PositionIT e-News

GIS, GPS, surveying and spatial applications in Southern Africa

Issue 71, Nov/Dec 2015

Radically rethinking South Africa's mining operations

by Clare van Zwieten, EE Publishers

Depressed commodity prices, the continuing economic downturn and pervasive illegal mining activities, have been hitting South Africa's mining sector hard. Cost cutting plans, retrenchments and even mine closures are the order of the... (more)

Connected cars open new digital frontiers

by Michael Frans, T-Systems

Connected cars give vehicle manufacturers an incredible opportunity to move from the current state of limited and indirect contact with customers to proactive, direct customer contact that forges stronger relationships and creates better... (more)

Statistically speaking: When ZIPF means

something

by Dr. Vincent Micali, Stats4Buz

When my favourite editor (I'm not schlooping here - don't need to) asked me to check a YouTube presentation by Vsauce's Michael Stevens, little did I know that I was going to be mesmerised by such a lead. As the French would say... (more)

PositionIT Inbox, Nov/Dec 2015
Winning letter

This month's letter is a response to Hennie Hugo's article on "Teaching surveying" which appeared in the September 2015 issue of PositionIT. Send your letters to: positionit@ee.co.za ... (more)

A new view of Rapa Nui
by Erik Dahlberg, independent writer

It's one of the most isolated and intriguing places on the planet. Sitting alone in the South Pacific, tiny Easter Island, Chile (traditionally known as "Rapa Nui"), has long been the source of fascination - and disagreement - for historians and archaeologists... (more)

RPAS vs ground survey
Information from Aerospace Mapping Solutions

This article details a test project aimed at providing a comparison between a ground survey and a photogrammetry RPAS survey of the same area. With the recent advent of photogrammetry RPAS in the profession of land surveying, many questions and concerns... (more)

Laser scanning the Rising Star cave
by Henno Morkel, 3D Laser Mapping International

3D Laser Mapping's South-African office recently conducted 3D laser scanning work at the Rising Star cave with its underground/indoor hand-held mobile laser scanner the ZEB1. Situated in the Cradle of Humankind near Johannesburg, South Africa, this is the cave... (more)

GIS framework for mining
by Roger Blewett, Esri South Africa

This article provides an overview of the ArcGIS for Mining framework. It articulates how a common geographical platform forms part of the foundation of execution on a mine. Geography is the only common denominator across the range of activities and functions... (more)

Strategic assessment for renewable energy in South Africa

by Lydia Cape and Cornelius van der Westhuizen, CSIR

The South African Government's strong commitment to the roll-out of renewable energy, in combination with the overriding success of the REI4P, raises questions as to how the growing spatial extent of renewable energy development in South Africa can be... (more)

GIS raising the bar on municipal service delivery

by Nicolaas Klopper, 1Map Spatial Solutions

Twenty years into our democracy, South Africa is faced with an urgent issue: economic emancipation and improved service delivery to all citizens. Local government is under immense pressure to improve service delivery, making available all the necessary amenities... (more)

Assessing the quality of OpenStreetMap data

by Lindy-Anne Siebritz, DRDLR and George Sithole, University of Cape Town

The introduction and success of volunteered geographic information (VGI) has gained the interest of national mapping agencies (NMAs). NMAs are looking to this volunteer information to maintain their topographic databases; however, the main concern is the... (more)

Mapping woody cover in Botsalano Game Reserve

by Chris Munyati and Mogomotsi Moeng, North-West University

In this study the distribution of woody vegetation in the 5700 ha Botsalano Game Reserve, North West Province, was assessed using the spatial technologies of remote sensing and GIS. Woody vegetation is important to the ecology of savannas. This is especially so... (more)

Robots navigating the unknown

Information from A*STAR Research

A computer algorithm that copies the navigation functionality of humans and animals helps robots navigate unfamiliar spaces. A robot with a navigation system that mirrors the neural scheme used by humans and animals to find their way around has been developed by A*STAR researchers. The human navigation function... (more)

Views, comment and opinion

PositionIT Inbox Nov/Dec 2015

Radically rethinking South Africa's mining operations

Connected cars open new digital frontiers

Geospatial standards collaboration

Statistically speaking: When ZIPF means something

Industry and institute news

SAGI business strategy and change workshop

Mine surveyors discuss commodity prices and rope replacements

Measuring the performance of smart cities

Creating a vibrant and collaborative South African EO community

Commercial RPAS operator licensed