. Two brilliant people who happen to be women in geospatial. 

 

Ta Taneka

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ta-taneka/

Mary Murphy

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-murphy-12319433/

 

You can check out the GIS Directions Podcast here:

https://esriaustralia.com.au/gis-directions-podcast

or search for GIS Directions where every you listen to podcasts

 

Recommended Podcast Episodes

Getting where you want to go in your geospatial career

Mentorship leadership and career advice

Mentorship leadership and career advice

 

 

 

QField

In this episode, Marco Bernasconi, co-founder and CEO of OPENGIS.ch, introduces us to QField, an open-source mobile application designed for field data collection in conjunction with QGIS.

Marco shares his journey in developing QField and discusses its seamless integration with QGIS, allowing users to capture, survey, and manage geospatial data on various mobile devices.

We also discuss the technical aspects of QField, including its user-friendly interface, the ability to connect with external sensors, and the recent introduction of QField Cloud for enhanced data synchronization and management.

Marco highlights the application’s diverse use cases, from citizen science initiatives to archaeological documentation and utility inspections, demonstrating its potential to transform data collection processes across various industries.

More information on Qfield: 

https://qfield.org/

https://qfield.cloud/

Or https://www.opengis.ch/#contact 

 

 

On a personal note, I have been working as a freelance Geospatial consultant for some time now and one of my projects is slowly winding down, which is why I am looking for new projects to get involved in!

If you need expertise in Geospatial consultancy, GIS management or the marketing of geospatial products and services Please reach out!

https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielodonohue/

or contact me here info@mapscpaing.com

 

Analyst To Engineer

This is the story of Priscilla Cole, and what she did when she discovered that her ambitions were bigger than the tools she was using!

Connect with Priscilla here!

https://www.linkedin.com/in/priscilla-cole-5892549/

 

Recommended Listening

The Way You Talk About Your Skills Is Costing You Money

 

Geospatial Consulting As A Business And Career

 

Mid-Life Career Change

 

Getting Where You Want To Go In Your Career

 

Applying For A Job, Getting Picked and Negotiating

 

Mentorship Leadership And Career Advice

 

Satclip - Encoding Location

In this episode, I'm joined by Konstantine Klemmer, a researcher at Microsoft, to dive deep into the fascinating world of GeoAI. Konstantine introduces us to Satclip, a cutting-edge model that encodes geographic locations based on satellite images.

We discuss how Satclip works, the data it uses, and its potential applications, particularly in low-resource settings and predictive modeling. Whether you're into AI, geography, or just curious about the intersection of these fields, this episode is packed with insights.

Key Takeaways:

• What is Satclip?: Learn about Satclip's location encoding, a neural network that converts geographic coordinates into numerical representations based on satellite images.
• Data and Training: Understand how Satclip is trained using Sentinel-2 satellite images and how it captures unique geographic features.
• Applications: Discover how Satclip can be used in low-resource environments, such as on edge devices, and how it enhances other models by providing geographic context.
• The Future of GeoAI: Explore the potential future directions for Satclip, including more detailed regional models and the integration of multiple data modalities.

Connect with Konstantine https://www.linkedin.com/in/konstantinklemmer/

Try Satclip https://github.com/microsoft/satclip

 

Recommended Listening

https://mapscaping.com/podcast/computer-vision-and-geoai/

https://mapscaping.com/podcast/planet-imaging-everything-every-day-almost/

 

 

 

 

Natural Language Geocoding

In this episode, I welcome Jason Gilman, a Principal Software Engineer at Element 84, to explore the exciting world of natural language geocoding.

Key Topics Discussed:

1. Introduction to Natural Language Geocoding:

   • Jason explains the concept of natural language geocoding and its significance in converting textual descriptions of locations into precise geographical data. This involves using large language models to interpret a user's natural language input, such as "the coast of Florida south of Miami," and transform it into an accurate polygon that represents that specific area on a map. This process automates and simplifies how users interact with geospatial data, making it more accessible and user-friendly.

2. The Evolution of AI and ML in Geospatial Work:

   • Over the last six months, Jason has shifted focus to AI and machine learning, leveraging large language models to enhance geospatial data processing.

3. Challenges and Solutions:

   • Jason discusses the challenges of interpreting natural language descriptions and the solutions they've implemented, such as using JSON schemas and OpenStreetMap data.

4. Applications and Use Cases:

   • From finding specific datasets to processing geographical queries, the applications of natural language geocoding are vast. Jason shares some real-world examples and potential future uses.

5. Future of Geospatial AIML:

   • Jason touches on the broader implications of geospatial AI and ML, including the potential for natural language geoprocessing and its impact on scientific research and everyday applications.

Interesting Insights:

• The use of large language models can simplify complex geospatial queries, making advanced geospatial analysis accessible to non-experts.
• Integration of AI and machine learning with traditional geospatial tools opens new avenues for research and application, from environmental monitoring to urban planning.

Quotes:

• "Natural language geocoding is about turning a user's textual description of a place on Earth into a precise polygon."
• "The combination of vision models and large language models allows us to automate complex tasks that previously required manual effort."

Additional Resources:

• Element 84 Website
• State of the Map US Conference Talk on YouTube
• Blog Posts on Natural Language Geocoding

Connect with Jason:

• Visit Element 84's website for more information and contact details.
• Google "Element 84 Natural Language Geocoding" for additional resources and talks.

Semantic Search For Geospatial

This podcast episode is all about semantic search and using embeddings to analyse text and social media data.

Dominik Weckmüller, a researcher at the Technical University of Dresden, talks about his PhD research, where he looks at how to analyze text with geographic references. 

He explains hyperloglog and embeddings, showing how these methods capture the meaning of text and can be used to search big databases without knowing the topics beforehand.

Here are the main points discussed:

1. Intro to Semantic Search and Hyperloglog: Looking at social media data by counting different users talking about specific topics in parks, while keeping privacy in mind.
2. Embeddings and Deep Learning Models: Turning text into numerical vectors (embeddings) to understand its meaning, allowing for advanced searches.
3. Application Examples: Using embeddings to search for things like emotions or activities in parks without needing predefined keywords.
4. Creating and Using Embeddings: Tools like transformers.js let you make embeddings on your computer, making it easy to analyze text.
5. Challenges and Innovations: Talking about how to explain the models, deal with long texts, and keep data private when using embeddings.
6. Future Directions: The potential for using embeddings with different media (like images and videos) and languages, plus the ongoing research in this fast-moving field.

Connect with Dominik Weckmüller here https://geo.rocks/

Stay up to date with AI here

https://huggingface.co/ Try searching for “map”  here https://huggingface.co/spaces

 

Check out this project I am working on 

https://quickmaptools.com/

 

Why You Should Care About L Band

In this episode, we welcome back Lauren Guy, CEO and founder of ASTERRA, a groundbreaking company using L band and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) for commercial purposes. Lauren shares his journey as a geophysicist and discusses the innovative applications of L band in detecting water leakages, soil moisture, and even minerals from space. Dive deep into the technical, commercial, and environmental aspects of SAR technology and learn about the future potential of this exciting field.

**Key Topics Covered:**

1. **Introduction to Astera**:

   - Overview of Asterra's mission and Lauren Guy's background as a geophysicist.

   - The unique use of L band and SAR for commercial applications.

 

2. **Understanding L Band and Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR)**:

   - Explanation of the electromagnetic spectrum and how L band fits in.

   - Advantages of L band, including its ability to penetrate the ground.

 

3. **Technical Insights into SAR**:

   - Detailed discussion on polarizations, signal processing, and the electrical properties of materials detected by SAR.

   - Comparison between L band and other bands like X and C band.

 

4. **Applications and Benefits of L Band**:

   - Real-world examples of how Astera uses L band for water leak detection and soil moisture mapping.

   - Discussion on the environmental and commercial impact of these applications.

 

5. **Challenges and Limitations**:

   - Addressing issues such as noise interference from cell phones and radars.

   - Limitations in resolution and the complexities of SAR technology.

 

6. **Case Studies and Success Stories**:

   - Success stories including the detection of 118,000 water leakages worldwide and the discovery of significant lithium deposits.

 

7. **Business Strategies and Market Penetration**:

   - Insights into ASTERRA's business model, customer education, and market challenges.

   - Strategies for overcoming barriers and building trust with clients.

 

8. **Future Aspirations and Technological Developments**:

   - Plans for launching their own satellites to ensure reliable data sources.

   - The role of AI in enhancing SAR capabilities and improving detection accuracy.

 

9. **Entrepreneurial Advice for Remote Sensing Practitioners**:

   - Lauren’s advice for remote sensing scientists and entrepreneurs in the industry.

   - The importance of data feedback loops and the journey from a 20% to an 86% success rate in detections.

 

**Guest Information:**

- **Lauren Guy**: CTO and founder of ASTERRA. Connect with Lauren on https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-guy-asterra/

 

**Company Information:**

- **ASTERRA**: Learn more about ASTERRA’s innovative solutions at https://asterra.io/

 

**Additional Resources:**

- Check out Lauren’s previous appearance on the podcast for more insights into SAR technology.

- Explore ASTERRA’s groundbreaking work in remote sensing and their various applications across different industries.

 

**Episode Highlights:**

- "We can find water leakages from space and distinguish treated water from other types of water based on their dielectric properties."

- "ASTERRA has verified, dug, and fixed 118,000 leakages across 65 countries using L band SAR technology."

- "Our success rate has increased from 20% to around 86% thanks to the integration of AI and continuous data feedback."

 

**Support the Show:**

- If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review on your favourite podcast platform and share it with your network.

 

Thank you for tuning in to the MapScaping Podcast!

 

Recommended Listening 

Finding Water Leaks From Space

Introduction To Synthetic Aperture Radar-SAR

Flood Monitoring From Space ( using SAR)

 

GeoParquet For Beginners

Cloud-native geospatial, range requests, chucks, COGs and COPCs ... [ insert confusing acronym here ] 

Sometimes It feels like we need to learn a whole new vocabulary and if you have been doing #geo for a while you might be wondering how much of this is actually going to impact me. What bits of this are the ones that I need to know about? 

I don’t think that anyone is going to be talking about cloud native in 10 years, in the same way, no one talks about digital cartography or computer analysis because where else would you do your cartography? And how else would you do your analysis? 

Maybe the names won’t be as important but the concepts will and while this episode is focused on Geoparquet it does so within the context of cloud-native geospatial - and this concept is not going away! 

 

You can connect with Kyle Barron here https://x.com/kylebarron2 or here https://kylebarron.dev/ 

 

 If you want to learn more about cloud-native geospatial I can highly recommend these episodes

 

https://mapscaping.com/podcast/cloud-optimized-point-clouds/

https://mapscaping.com/podcast/introduction-to-cloud-native-geospatial/

https://mapscaping.com/podcast/planet-scale-tiled-maps-without-a-server/

https://mapscaping.com/podcast/what-is-modern-gis/

https://mapscaping.com/podcast/the-planetary-computer/

 

I am working on a new project called https://quickmaptools.com/ like the name suggests it is a bunch of browser-based map tools. So far we have created several different conversion tools and will continue to add more to the list. Check it and let me know what you think!