GeomaticsWorld MAY | JUNE 2012
Issue No 4 : Volume 20
Surveying for geographical and spatial information in the 21st century
Repairing New Can 19th c. mapping GeoForum hears Marine Marking the Zealand’s shaken help in retracing Map Addict technology and retirement of cadastra boundaries? author Oceanology Leica’s 360° man 02 Geomatics World May / June 2012 Contents
Geomatics World is published bi-monthly by p.06 News PV Publications Ltd on behalf of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors Geomatics Professional Group – International Tribunal’s first maritime boundary judgement and is distributed to group members and other subscribing professionals. – Balfour Beatty backs BIM Editor: Stephen Booth Technical Editor: Richard Groom p.09 Obituaries News Editor: Hayley Tear GW marks the passing of two great geomatics professionals in Mike Advertising: Sharon Robson Cooper and Mike Curtis. Subscriptions: Barbara Molloy Editorial Board p.16 Earthquakes and the Cadastre Pat Collins, Richard Groom, Alan Haugh, In the second part of this article Roy Dale looks at the impact of James Kavanagh, Professor Jon Mills, Canterbury’s two earthquakes and repairing the cadastre. Dr Stuart Robson, Dr Martin Smith Overseas Sources p.20 GEO-12 Roy Dale – New Zealand Nick Day – USA Richard Groom and Hayley Tear report from the UK’s annual geomatics event. Editorial and advertising: e-mail: [email protected] Web: www.pvpubs.com p.22 Retracing boundaries from 19th c. 6” mapping T: +44 (0) 1438 352617 By reference to original field books and notes Kieran O’Shea shows F: +44 (0) 1438 351989 how it is possible to retrace boundaries more accurately. Mailing: PV Publications Ltd 2B North Road p.27 The UK GeoForum Lecture (for map addicts!) Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG1 4AT United Kingdom The annual UK GeoForum lecture heard author Mike Parker talk about his obsession with OS maps and his topselling book, Map Addict. Material to be Published While all material submitted for publication will be handled with care and every reasonable effort is made p.28 Blue oceans, IMUs and Oceanology to ensure the accuracy of content in Geomatics World, Richard Groom reports on a hydrographic technology forum run by the publishers will have no responsibility for any errors or omissions in the content. Furthermore, the views R2Sonic and concurrent the Oceanology event. and opinions expressed in Geomatics World are not necessarily those of the RICS. p.30 Hugh Anderson’s 360° view Reprints: Reprints of all articles (including articles With the retirement of Leica’s technical support man GW looks back on from earlier issues) are available. Call +44 (0)1438 a career with some remarkable achievements. 352617 for details.
Advertising: Information about advertisement rates, Regulars schedules etc. are available in the media pack. Telephone, fax or write to PV Publications. p.05 Editorial p.14 RICS Policy Watch
Subscriptions: Yearly subscription (six issues) is £45 p.06 News p.26 Down under Currents (UK) £49 (worldwide). For more details, including p.08 Calendar p.32 Products & Services special offers, go to: www.pvpubs.com No material may be reproduced in whole or in part p.12 Legal Notes p.34 Recruitment without written permission of PV Publications Ltd. © 2011 ISSN 1567-5882 p.13 Chair’s column p.35 Classified Printing: The Manson Group, St Albans, UK Would you like to receive the electronic version of GW? PV Publications Ltd Many RICS members overseas already receive an electronic version of GW. 2B North Road, To receive the printed edition too overseas members must opt in. If you Stevenage, Herts SG1 4AT T: +44(0)1438 352617 haven’t already advised us please go to: W: www.pvpubs.com http://www.pvpubs.com/OverseasRICS and register your requirements. COVER STORY Meanwhile, UK and Irish readers and subscribers can also receive the This is what an electronic version, which is sent at least a week ahead of the printed copy, by earthquake does. It emailing a request to [email protected] tears, rips and Note: the electronic version can now be downloaded as a PDF and printed. distorts the ground while shifting and widening a section of a canal, which now has a dog-leg. Next issue Image courtesy of The next issue of GW will be that for May / June 2012. Richard Jongens, GNS Copy dates are: Editorial: 13 June Advertising: 22 June Science.
May / June 2012 Geomatics World 03
Editorial
We have a lot to live up to
his is an unusual issue, not least because amongst senior professionals. You can read our we have to report the loss of two tribute to these two stalwarts on pages 9 and Tchampions of geomatics: RICS past 10 respectively. presidents Professor Mike Cooper and Mike This issue of GW has several significant Curtis. There have been many tributes to both articles. Roy Dale completes his study of the of these men whose passing perhaps suggests effects of New Zealand’s earthquakes and the the end of an era. It is well summed up by RICS mammoth task ahead to correct the cadastre. Land Group Director James Kavanagh: Meanwhile, also with a cadastral flavour, Kieran O’Shea offers an interesting way of improving “I feel that the passing of great land surveyors the accuracy of boundaries by reference to the like Mikes Curtis and Cooper represents a original surveyors’ field-books and notes. change in our profession. They were of a Ireland was the first country in the world to be Struggling with the different mindset – effortless well mannered mapped at large scale (six inches to the mile and affable, humane, well read, international, work-life balance? and larger in urban areas); mapping done at a connoisseurs of life and true believers in the time when Ordnance Survey, then a single body It’s a sign of the future of our profession. I feel those of us left for Great Britain and Ireland, was in its infancy. behind have a lot to live up too.” times. The accuracy that those 19th century surveyors The loss of the two Mikes coincides with worked to was often much higher than the some recent polling in the UK, which reveals scale called for. that less than half the population would Finally, apologies to fans of Undercurrents bother to vote if there was an election and Overcurrents but the need to cover two tomorrow. Moreover the poll also reveals that significant obituaries has put space at a the numbers volunteering are now only 21%, premium. Rest assured both will return for the down from from 29% only two years ago. July/August issue. Wherever you go voluntary groups, from charities, school governing bodies, hospital visiting to local political parties, struggle to find people able to give a little of their time. What lies behind these social changes? To Stephen Booth, Editor some extent it may be demographic change with older people being more likely to be TEN YEARS AGO: from GW May/June 2002 involved in voluntary activities as well as being The front cover for May/June 2002 shows a survey habitual voters. But surely a major factor is the vessel alongside the key at Excel in London’s demands made by employers on those lucky Docklands. The vessel is there for Oceanology. A enough to have jobs. Long hours, constant decade on and after five exhibitions the wisdom of monitoring to hit targets, the worry of the event’s move from Brighton is proven. Also redundancy and stagnant pay in a climate of shown was a cheery John Prescott with Ted Read rising prices all contribute to an intense focus of Ohmex inspecting a miniature ROV. on work. What price the much vaunted work- life balance? The hydro theme continued with an excellent article Surveyors, especially in their younger years (still relevant today) on UNCLOS – the UN when trips around the country or abroad are a Convention on the Law of the Sea. Another popular career feature, have always struggled to juggle reference article was Nick Day’s Overcurrents family, CPD and outside interests; we won’t go column, titled Go West Young Man, which The editor welcomes your into the divorce statistics. So how many have explained the ins and outs of getting the all comments and editorial time today to persue anything but home and essential green card for work in the US. contributions by e-mail: family? [email protected] Elsewhere, Prof Peter Dale was arguing that not Nevertheless, the public good is weakened by or by post: enough effort was being put into maintaining a lack of mature professionals with experience Geomatics World spatial datasets to ward off entropy – the tendency of the world and willing to serve even their own PV Publications Ltd of a system to fall into disorder if not maintained. profession. The commitment demonstrated by 2B North Road Meanwhile, amateur archaeologist Tom Brooks in our two former colleagues to volunteering to Stevenage a somewhat startling article argued that pre-Roman advance and support the profession as well as Herts SG1 4AT ancient Britons had their own geodetic network for other intellectual interests was something a United Kingdom positioning themselves. generation or so ago was almost a given
May / June 2012 Geomatics World 05 NEWS
ITLOS’ first maritime boundary judgment RICS sponsors global (Ground Sample Distance). internship scheme RICS is the principal scheme Major awards for Fugro sponsor of the Sociable Surveyors Fugro Geoteam has signed letters global internship scheme for of award with four major oil 2012. Students can enter a two- companies for 3D and 4D seismic minute video to compete for “all- surveys in East Africa and the expenses-paid” global internships North Sea for a total amount of with some of the world’s leading close to US $120m. The surveys property companies. Savills, will be during the summer months Knight Frank, Capita Symonds, using Fugro Geoteam’s C-Class Jones Lang LaSalle, CBRE, seismic vessels. The company has Hammerson, Land Securities, also signed a letter of award with Heron International, Berkeley Statoil Canada for a 3-D seismic Group, EC Harris, Bouygues and survey offshore Newfoundland Malcolm Hollis have all confirmed worth over US $40m. their participation for 2012, with placements on offer in Sydney, Airbone package sale Melbourne, Tokyo, Shanghai, Abu Optech has announcd that US Dhabi, Paris, Edinburgh and Imaging, Inc has purchased an London. More at integrated airborne surveying and http://www.rics.org/site/scripts/ne mapping system, including an ws_article.aspx?newsID=2632 Optech ALTM Orion M300 with two advanced aerial digital AGI’s marathon man cameras, the recently introduced On 22 April AGI Director & CEO Optech CS-10000 and an Optech Chris Holcroft ran as part of a six T-4800 oblique camera. strong MapAction charity running Delimitation of the Maritime Boundary between Bangladesh and team in the 2012 Virgin London Balfour Beatty backs BIM Myanmar (between points 1 and 8). Marathon. Chris, running for the Balfour Beatty and Autodesk The International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea delivered its judgment first time, successfully completed have signed a three-year, $12m in a dispute between Bangladesh and Myanmar (Burma) in March. The the 26.2 mile course in 4 hours agreement to help the contractor dispute concerned the delimitation of the boundary of the territorial sea, 54 mins. “It was a phenomenal adopt Building Information exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and the continental shelf and is the first event and a great opportunity to Modelling (BIM). The agreement case of the Tribunal relating to the delimitation of maritime boundaries. help MapAction. All the will enable Balfour Beatty to The dispute arose over the extent of territorial sea and EEZ associated MapAction runners made it to the serve customers through with St Martin’s Island, which is Bangladeshi territory situated off the finish line and the charity’s staff increased use of BIM, an Myanmar coast. Between points 2 and 8 (on the map), the boundary did all they could to help us both intelligent model-based process follows the median line between St Martin’s Island and Myanmar. From before and during the marathon, that provides insight for creating point 8 it runs northwesterly, following the territorial sea on the including laying on a cheering and managing building and southwest side of St Martin’s Island, until it reaches the delimitation line team at the half-way point. I had infrastructure projects faster, of the EEZ and continental shelf between Bangladesh and Myanmar – a great run and was pacing for a more economically, and with less roughly in line with point 1. From this point it runs southwesterly 4:50 time, which only ended up environmental impact. through two determined points and then on an azimuth of 215º across going slightly awry after the 24- Balfour Beatty has already the Bay of Bengal until it reaches “the area where the rights of third mile point owing to hitting the used Autodesk BIM on a number States may be affected”. The judgment quotes WGS84 coordinates for dreaded ‘wall’, explained Chris. of high profile projects including the boundary points. the San Francisco Bay Bridge, the States may choose by written declaration between the ITLOS, the CONTRACTS AND PROJECTS widening of the M25 outside International Court of Justice an arbitral tribunal and a special arbitral London, and design and tribunal as a means of settling disputes concerning the UN Convention on LiDAR rail survey for Finns construction for the replacement the Law of the Sea. For more information, visit www.itlos.org Blom has completed an aerial of Terminal 2 at London LiDAR survey for VR Track Oy, a Heathrow. For the new Terminal rail constructor in Finland. 2B, the largest ever airside project Geomatics Covering approximately 91 km, at the airport, its use helped the flying for the data capture company coordinate over 30 Evening Lectures 2012 covering a 100 m wide corridor active stakeholders with a peak RICS Geomatics lectures are CPD relevant and count towards began in late autumn, when workforce of 1600 to complete your CPD/LLL quota as specified within RICS regulations. All vegetation had already work ahead of schedule. lectures are free and open to all (especially students) unless disappeared but before snow otherwise specified. All lectures take place at RICS Great George Street lecture hall and are timed at 17.30 for 1800 covered the ground. LiDAR was Gatewing joins Trimble unless otherwise stated. flown by helicopter at a flying portfolio Thursday 17th May height of 400 m, generating a Trimble has announced the 2 UK GNSS RTK research phase II - the results!, Dr Stuart point cloud of 10 points/m , and acquisition of Gatewing of Gent, Edwards MRICS and Matt King digital images with ground Belgium and its lightweight resolution better than 5cm GSD unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV).
06 Geomatics World May / June 2012 NEWS
UAVs in combination with equipment and software, Are you ready to photogrammetry are an emerging managed the certification process technology providing an and will resell the products in embrace the innovative platform for aerial Russia. imagery acquisition. Gatewing’s products include the X100 UAV High-precision GNSS positioning latest technology? and Stretchout desktop software providers for the offshore oil and for digital image processing and gas industry, Veripos has analysis. For more on the extended the North West Gatewing UAV see Engineering European sector of its global Surveying Showcase 2011 No 2. network with a new reference station facilities at Hammerfest in Capacity building course northern Norway to meet The importance of the theoretical growing exploration activities in and practical aspects of both the Norwegian and Russian hydrographic database design and zones of the Barents Sea. management to support the development of marine, national York UK based MDL has acquired and regional spatial data 100 per cent share in Thomas infrastructures (SDI) was again Engineering (TEC) Manotick, demonstrated by delegates Ottawa, Canada, as part of a attending the second in a series of strategy to create a global laser capacity building courses, held measurement, manufacturing and recently in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The distribution and services business. course was hosted by the country’s The acquisition enables MDL and May 15th - Dublin National Aquatic Resources TEC to launch a new business, MDL Research and Development Agency Canada Ltd, to focus on sales and nd (NARA) and delivered by marine service to the fast-growing May 22 - London data and GIS experts OceanWise Canadian mining, quarrying and and Caris and supported financially surveying industry. by the International Hydrographic Organisation (IHO). Delegates Speedy is helping to breathe new came from countries throughout life into the Cardiff economy, Register for the the North Indian Ocean, and courtesy of a new £400,000 Southern Africa and Islands equipment rental superstore with regions, including Bangladesh, stock in excess of £5m of TECHNOLOGY DAY Comoros, Kenya, Malawi, Namibia, equipment ready for hire Oman, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, including survey and powered with the Trimble Express Sri Lanka and Tanzania. access equipment. The superstore is one of nine sites to be built by BRIEFS Speedy across the UK during the course of 2012. Contact details www.korecknowhow.com The Technical Committee for the are 07720 349546 or third European LiDAR Mapping [email protected] Forum (ELMF) to take place in Salzburg, Austria 4-5 December Trimble has announced that 2012, has announced a Call for Dimensions, its international user Papers and invites interested conference, is scheduled for UK Event Partners parties to submit their abstracts November 5-7, 2012 at the Mirage Trimble ESRI UK online by 25th July 2012. The Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. The ICES senseFly Technical Committee, led by event is expected to provide COMIT Intelligent Trench conference chairman Alastair insight into how information TEKLA (Trimble Company) Faro MacDonald from TMSI, will peer technology can transform the way review each abstract and the final surveying, engineering, programme will be announced at construction, mapping, GIS, the beginning of September. geospatial, utilities and field service management professionals The Russian Federal Agency on can work. “Now in its sixth year, Technical Regulation and Trimble Dimensions provides an Metrology has awarded excellent forum for organizations certification to Altus Positioning to explore how they can continue www.korecgroup.com Systems to sell its high-precision to drive transformation, shape the [email protected] APS-3 GNSS surveying products in future of their industry and gain a tel UK: 0845 603 1214 Ire: 01 456 4702 Russia. Moscow-based Technokauf competitive edge through the use LLC, a provider of surveying of information technology,” said
2012-GW-techday-UK.indd 1May / June 2012 Geomatics World 26/04/2012 07 09:10:45 NEWS
Steven W. Berglund, Trimble’s PEOPLE president and CEO. More at: Gary Covington, Fairey and then Events Calendar 2012 www.trimbledimensions.com. Clyde surveyor and erstwhile • SEMINARS • CONFERENCES • EXHIBITIONS • COURSES columnist in Surveying World, has UK Topcon dealers Phoenix has been resident in the Philippines for We welcome advance details of events likely to be of opened a new branch in central many years. He now appears to be interest to the Geomatics community. Please send details to: Birmingham. The spacious well and truly part of the furniture [email protected] location, which is shared with with a regular opinion column in Brandon Tool Hire, will offer a full the Davao City Sun Star range of hire, sales, repair, training newspaper. He still has plenty of FARO European User Meeting 25 August - 1 September, and support services for surveying acerbic wit but nowadays would 22-23 May, Schloss Sihlberg, Melbourne Convention and and safety equipment. Contact certainly give the grumpy old men Zurich, Switzerland. Exhibition Centre, Australia. details are 1 Howard Street, a run for their money! Contact: Contact: www.isprs2012.org Constitution Hill, Birmingham, B19 http://www.sunstar.com.ph/autho http://user-meeting.faro.com/ 3HW tel: 0121 2126555 r/97/gary-covington information/ AGI GeoCommunity '12: Sharing the Power of Place Fugro has acquired Southampton UK The Handheld Group has Hexagon 2012 18-20 September, East Midlands based EMU, a marine environmental appointed Johan Hed as new 4-7 June, MGM Grand Hotel, Las Conference Centre, consultancy with a client base in the product manager where he will Vegas, Nevada, USA. Nottingham, UK. oil and gas, renewables, engineering be responsible for the product Contact: Contact: contracting, marine aggregate and planning and execution www.hexagonconference.com www.agi.org.uk/geocommunity/ government markets. EMU currently throughout the product lifecycle. employs 150 highly-qualified and Hed has been with Handheld SPAR Japan Intergeo 2012 experienced surveyors, ocean- since January 2011 and has a 5-6 June, Kawasaki Industry 9-11 October, Hannover, ographers and marine environmental BSc in business administration Promotion Hall, Kawasaki, Japan. Germany. scientists. The acquisition will from Lamar University, Texas and Contact: Contact: www.intergeo.de contribute to Fugro’s strategy to an MSc in international business www.SPARPointGroup.com/Japan provide its clients with fully- and trade from the University of Trimble Dimensions 2012 integrated solutions. Gothenburg. Geo Maritime 2012 5-7 November, Mirage Hotel, Las 13-14 June, London, UK. Vegas, Nevada, USA. Contact: www.wbresearch.com/ Contact: Laser and 4D motion graphics tell Titanic story geomar/home.aspx www.trimbledimensions.com UK interactive arts and technology collective, seeper, retained the services of chartered geospatial engineers Coastway to produce a 3D 12d Model International User SPAR Europe 2012 model of Belfast city’s newest tourist attraction, Titanic Belfast, which Conference 2012 12-14 November, The Hague, tells the story of the ill-fated liner from its conception through to the 29-31 July, Brisbane Convention The Netherlands. ship’s tragic maiden voyage and sinking on April 15 1912. The Northern & Exhibition Centre, QLD, Contact: Ireland Tourist Board has organised a festival to commemorate the story Australia. www.sparpointgroup.com/Europe/ with the highlight a spectacular 3D motion graphics and pyrotechnics Contact: www.12d.com light show produced by seeper with the help of Coastway to provide European LiDAR Mapping them with a highly accurate 3D model of the Titanic Belfast to enable ISPRS 2012 Forum them to project onto the building façade. – Congress of the International 4-5 December, Salzburg, Austria. Following a detailed study of the building, high definition laser scanning Society for Photogrammetry Contact: was used to produce a 3D model and transferred into seeper’s Cinema 4D and Remote Sensing http://www.lidarmap.org/ELMF/ format. Whilst Coastway has significant experience in producing 3D models of façades by laser scanning, company director Mark Hudson said that this For more events, visit our online calendar at was the most complex project that they have been involved with: “The www.pvpubs.com unique architectural design of the Titanic Belfast building presented us with a number of challenges due to its asymmetrical structure and use of specialised façade materials.” To ensure the accuracy of the 3D model, Coastway collaborated with panel manufacturers EDM Spanwall to verify each one against the fabrication dimensions. The building façade comprises over 3,000 of these irregular anodised aluminium satin finished panels. “Each panel proved challenging to scan due to the highly reflective materials and its irregular geometry on an independent sloped façade. This meant we had to produce a 3D model for each individual panel from the laser scan point cloud data we collated,” explained Hudson.
08 Geomatics World May / June 2012 OBITUARY
Technical College and Regent led by Martin Biddle, Professor Street Polytechnic. He turned out of Medieval Archaeology, to be no average academic. Hertford College, Oxford, this Joining City University first as work highlighted a series of lecturer then reader, he became technological step changes in the first professor of engineering scientific archaeology to provide surveying (1991-8) and instigator and present metric digital data. and director of the Engineering Michael Cooper Surveying Research Centre and Retirement and Hooke 1935-2012 its commercial arm, the But it was in retirement that he Engineering Photogrammetry Unit arguably achieved his most (EPU), in the university’s remarkable and scholarly work. Department of Civil Engineering. Inspired by the late Dr Edmund Throughout his career and Hambly’s research into Robert into retirement Mike played a full Hooke, (Hambly was president of participative role in many the Institution of Civil Engineers, professional bodies and learned 1994/5) Mike too began to societies, both in the UK and champion the forgotten scientist internationally most notably and surveyor. In 1999 he gained It is rarely easy to do justice ground control for 1:50,000 through leading roles within FIG his Doctorate of Philosophy in the to a life. In the case of mapping, re-defining the scale of and the RICS. He was widely History of Science for his study of Emeritus Professor of the Nigerian primary triangulation respected for his command of the life and works of the Engineering Surveying using the Tellurometer MRA1 at geomatics technologies experimental scientist Robert Michael Cooper it is all but chain junctions, as head of the evidenced by his many published Hooke, following a grant from impossible within the scope computing section in Lagos and technical and scientific papers in Gresham College. of a page or so in this journal. as principal of the Federal Survey refereed journals and conference Mike’s book, A More Beautiful Nevertheless we shall try. School. proceedings, some gaining City - Robert Hooke and the Mike was very much a hands- significant prizes and awards. He Rebuilding of London after the In March geomatics lost a on practical surveyor. His was also responsible for several Great Fire was a study of the towering and tireless champion. understanding of the underlying longer works including Modern man who was the Royal Society’s MAR Cooper (“Mike”) held many electronic technology of the then Theodolites and Levels, first curator of experiments and leading positions in our novel Tellurometer was to put him Fundamentals of Survey surveyor to the City following the profession. He was uniquely a in good stead when it went Measurement and Analysis and fire of 1666. The book was chartered engineer as well as wrong, as it frequently did in the Control Surveys in Civil reprinted in 2005 as Robert President of RICS Geomatics tough conditions of the West Engineering all published by Hooke and the Rebuilding of Faculty (1999) and a leading African bush. He would spend time Blackwell’s Oxford. London; London’s Leonardo, the member of most geomatics scouring markets and radio shops Life and Work of Robert Hooke, related learned societies and for the necessary replacement Close range with Jim Bennett, Michael professional bodies. valves, diodes, resistors and other photogrammetry Hunter and Lisa Jardine; The Like many, Mike had several components before soldering them His contribution to the science civic virtue of Robert Hooke in careers: unlike most of us he into place and keeping the show and application of close range Robert Hooke and the English excelled at all of them. From on the road. photogrammetry was immense Renaissance, edited by Paul working in Nigeria in the 1950s, Mike married Jennifer in 1960 including the mentoring of Kent and Allan Chapman.He through instigating and leading a and she later joined him on his several PhD students, now also chaired the organizing key engineering surveying research second tour to Nigeria, together professors: Stuart Robson, Jim committee for the Royal Society’s team at City University, to his with their three-month old son. Chandler, Mark Shortis, Halim international conference “Hooke remarkable achievement, after Jennifer’s recollections, published Setan and, Stuart Lane. 2003”. retiring as emeritus professor, in in the RICS Geomatics ’99 50th Whilst EPU undertook a wide gaining a PhD for his study of the Anniversary Volume, provide variety of cutting edge analytical The last project life and times of Robert Hooke, fascinating insight to the times and subsequently digital He next embarked on a study of more of which anon. and tribulations of a young photogrammetry in close the history of surveying since Mike grew up in Norfolk and couple working in the bush. collaboration with industry, Mike earliest times, a task which he went to the City of Norwich is perhaps best remembered for openly admitted he was unlikely Grammar School where he met Academic career more academic inputs which to have enough time left to lifelong friend and fellow surveyor Upon returning to the UK and stemmed from the finish. Nevertheless, his paper on Malcolm Anderson, who he after a brief spell with the photogrammetric reconstructing pre-3000 BC Mesopotamian followed to Bristol University to Hydrographic Office, then still in of the Shrine of St Alban. origins and early practice of land read Maths and Physics. Next Cricklewood north London where Experience gained in this work surveying was completed before came the School of Military he’d blotted his copybook by provided the impetus for the his death and is expected to be Survey at Newbury for a post- using green ink (‘It’s reserved photogrammetric recording and published in Survey Review graduate diploma course and a only for admirals!’), Mike reconstruction of the Tomb of where he was chairman of the meeting with local girl Jennifer. embarked on what was to Christ within the Church of the management and editorial board. Mike then followed Malcolm to become a truly outstanding Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. As a much valued member of Nigeria where he was involved academic carreer. Beginning with Funded by the Leverhulme Trust the Geomatics World editorial with many projects including teaching maths at Willesden and conducted as part of a team board, Mike’s unassuming
May / June 2012 Geomatics World 09 OBITUARY
modesty, quiet guidance, Earlier in the programme it had also part of the RICS delegation blind panic about ‘protocol’ and knowledge and wisdom helped been mentioned that one torpedo to FIG during the 1990s, a great how to get very large (this was us chart our way through many cost a quarter of a million supporter of RICS professional the 90s) 3D goggles onto the difficult situations with touchy pounds. Mike remarked on this membership and a highlight on Queen. Mike coolly stepped in, authors as well as being a and compared it with the annual numerous evening lecture guided the Queen through her constant source of salary of five professors. Then programmes. Indeed, Mike gave 3D survey ‘experience’ and encouragement to widen the after a pause added ‘but then of the RICS Geomatics Christmas remarked afterwards how he scope of geomatics from “things course five professors can do lecture in 2009 and once again thought it unfair to ‘bewilder’ on sticks”. much more damage than one charmed and enlightened his a pensioner even more than Mike’s interests were wide torpedo!’ audience in equal measure. He usual. Royalty or the common ranging. He was a member of the was a great orator and spoke man, Mike always had a sense of Palestine Exploration Fund, Royal James Kavanagh of RICS with passion on subjects he felt how to put people at ease and Asiatic Society, London adds: strongly about, RICS Governing help them through issues of Topographical Society as well as Prof Mike Cooper FRICS was a Council was often guided by his difficulty. He will be missed by all president (2004-5) of the stalwart and highly respected words and eloquence. at RICS. Baconian Club of St Albans, member of geomatics divisional One of my favourite stories Mike is survived by his wife president (2008-11) of the St council for over a decade rising about Mike was how he stepped Jennifer and two sons, Nicholas Albans & Hertfordshire to President. Mike’s steady hand in and took control of the and Jonathan. Architectural and Archaeological and political skills, along of Queen’s visit to RICS in 1998 to Society and a Freeman of the City course with his sense of humour, celebrate the centenary of the of London. were put to use as he guided granting of our Royal Charter. GW is indebted to Malcolm One former colleague recalls RICS through the trials and One of the highlights was to be a Anderson, Stuart Robson and his summing up at an tribulations of the 1999-2000 3D headset experience for the many others who have engineering conference at UCL. Agenda for Change. Mike was monarch. RICS staffers were in a contributed to this obituary.
established as a foundation for daily contact with us, and development under the UK’s proved invaluable in ensuring programme of overseas aid. that we had the continuing Mike’s first overseas support of the department, while assignment was in Sarawak, helping to speed up the ordering where surveyors needed of urgent essential vehicle and climbing skills and a head for outboard spares to keep our Mike Curtis heights. They also had to be survey operation going”. Mike wary of the local Iban tribes, went on to serve DOS in who had a reputation for head- Ethiopia and Grenada. hunting, the Indonesian In 1977 Mike was involved in insurgents, for this was the time providing the ground control for of “the troubles”, and not least new large-scale mapping of the snakes and bugs of the Zanzibar and Pemba. Zanzibar jungle. What an adventure that was a lush tropical island with must have been for the young coconut palms and massive One definition of a civilians to be admitted on the man! He must have made a mango and breadfruit trees gentleman is a “well Army Survey Course. On good start because the 1966 pervaded by the scent of a mannered and considerate completion of his training, he DOS official report records that variety of fruits and spices. If man with high standards of would have reported to the he was left in change of the one stood still long enough, proper behaviour”. However, headquarters of DOS at party while his party leader, something to eat would be likely a simpler one would be: Tolworth. Captain McGuire, went home on to drop on your head! “Mike Curtis” who past away At that time, for Britain’s leave. After collecting survey after a long illness in early newly independent former Steve Mason recalls equipment and a vehicle via March. Friends and colleagues colonies and protectorates encountering Mike in Maun, Nairobi, Mike arrived and met all speak of a caring, accurate national survey control Botswana, by then on his fourth his counterpart in the Lands and inspirational manager and and mapping were regarded as posting and seconded to the Survey office, Muhammad leader, who enjoyed life but essential prerequisites for Government survey department Sulaiman. Working again with was always concerned for development. Most of them did in the capital Gaborone. “I met Steve Mason, they experienced a others in his circle. not have the expertise or him only once, but we spoke warm welcome and learned that equipment and so relied on almost daily because he made they were the first British aid After he attended Bristol technical co-operation with DOS sure he was at his office by 7:45 project in Zanzibar and Pemba University, Mike was successful to put in this essential every morning to join in the since their revolution 13 years in gaining an appointment, groundwork. Mike was daily radio call between the before. subject to training, with the particularly proud, as were many survey party’s camp sites in the In the interim the government Directorate of Overseas Surveys DOS staff, to be working on Kalahari bush or Okavango delta had followed a revolutionary where he was one of the first survey and mapping projects swamp. Mike maintained this communist model which clearly
10 Geomatics World May / June 2012 OBITUARY
had been disastrous for small construction of a traditional of others he knew. He was launched AssocRICS will be his enterprises and commerce. Steve open boat from the local deeply proud of his children abiding legacy. Mason recalls that an East boatyard. Mark and Helen, his Mike was always concerned German trained “liason” officer Mike went on to other grandchildren Henry and Kitty, to give all a chance to join RICS, was assigned to them. “Mike overseas survey projects in Sandra and her children, to bring all geomatics related soon charmed him with the Liberia, Lesoto and finally as Marius, Delphi and Zaria and surveyors into the fold and occasional gift of a cigarette, survey adviser in Yemen, until finally the achievements of his thereby improve the profession’s and the only trouble we ever called home to work at staff. status. He had an inclusive had was when he wanted to Ordnance Survey. Andy Wilson concludes: “I mentality and often had to call know what had come for us in feel truly honoured to have on his own very positive the enormous two-ton box, Ordnance Survey known Mike and proud to have philosophy of life to help which turned out to be our order Andy Wilson recalls that he been his friend. So goodbye navigate the way forward. We of duty free liquor. first met Mike in 1987 when Mike, a bon viveur and true often travelled during this Mike was joined by his first they were both new recruits to gentleman”. period, memorable trips being to wife Jean and their young the surveyor training division at Brussels for a now daughter Hannah. He had been OS headquarters in Romsey James Kavanagh from ‘legendary’ Geomatics board and preparing to welcome the family Road, Southampton. “Mike was RICS adds: numerous nights out in and had bought a VW beetle there to get a grounding in OS With the passing of Mike Curtis Newcastle and Belfast. I have and had it refurbished for their survey techniques following his FRICS, it does feel like the often repeated the story about arrival. They already had one time with DOS. This was ending of an era of a certain Mike being the only member I’ve child and Jean was expecting obviously required as in that first type of land surveyor. Mike was ever brought home to meet my their second but it was obvious week, Mike was to be seen President of the Geomatics (land mother; this was on a trip to that childbirth facilities in UK climbing on top of the training and hydrographic survey) meet members in Dublin. My were to be preferred to Mnazi school transit to conduct his Division in 1999-2000 and mother often asked me how that Moja hospital, Zanzibar, so their DOS style recce!” became the first chairman of the ‘lovely English gentleman’ was! arrival was deferred. “Mike After initial training, he spent newly formed geomatics faculty And Mike was just that, a true generously lent his shiny beetle most of his OS career as Region in 2000. Also with the late Prof English gentleman. to my visiting girlfriend Manager for Data Collection in Mike Cooper FRICS, Mike Mike remained an integral Charlene, who decided to stay. London and the South East, helped provide the platform and part of the Geomatics executive Mike was a charmer!” adds initially in Tolworth and finally at stability that the far-reaching and faculty boards until his Steve. the London office in Vauxhall. It impacts of the Agenda for retirement in 2008 and was also During that time we came to was clear to all that Mike loved Change required. Mike was a a central member of numerous realise that supplies of food, life and more importantly he long serving member of the other organisations such as AGI. furnishings, electricity, and even loved people. His ability to Geomatics Division and also His death saddened many at water were going to present enthuse, inspire and bring light served as our ‘link’ with other RICS, as he always made a problems when we moved out of into the lives of those he met divisions most notably General particular effort to get to know the hotel. Mike acquired a was a truly remarkable quality. Practice, indeed Mike often staff and many remember him basement storage area and He had that rare gift of lighting commented on how comfortable with fondness. embarked on a series of up any room he walked into. he felt around the GPs. Then shopping trips to Dar es Salaam. He always sought the best for again Mike had a certain GW is indebted to Steve Mason, He also ordered equipment for his staff in OS, and amazingly infectious ‘joie de vivre’ that Andy Wilson and others for this the survey and our future could always remember what wasn’t dimmed by the illness of obituary. accommodation through DOS was going on in their lives; this his later months. headquarters. He accumulated was Mike selfless to the last. I got to know Mike very well cookers and fridges, freezers and During this time he met Sandra, during his time as President and air-conditoners, generators and and it was clear that she Chairman. His life changed a lot jacks, winches and water pumps brought much happiness and after leaving one of the loves of – all manner of “goodies”, as he love into this new chapter in his his life, Ordnance Survey. Mike called them. Aladdin would have life. Over the next few years a fought his way through those been envious of Mike’s store. The close bond grew between the difficult months and soon set provisioning officer at Tolworth London/SE region staff. Mike and himself up as an independent complained that he was Sandra very much became the consultant. It was also during spending as much equipping the backbone on the OS social this time that Mike, and many Zanzibar project as on the whole calendar. Whether it was walking other others such as Bob of the rest of DOS put together! up a mountain, enjoying fine Ashwin of Land Registry, The survey included a score food, watching theatre or became heavily involved in or more offshore islands, and enjoying a few beers (of course technical membership and there were many places where in Mike’s case this quickly training issues. The current RICS the coast appeared most easily turned to red wine!), these I’m training programmes with Land accessible from the sea. Mike sure will be amongst the Registry, Ordnance Survey and had been sent on a boat- enduring memories of his OS the wider survey industry are handling course with the Royal friends and colleagues. testament to his visionary Marines, so he ordered a Modesty defined Mike. His approach. Of all that Mike gave quantity of outboard engines greatest pleasure was the pride to RICS his work on technical from UK and commissioned the he showed in the achievements training and the recently
May / June 2012 Geomatics World 11 Legal Notes
Do we really need additional protection from US laws?
By Carl Calvert
here has been a lot in the newspapers and that looks to sell to an E.U. consumer will be law journals about the conflicting laws in caught by this,” says Cynthia O’Donoghue, co- Tthe USA and the EU. And, as if the current head of the data privacy, security, and We are increasingly conflicts are not enough, there is a proposal for management group at Reed Smith in London. a new regulation on data protection by the The proposal’s incorporation of the ‘right to using electronic European Parliament and the Council be forgotten’ (Art 17 of the proposed social networking (Safeguarding Privacy in a Connected World – A Regulation) gives users the right to tell a European Data Protection Framework for the company to erase all of their data – including using websites and 21st Century COM(2012) 9 final). data that winds up on a third-party site, even services based in Companies in the US have to comply with if the company did not put it there. That laws such as the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act makes companies responsible for the personal the US. The EU and (FCPA) 1977, which has two main provisions. The data regardless of where the data ends up. the US already have first relates to transparency in accounting According to the Constitutional scholar, Prof procedures whilst the second concerns the Jeffrey Rosen of George Washington University: unreconcilable legal bribery of foreign officials. Since 1998 the Act “I think we’re about to see a titanic battle over systems. And what also applies to foreign firms operating within the something that the Europeans are calling ‘the US who act ‘in furtherance of such a corrupt right to oblivion’. It’s proposed by the French, about Britain’s payment’ whilst in the USA. In-house counsel and it’s very French. It seems straight out of extradition treaty often conduct internal investigations within their Sartre. The idea is that if you post pictures of with the US? Carl company and in so doing rely on documents and yourself on Facebook or MySpace, and later emails from and between employees. come to regret it because you’ve been fired or Calvert tries to To avoid the conflict between US and EU are embarrassed, you should be able to take the unravel some of the laws in-house counsels try and generally get pictures down, and the Internet service provider the genuine consent of employees to obtain should be forced to comply. From the conflicts. documents and emails. However, under the EU Americans’ perspective, this right to oblivion proposal any employee consent, however really is hard to reconcile with our free speech freely given, would be invalid. values. We generally don’t believe that you have It is probably best to look at some of the the right to selectively delete your past, or to content of the proposed regulation before remove legal—but embarrassing—content. considering the effect on the other side of the Europeans have a very different notion. They pond. The EU regulation states that there have strong legal enforcement for dignitary must be consistency within all member states rights and the idea that you have a right to your on data protection because at the moment image, or the integrity of your personality.” each member state can, and does, implement According to Prof Thomas Flynn, J P Sartre the current directive in different ways. assumes that we live in a society of oppression In order to ensure that individuals are not and exploitation. I make no judgements but it deprived of the protection to which they are does seem that the authors of the proposed entitled under the proposed regulation “the EU regulation believe that this is so. processing of personal data of data subjects However, the real stinger is Art 18 which residing in the Union by a controller not will give the person the Right to make the established in the Union should be subject to data portable to a third party. Art 18 (Right to this Regulation where the processing activities data portability) “The data subject shall have are related to the offering of goods or services the right,. . ., to obtain from the controller a . . . we’re about to such data subjects, or to the monitoring of copy of data undergoing processing in an ‘‘ the behaviour of such data subjects”. electronic and structured format which is to see a titanic In other words, the regulation applies to those commonly used and allows for further use by battle over who are in the EU with a controller, in say, the the data subject.” USA. Furthermore, the Commission may equally This ‘right to portability’ is considered to be something that recognise that a third country, or an international more problematic in a commercial context. For the Europeans organisation offers no adequate level of data example under Article 18, the user of a social protection and the transfer of personal data to network can require his data to be retrieved in are calling ‘the that third country would be prohibited. a suitable form so that it can be transferred to right to oblivion’. These regulations will not apply just to a competing social networking site. The ’’ companies like Facebook. “Every company commercial problem is one of storing personal
12 Geomatics World May / June 2012 Legal Notes
data in such a way that, when it is returned, it without the accused having any opportunity is returned in a format suitable for re-use by to make representations. It appears to be very • Carl Calvert MA MSc someone else. easy to engage the jurisdiction of the US PgDLaw FRICS CITP MBCS, Whilst looking at the conflict of laws I came courts without ever entering the country, since is the sole principal of across the UK Parliament’s Home Affairs Select activity on the internet, including sending and Calvert Consulting, Committee report number 20 which deals with receiving e-mails, can involve the use of specialising in Boundary the US/UK extradition treaty. One comment communications systems based in the United litigation. He also lectures made in paragraph 32 of that report states that: States, as can use of the US banking system.” part-time in GIS law. “The current arrangements for determining So, whether it is personal data (US and EU) www.calvertconsulting.co.uk the forum in which a person should be tried or the person themselves (US and UK) the Email: [email protected] are in our view unsatisfactory. Decisions are differences between the US concepts of law and or 023 8086 4643. made by prosecutors, behind closed doors, others’ concepts appear to be growing wider.
Chair Sombre moment for Geomatics
ollowing the upbeat introduction to my last sheer size of the event and the level of business column I begin this one in a more sombre activity. It was excellent to see that our stand Fand reflective mood, for March 2012 saw the received its fair share of this trade with numerous passing of two eminent members of our requests about routes to membership. Particularly geomatics family: Michael Curtis FRICS and pleasing was our ability to advise on the newly Michael Cooper FRICS. Those who had the established Professional Experience Route (c.f. pleasure of knowing either of the two Mikes will Chairs column July/Aug 2011). It has long been know that we could dedicate the whole of this my belief that this route, now fully established issue and still not do justice to their individual within RICS, is highly appropriate to our contributions to the scholarly and professional profession as it provides a structured path to entry A sombre moment aspects of our profession. Two albeit brief for those who have followed an early career path obituaries attempt to capture the profound in geomatics but who now see chartered status as for the geomatics impact each had in shaping the very essence of the appropriate vehicle for progression. community to pause what we do and how we go about it. Whilst the PER is, in my view, a shining Like many surveyors of their day, they honed example of what RICS can achieve, I’m afraid to and reflect on the their survey skills and expertise working on massive say that the recently proposed revisions to the passing of two great overseas projects, establishing fundamental control APC are at the other end of the spectrum. After surveyors. and large-scale mapping in countries such as dedicated review and numerous drafts (about Nigeria, Botswana, Kenya, and Tanzania to name five I think), Knowledge Board (KB) did the right Professional Group just a few, all without computers, electronic thing and refused to endorse the revised Chair Stuart calculators or mobile phones. As a graduate of the scheme in its current form. Whilst the direction ‘early’ digital age I cannot begin to imagine the of travel in APC revision is correct, the one-size Edwards also challenges they must have faced and overcome on fits all approach is simply unworkable. The reflects on a regular basis. Moreover, our students today find rather damning indictment of KB has raised the eight days in the Lake District without a mobile issue to the top of the agenda at the up-coming Oceanology, the phone signal challenging! Chairman’s Day on 16th May. I will be following Professional In my professional career I am proud to have the discussions closely and putting forward the had the pleasure of serving firstly on the Land PG Board’s view so watch this space. Experience Route to Survey Divisional Board under the chairmanship In other news I’m pleased to report that the membership and of Mike Cooper and then on the first Geomatics launch of the 2nd edition of Network RTK best Faculty Board under the leadership of Mike practice at OS HQ was very well attended with stalled attempts to Curtis. Reflecting now, I wonder if I managed to over 70 delegates to hear Dr Nigel Penna and Prof. revise the APC. bring such clarity of thought, gentle guidance Peter Clarke from Newcastle University. and inclusiveness to my own Board. All who Also, it was a pleasure for me to attend the encountered either Mike could not help but be ice-breaker evening of the General Assembly for touched by their infectious enthusiasm for life the Council of European Geodetic Surveyors in and all that is Geomatics. They will be missed. Edinburgh. Fellow board member Duncan Moss and the RICS Scotland team are to be congrat- Oceanology 2012 ulated on the organisation of the event which Stuart Edwards As mentioned in my last column, Geomatics took attracted over 80 delegates from across Europe. welcomes your comments a stand at Oceanology 2012. My particular thanks Finally, recent conversations with Ian Greenway and thoughts so please to James Kavanagh, Gordon Johnston and Ruth (FIG Vice President) have done much to stimulate email on the following Adams for manning the stand over the three days a root and branch review of our long-standing address of the exhibition. Attending myself on the final relationship and how RICS and FIG can better [email protected] day, I could not help but be impressed by the interact and capitalise on individual strengths.
May / June 2012 Geomatics World 13 RICS News
RICS Policy Watch and update spring 2012
By James Kavanagh, Director of RICS Land Group
t has been an extremely busy and productive assembly held in Edinburgh in March 2012, the 2011-12 session for RICS Geomatics with the World Bank Land & Poverty conference held in A busy winter and Itraditional RICS geo evening lecture series Washington DC in April 2012 and the FIG going from strength to strength. Nearly every working week held in Rome in May 2012. early spring sees lecture was fully subscribed and by now the You will all be aware of the contents: only RICS Geomatics final lecture on the latest UK GNSS RTK network 1.5 billion of the estimated 6 billion land research will have taken place (more below). parcels worldwide have land rights formally supporting a range The 2012-13 session will start again in earnest registered in land administration systems. It is of events and in Oct 2012 but I would advise members to no surprise that both of these outputs have continue to register their interest with gained such international attention. They can publishing outputs [email protected] in good time. Many of the be downloaded from www.rics.org/geomatics to enhance the 2012-13 lecture outputs are now available on profession and our the RICS WikiGeo web resource @ FAO-RICS workshop on voluntary guidelines https://communities.rics.org/connect.ti/Wikigeo/ for responsible land tenure governance standing in groupHome Furthering the theme of land markets, RICS government and the I’m also sure that many of you are signed organised and hosted a meeting of global into the myriad geo and surveying related academic experts in March 2012 at our wider community. LinkedIn groups and have seen RICS increase its Parliament Square HQ to discuss the global profile there over recent months. The Land dissemination of the FAO guidelines on Group blog is another way of keeping in touch responsible land tenure. The FAO guidelines are with developments in our rapidly changing the culmination of several years of international professional and technical environment. workshops, conferences, meetings and complex Geo members with a political interest can debate but were ratified by over 96 countries at keep up to date with all RICS policy and a recent meeting at the FAO HQ in Rome external affairs developments @ http://www.fao.org/nr/tenure/voluntary- www.rics.org/policyandinfluencing guidelines/en/ Members can, as always, keep up to date The two-day workshop held at RICS will help on RICS related news with the Land e-brief, FAO decide on how to integrate the guidelines Land Journal and through the website into existing academic courses, make available www.rics.org/geomatics and www.rics.org/land as web-enabled learning resources and distribute as hardcopy/DVD resources. RICS is Crowdsourcing and Land Administration & following up this workshop with a special Land Markets 3rd edition 2011 outputs session at FIG Rome May 2012. This opportunity The launch of Plymouth These groundbreaking RICS research reports to work directly with FAO on such a globally University’s Hydro Academy have continued to be popular and help position important issue was not to be missed and was a highlight at the RICS in the forefront of global thought underlines how output like the Land Markets, Oceanology 2012 event.. leadership on these important subject areas. Crowdsourcing and the Red Book can act as a Each report has platform to build relationships with important been featured both UN agencies. FIG Rome 2012 will be followed in the pages of GW by a full report on the this FAO RICS project. and the Land Journal. Oceanology 2012 and GEO-12 Presentations have RICS Geomatics had a presence at both of been given at a these UK events held in March 2012. number of very Oceanology attracted 1000s of delegates from high profile events around the world and was held over three such as the hectic days at Excel London. The RICS stand international did brisk business as professional qualifications meeting of national and status are high on the agenda for many mapping and working in the offshore, renewables and cadastral agencies oil/gas sectors. I was also struck by the held in Nottingham number of students attending on the final day in Jan 2012, the and the career opportunities opening up to CLGE general them in the marine sectors. One highlight, of
14 Geomatics World May / June 2012 RICS News many, was the launch of the Hydrographic will advise ministers on what public Academy http://www.plymouth.ac.uk/hydro sector data should be released. This This new online IHO cat-b level course was data will initially be from the four put together over a number of years by an trading funds that make up the Public industry-wide consortium of the Royal Navy, Data Group: the Met Office, Ordnance Plymouth University and Fugro and fills a real Survey, Companies House and Land need for technical hydrographic survey Registry). The UK government believes training. The course will be featured in the data from these organisations and June issue of the Land Journal but RICS has others across the public sector has the made sure that it naturally connects to the potential to unlock growth for business AssocRICS hydrographic surveying route to across the UK. I’m sure this subject will RICS membership. The consortium is to be be covered in more depth in GIS congratulated on bringing this initiative to Professional market when it is most needed. For more on (www.gisprofessional.co.uk) but it’s Oceanology turn to page 28. important for RICS members to remain GEO-12 is featured elsewhere in GW (page aware of initiatives within open data 20) but it was wonderful to see this stalwart UK policy. RICS responded to the open geomatics conference and exhibition increase its data consultation in late 2011. profile and delegate numbers. RICS ran a short RICS was also delighted to see workshop on the forthcoming revision of the Geoplace: industry standard 1:500 surveys of land, http://www.geoplace.co.uk/geoplace/ The latest RICS research helps with building and utilities 1997 and many members welcome.htm, again a culmination of assessing glacial change in came forward to serve on an industry-wide many years work on UK addressing, Antarctica and is included in the working group. This new working group will move to a new HQ in Victoria central Royal Geographical Society’s Scott work in conjunction with the MAPP panel. The London. Centenary papers. initial plan is to build three new outputs focusing on the specification itself, best practice Research support and a separate document on digital deliverables. RICS recently released a number of new Any members who would like to become geomatics related research outputs. involved can contact me directly on Improving the accuracy of ASTER Elevation [email protected] Data for Glacial Change Assessment in Antarctica can be downloaded from: RICS Beijing ‘Fit for the future’ http://www.rics.org/site/scripts/download_info. 2011-12 RICS President See Lian Ong FRICS aspx?fileID=11596&categoryID=523 This fulfilled his promise to bring RICS Governing report is also included in the Royal Council to Asia when the main RICS member Geographical Society Scott centenary – an board was recently held in Beijing. RICS also enduring scientific legacy at: held its first major conference in China themed http://www.rgs.org/OurWork/Engaging+with+ ‘Fit for the Future’. The conference ran for wider+audiences/Scott+centenary.htm three days, attracted 100s of national and Tropospheric effects on GNSS positioning for international delegates and featured a broad airbourne applications range of high level speakers. RICS land and http://www.rics.org/site/scripts/download_info. This significant geomatics was heavily involved in a conference aspx?downloadID=8607 ‘‘step towards programme opened by the British ambassador Also and very importantly, RICS has worked to China. Teo Chee Hai FIG President spoke in a in conjunction with a UK survey industry extending access session on land tenure and was joined by Peter consortium of Leica, Trimble, Topcon, Ordnance to public sector Collis ex-Chief Registrar of UK Land Registry. Survey, University of Newcastle and The Survey information sees Prof Gethin Roberts (Ningbo campus Uni of Association on a second round of research into Nottingham), Joel Van Cranenbroeck (Leica the current UK GNSS RTK network survey a new Geosystems) and Ben Wallbank (Smart BIM capabilities. The extensive research was carried independently systems) also gave presentations. Full resources out by Dr Nigel Penna and a team of experts are available online @ from University of Newcastle during 2011 and chaired Data http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qcqE9c7iF 2012 and follows on from the 2007 RTK Strategy Board wk & www.rics.org research. The work was launched at Ordnance Survey in April and followed up by an evening that will advise UK Open Data and Transparency lecture at RICS on 17th May 2012. The full ministers on what On 19 March 2012 the UK Government research report and resulting RTK GNSS survey announced the publication of the Data guide can be sourced from the TSA website public sector data Strategy Board (DSB) and Public Data Group www.tsa-uk.org.uk. The short guide works well should be released. (PDG) terms of reference: in conjunction with the more in-depth industry http://www.bis.gov.uk/policies/growth/growth- standard RICS guidance use of GNSS in This data will review-implementation/releasing-reference- surveying and mapping 2nd ed GN 2010: initially be from data/data-strategy-board https://communities.rics.org/connect.ti/Wikigeo/ the four trading This significant step towards extending access groupHome to public sector information sees a new funds. . . independently chaired Data Strategy Board that [email protected] ’’
May / June 2012 Geomatics World 15 adjusting a shaken cadastre New Zealand Report – Earthquakes and the Cadastre , part 2: monitoring the magnitude of the deformation and repairing the cadastre
By Roy Dale
In the first part of oday, after any severe earthquake, currently well-illustrated in the aftermath of geomatics techniques are used for two, the Canterbury earthquakes where LINZ this article, Roy Tdistinct, purposes. The first, over a wide contracted out such re-observation of control Dale presented an area, is to monitor deformation and further surveys as soon as possible. The re-observation develop understanding of the long-term of horizontal control is needed as soon as historical overview pattern of tectonic movement. In the past, conditions permit for such essentials as of seismic activity monitoring was achieved with a combination defining property boundaries. Vertical control of precise levelling and triangulation. An also has to be re-observed, particularly on the in New Zealand. example of past monitoring practice is that flat Canterbury Plains, to ensure that the Here he examines undertaken by the (then) New Zealand region’s deformation monitoring capabilities Geological Survey and reported in a paper are not compromised, and that gravity- the impact on the entitled Geological setting of the 1987 dependent infrastructure such as sewerage cadastre of the Edgecumbe earthquake, New Zealand .1 Today, and potable water reticulation as well as a combination of GNSS and satellite radar irrigation races can be rebuilt. Canterbury observations is more likely to be used. An Directly following the first earthquake in earthquakes of example of this current method of monitoring September 2010, it was evident that fault 2010 and 2011. is that undertaken by GNS Science and dislocation and liquefaction (the forcing to the reported in a paper entitled Oblique slip on surface of a mixture of sandy soil and ground the Puysegur subduction interface in the 2009 water, which then acts as a liquid) had July Mw 7.8 Dusky Sound earthquake from compromised the survey control system in GPS and InSAR observations: implications for Canterbury. the tectonics of southwestern New Zealand. 2 Hundreds of thousands of points affected An urgent need A considerable number of vertical and Figure 1: Canterbury This part of the article focuses on the horizontal survey control marks in the wide earthquakes. Location of reinstatement of the horizontal and vertical area affected by the earthquakes were faults and earthquake survey control in an area deformed by an subjected to movement far in excess of their epicentres (Map – Copyright earthquake, to enable the cadastral and accuracy requirements. In a national project, GNS Science) levelling networks to be rebuilt. This is started in 1999 and completed in 2003, the historic boundary vectors of 70% of all land parcels in New Zealand, mostly those located in urban and peri-urban areas, along with their associated control marks, were captured and adjusted by least- squares in terms of the official geodetic datum (geocentric, semi- dynamic, NZGD2000). These adjustments generated survey- accurate coordinates, generally with a network (absolute) accuracy of 0.20m in urban areas and 0.50m in rural areas. Although the coordinates in themselves do not legally define property boundaries (New Zealand having a monument and observation based cadastre), they do provide an important component of the base layer in GIS applications. The number of coordinates needing to be updated after the Canterbury earthquakes has been estimated
16 Geomatics World May / June 2012 adjusting a shaken cadastre
Trace of the Greendale fault displacing a water canal. By courtesy of Richard Jongens, GNS Science.
to be at least several hundred thousand and, if These initial deformation and regional updates are required up to 200km from the control surveys used GNSS and were designed earthquake epicentre, could be up to two to rapidly assess the magnitude of the million. deformation. GNSS data collected during this Few examples of solutions, applicable to stage indicated a maximum displacement of New Zealand, to re-establish such a large 2m horizontally and 0.75m vertically 5. number of marks have been located Observation of a subset of the group of 80 internationally. 3 Previous research by LINZ in stations was repeated one month later by GNS 2004 established that, following the 1964 Science with LINZ field support; the size of The number of Anchorage, Alaska, and 1971 San Fernando, post-seismic displacements was smaller than ‘‘ California, earthquakes special legislation was anticipated. LINZ contractors resurveyed a coordinates enacted to deal with their effects. Where further 250 marks, mostly located in the urban needing to be relevant, principles similar to those contained area of Christchurch, in October 2010. Fewer in that legislation have been applied to the re- marks were resurveyed after the February and updated has been establishment of boundaries since the June 2011 aftershocks as their magnitude was estimated to be Canterbury earthquakes. less 6. Re-observation of marks inside the The absolute position of cadastral and central business district has been delayed until at least several geodetic marks was disturbed by the following badly damaged buildings have been repaired hundred seismic processes: or demolished. thousand. . . • Shearing of up to four metres in rural areas ’’ where a fault line passed through land Resurveys ordered parcels. Once it was realised that large amounts of • Extension, compression and distortion close post-seismic movement were not occurring, a to a fault line. contract was awarded for the resurvey of the • Block movements and rotations throughout 190 marks comprising the LINZ 1st-4th order the Canterbury area. networks in the affected area. 7 • Irregular deformation and surface flow In New Zealand, individual local councils (lateral spreading) due to liquefaction of typically operate their own levelling networks, subsoils. which are tied into the LINZ survey control • Landslips and rock falls in the hill suburbs. system. Christchurch City Council resurveyed about thirty of their benchmarks with GNSS to Initial investigations enable some 70km of sewer lines to be Within hours of the September 2010 repaired. earthquake, GNS Science staff started to In Canterbury, the most recent high- process data from a Continuously Operating accuracy pre-earthquake geodetic surveys had Reference Station (CORS) located 40km from been observed in the late 1990s as part of the the earthquake epicentre. Horizontal establishment of the semi-dynamic, movement of 15cm was evident at this station; geocentric, NZGD2000. LINZ requested private sufficient to suggest substantial impact on the survey companies to supply them with any survey control system 4. Following this suitable GNSS data that they might hold 8. On assessment, about 80 key control stations, the Canterbury Plains surrounding some of which had been monitored by GNS Christchurch, contracts were let for precise Science and Otago University for more than levelling traverses. A reconnaissance of the ten years, had high-accuracy coordinates, and existing LINZ National Height Network (which were suspected of being disturbed were re- runs along the main North-South highway) observed by GNS Science. found that approximately 40% of the
May / June 2012 Geomatics World 17 adjusting a shaken cadastre
benchmarks had either been destroyed or survey control system required new timelines. were in inaccessible locations. Some of the Two conflicting considerations required marks were located in live traffic lanes; traffic addressing. Firstly, that the survey control management issues would have made it system needs to be re-established as quickly as impractical to precise level along this main possible to support the recovery effort and highway for any significant distance. secondly that, to avoid any extensive Fortunately, a network of benchmarks repetition of surveys, control work should installed and precise levelled in the 1980s by continue only once the risk of substantial the now-privatised and fragmented Ministry of aftershocks has decreased. Works and Development were located on To address these concerns, LINZ and other roads with much lower traffic volumes. The agencies such as Christchurch City Council marks were usually located off the formed have agreed to take a two-phase approach to carriageway and more likely to have survived. the resurvey of the geodetic control network To speed up the task, the precise levelling was in Canterbury 11 . awarded to three geodetic contractors; half the marks were also observed by GNSS, Phase One – urgent re-establishment providing a horizontal fix on a significant This phase involves the resurvey of a subset of proportion of the marks as well as making key control marks in the wake of each relocation of them easier after future seismic substantial earthquake. Data from this events 9. This work started in January 2011, resurvey is used to model the deformation before the catastrophic aftershock of 22nd vectors produced by the earthquake and February. provides a basic control network for use in the Soon after the February event, LINZ staff recovery effort. After the 22nd February and collected GNSS data at a small number of 13th June earthquakes, LINZ resurveyed about geodetic marks located in Christchurch and 140 marks in Christchurch and the two its environs. GNS Science processed the data neighbouring towns of Kaiapoi and Lyttelton. concluding that the largest movement was 0.20m horizontally and 0.10m vertically at a Phase Two – complete re-establishment mark close to the fault just south of the city, In this phase, the control network would be though movements 4-5 times this size were re-established to a level comparable to that anticipated elsewhere in the city. The precise existing before the first earthquake in levelling contractors, all based in September 2010. GNSS will be extensively Christchurch, regrouped and prepared to used to restore geodetic control. Precise Horizontal (black vectors) and continue their tasks 10 . levelling will be observed to re-establish the vertical (blue vectors) displacements in Canterbury National Height Network. On completion of resulting from the Darfield New strategy as seismic activity continues this work, the digital cadastre can be updated. earthquake. By courtesy of However, it soon became apparent that the While the Canterbury terrain gradually Land Information NZ and GNS seismic activity in the affected area was not quietens, the demand for normal cadastral Science. abating and that the re-establishment of the sub-divisional surveys has increased significantly, as owners of properties prohibited from rebuilding on the same site, seek land less likely to suffer from future earthquakes. This is particularly true of properties in the eastern suburbs of Christchurch where a much higher proportion of houses lie beyond repair on land judged unstable. To make provision for the presence of significant distortions in the cadastre LINZ has prepared a set of rules for surveys in the earthquake zone. Guidelines for these rules have also been formulated 12 . The principles are very much the same as those used after the Edgecumbe earthquake of March 1987, although their application differs in that the Edgecumbe earthquake affected a rural area where larger rural lots were considered on a case-by-case basis. In the Canterbury earthquake, thousands of suburban lots have been affected.
18 Geomatics World May / June 2012 adjusting a shaken cadastre
With the much higher coordinate precision the world of geomatics, New Zealand involved, a significantly greater problem has to expertise has produced the innovative digital be addressed. cadastre element of LINZ’s Landonline. Demolition in Christchurch proceeds apace. Boundary distortion categories Many houses have been made uninhabitable, Boundaries have been classified into five many others need repair. Underpinning this categories: restoration must be the rebuilding of both the • Category One – boundaries unaffected by Vertical and Horizontal control networks. the earthquake. Much research has been made to achieve this. • Category Two – boundaries affected by All that is needed now is for the shaking to block shift with relatively uniform stop for the phoenix to arise. movement. • Category Three – boundaries affected by Acknowledgements deep-seated distortion, which has caused I would like to acknowledge the following for To make boundary points to move but has retained a assistance in the preparation of this article: Dr ‘p‘ rovision for the straight line between them. John Beavan, GNS Science, Lower Hutt, New • Category Four – boundaries affected by Zealand; Dick Brittan, Rangiora, New Zealand; presence of distortion or shearing along the fault line. John Thompson, Opus International significant • Category Five – boundaries in areas of Consultants Ltd, Alexandra, New Zealand. localised surface layer movement due to distortions in the liquefaction of soils or landslip. Movement References: cadastre LINZ has may include block shift. 1. I.A.Nairn and S. Beanland, New Zealand Journal prepared a set of of Geology and Geophysics, 1989, Vol. 32:1-1. In Category Two, all the area being surveyed rules for surveys has moved more or less homogeneously. 2. J. Beavan et al., Geophysical Journal in the earthquake Relative distances may be much the same but International, 2010, 183(3): 1265-1286; doi: there may be rotation in the bearings. 10.1111/j.1365-246X.2010.04798.x zone. Coordinates, when readjustment eventually ’’ takes place, will most likely differ – but then the 3. Mark Smith, Mack Thompson, and Don Grant. cadastre doesn’t depend on them, although the “Re-establishment of cadastral boundaries base layer of a GIS does, as noted earlier. For following the 2010-2011 Canterbury earthquakes, September 2010 to June 2011”, Proceedings of Category Three and Four boundaries the usual the Surveying & Spatial Sciences Biennial principles of maintaining the relationship Conference, 21-25 November 2011, Wellington, between boundary and control marks is New Zealand, p10, Table 1. modified by an established set of tolerances determined on whether the survey is an urban 4. Nic Donnelly, John Ritchie and Matt Amos, “Re- survey or a rural survey of lesser precision. For establishment of the New Zealand Control System Category Five boundaries – the most complex Following the 2010 Darfield (Canterbury) case, LINZ advises that the surveyor should Earthquake”. Paper TS05D in Proceedings of FIG make every effort to restore the relative position Working Week 2011, Bridging the Gap between of boundary monuments and their relationship Cultures, Marrakech, Morocco, 18-22 May 2011.s2, p3. with local control. However, it admits that the removal of large swathes of marks together 5. Nic Donnelly, John Ritchie and Matt Amos, with new layouts may dictate that this Summary, p1 and p3. requirement would be impossible to fulfil. Once seismic activity has abated, updating 6. Mark Smith, Mack Thompson, and Don Grant and re-adjustment of the spatial cadastre can p10 s4.2.2 commence. Bearing in mind that up to two million marks may need correction, LINZ’s 7. Nic Donnelly, John Ritchie and Matt Amos, p6, strategy is to use an earthquake model s4.1 developed by GNS Science and modified by 8. Nic Donnelly, John Ritchie and Matt Amos, p5, LINZ for the Canterbury situation. It is s2.6 envisaged that most mark coordinates would be modified by this technique. In areas where 9. Nic Donnelly, John Ritchie and Matt Amos, p8, s4.2 deformation was non-uniform (such as areas affected by liquefaction) a full least-squares 10. Nic Donnelly, John Ritchie and Matt Amos, p10, About the author adjustment would be carried out. s5 Roy Dale joined the Ordnance Survey in 1966, Strength through Adversity 11. Landwrap July 2011, issue 79 accessed via: enlisting in the TA Survey New Zealand has long been regarded as a http://www.landonline.govt.nz/about- Squadron in 1971. A landonline/newsletter/landwrap/201107/esurvey#57 land that thrives on challenge, born of a surveyor for the New 24 on 16 January 2012. pioneering spirit that has produced a ‘can-do’ Zealand Ministry of Works attitude. The Canterbury earthquakes, 12. Guideline for Rules for Cadastral Survey from 1973-1998, he then generated by previously-unknown faults, (Canterbury Earthquake) 2010 | LINZG65702 formed Anglia Surveys Ltd. certainly came out of left field causing, in the Version date | v1.1: 9 May 2011 Office of the Roy was elected MRICS in short-term, death and massive destruction. In Surveyor-General | Land Information New Zealand. 1987.
May / June 2012 Geomatics World 19 GEO-Event
Seminars mark busy GEO-12
by Richard Groom and Hayley Tear
f GEO-12 is a measure of the geospatial best quality imagery over Port au Prince, clearly industry, then the future is looking brighter! showing surface details and people, and was IEvery exhibition stand was taken; there were chosen for its easy flight planning and ability to no vacant seats at the gala dinner and, over launch in seconds. She explained that safety the two days over 500 people came through was also important to the UN due to their the doors of the Holiday Inn Elstree. And as in public reputation - the SwingletCAM is only previous years, there were two full days of 500g, has a 10m/s cruise speed and is made invariably standing-room-only seminars. from flexible foam. The UAV is also used by the Agriculture & Rural Development Agency in The annual GEO Out of the box and into the air Northern Ireland for forest fire analysis, With growing applications for mapping in providing quick delivery of results data and the Event took place support of infrastructure projects, as well as ability to use the imagery afterwards in an last month at the being a vital tool in conflict regions, historical archive. unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) were given After a lunch break, we heard from Peter Holiday Inn Elstree. their own seminar slot to look at how this Taylor of Spheron, a regular exhibitor at the With two days of technology has flown centre recently. GEO events for several years. His 360° high Delegates heard from Maarten Vandenbroucke dynamic range spherical camera has attracted packed seminars of Gatewing, who offer the rapid mapping much attention from many sectors - Richard Groom X100 fully autonomous aircraft. Founded in particularly forensics. The camera now 2008, the company has a worldwide dealership incorporates GPS to facilitate georeferencing and Hayley Tear and offer certified training of their system to of images and Spheron's Sceneworks were on hand to clients. Vandenbroucke highlighted the Framework Server software aids collaboration record proceedings. advantages of UAVs, arguing that they are very between colleagues in dispersed teams. economic for mapping small to medium-sized areas, ideal for areas that are inaccessible by A geographer's view on BIM foot and offer a faster turnaround than satellite The first day also featured a marathon session imagery. The company fly an inexpensive digital on BIM. We thought the abbreviation meant camera that still gives clear results - offers 5cm Building Information Modelling but we were resolution at the default flight altitude of 150m steered away from 'modelling' and towards with an average coverage per flight of 1.5 sq km. 'management'. Modelling is too restrictive for Andrea Hildebrand from SenseFly showed a concept that encompasses the whole life of their fully autonomous UAV, the SwingletCAM, an infrastructure. Each speaker made which is sold through KOREC in the UK. She interesting points on BIM and the explained that their UAV is very similar to opportunities it offers but Dr Anne Kemp is a Gatewing's and so she concentrated on its use geographer by profession, a director of Atkins in conflict areas. The SwingletCAM was the first consultants, and so provided a geospatial Below: standing room only operational deployment of a UAV by the United viewpoint. She makes the point, obvious to for many of the seminars Nations in February 2012 to support earthquake those working in our industry, that BIM is including that for BIM. recovery projects in Haiti. The UAV provided the based upon spatial components. When you speak to others, they think of BIM in terms of their specialisms. But the spatial component is still the glue that holds BIM together. The AGI has recognised the GI qualities of BIM and have set up a special interest group.
Managing change The following morning, Erik Schuetz, Penmap, spoke on new methods in data collection and cloud services. How can we advance data collection? He argued that many people look to advances in hardware. But while much has been achieved in that field, he believes that to go further we need to look at work processes in the field - with software, IT and the advance into the cloud. He demonstrated a different approach with Penmap's office software made with the field worker in mind.
20 Geomatics World May / June 2012 GEO-Event
What not to do with maps! 'Why include "Map of…" titles?! It's obvious it's a map!' - this was one of many wry observations from Mary Spence, MBE and a past president of the British Cartographic Right: stands were busy Society, who offered delegates advice on how especially on the first day to get the best out of their maps. Another but in the words of irritant in map design is design over function - several exhibitors 'quality some maps look beautiful but 'are kind of was up' on the quieter useless'. Spence stressed the need for second day. consistency of layout and a balance of map Photo courtesy of Leica Geosystems. elements - 'you don't have to fill every space'. Other points raised included keeping the N point as a simple symbol if required, don't overcrowd your map with data - judge the scale and appropriate amount, don't forget to consider colour deficiency sighted people when designing, and use appropriate type - 'this can make or break a map'. Left: 3D Laser GeoVisionary & the BGS Mapping's Julian Trick, British Geological Society, argues StreetMapper system that there is a serious need for geoscience was on hand in the data - it underpins our economy, for example hotel car park. in land use, energy, water supply, tourism etc. And the basis for land use assessment is that can often be forgotten. Companies need quality survey. So what's the problem? Less to go from being 'geo-centric to geo-enabled' funding but still the need to collect data, - from focus on geospatial technology and including on a national scale, he answered. tools to embedding geospatial information into The BGS has digitised data but there was your actual business processes - think spatially. still the need for more efficiency. He explained that many softwares collapse under the sheer Crowdsourcing for hydrographic mapping amount of BGS' data. So Virtalis created In a session with a hydrographic flavour, Tim GeoVisionary - an immersive, multi-scaled, Thornton, Team Survey (www.teamsurv.eu), virtual environment that combines imagery, 3D talked about an initiative to crowd-source geological models, GIS layers etc. The bathymetry from echo sounders on private developers had to work to a number of user vessels. We think of crowd-sourcing as a requirements including that any solution must modern invention but he quoted an advert in add value to fieldwork and be usable on the The Times of 1879 inviting readers to send in desktop. BGS has found GeoVisionary to be a interesting uses of English phrases as a rather good tool for communication and discussion. earlier example. The principle is similar to that Benefits include: survey efficiency gains over of Open Street Map, with many private vessels pen and paper; people can get-together and equipped with echo sounders and GPS. His look over data together; it is linked by a company provides a box that can collect this custom toolbar in ArcGIS; and has the ability data, which is then transmitted to TeamSurv to communicate better with public, and then added (ingested) into the database. stakeholders etc - 3D is much clearer for The company keeps an eye on the quality of people without geological knowledge. data by comparing it with other data so that they can detect outliers. They have received Geo-enabling asset management interest from publishers as well as harbour Steven Eglinton, MD at GeoEnable, argued that authorities and others who are interested in the GIS components of an enterprise using the data to monitor non-critical areas. information management system are now often just part of business-wide processes and Update from the Environment Agency Companies need that GIS professionals should consider A presentation on the Environment Agency's ‘‘to go from being customer requirements before technical updated format for river channel survey data aspects. Eglinton previously worked as GIS (EACSD) heard Rob Berry from Halcrow 'geo-centric to manager at Tubelines, the asset management describe the new format, which is intended to geo-enabled' - company selected by UK government to enable flood modellers to import data about regenerate several London Underground lines. river structures, such as bridges and weirs, . . . embedding The contract was performance-based and directly into their modelling software. The geospatial involved 207 miles of track, 251 trains, 100 format also records information about information into. . . stations. He explained that GIS was vital for vegetation and bed material, so that channel effective decision-making and improved roughness can be calculated automatically. actual business communication. His message to delegates was The format will be published on 1 April along processes. . . that "geospatial" encompasses many tools with the latest version of the EA specifications. ’’
May / June 2012 Geomatics World 21 Boundary surveys Retracing a 6” Townland boundary using the original survey field books
by Kieran O’Shea
Can reference to the ny surveyor who has been involved in a fit modern grids in the hope that light will be boundary dispute quickly realises the shed on their inquires. But more often than not original mapping Alimitations of the maps attached to the light dims or a thick fog descends. made more than a property folios when trying to establish the Ordinarily a boundary dispute arises where ‘legal line’ on the ground. Either they do not there is uncertainty about the exact location century ago improve scale uniformly or they just don’t match what of the boundary, e.g. on which side of a ditch boundary accuracies is on the ground. This is particularly so when does the boundary lie etc. Although different dealing with the 25” (1:2,500) and 6” features are represented on OS maps as a and perhaps help (1:10,560) mapping but is sometimes single line, some of these features are two or resolve a boundary experienced with maps of more recent three metres wide. creation and at larger scales. The issue of whether or not Ordnance dispute? Kieran It must be stressed that the accuracy of the Survey maps show private boundaries is a O’Shea presents a maps is not in question here as such, but topic for another discussion. The fact (or rather their suitability for purpose. The legacy) is that the old 6” and 25” maps reside novel method of accuracy of drawn maps (or drawn maps that in the conveyance instruments and are usually tracing boundaries have been digitised) is limited by their plot the first item to be scrutinized when there is a using the original scale. A 0.2mm wide line on a 6” map is boundary issue. equivalent to 2.1m on the ground. However, it The best estimate of the accuracy of these survey records is normal practice for the survey observations maps is some combination of the accuracy to behind the 19th behind the mapping to be made to a higher which they were plotted, the accuracy to accuracy. It was therefore decided to which one can scale off and the distortion of century Irish 6” investigate if it is possible to ‘drill down’ the paper. In practice this is probably about 4- mapping. further into these maps to extract the 5m for 6” maps and 1-2m for 25” maps. maximum accuracy from the surveyed detail. The original Irish Ordnance Survey (OS) maps OS 6” Survey: a technical triumph were surveyed by chain survey on a parish The original 6” Survey was a technical, triangulation framework. The purpose of this logistical and scientific triumph. The article is to investigate the accuracy and foundations for this survey had been laid precision of these original surveys and whether down over a number of years in England, or not this ‘lost’ precision could be retrieved. Wales and Scotland but in 1825 Thomas Colby was given a blank canvas that was Ireland. It Fig 1 Fair Drawing of Working with old maps took twenty years to map the entire country Ferrybank, Arklow, Co Most surveyors today have had some experience parish by parish and plot the maps on a Wicklow. of scanning, rotating and stretching old maps to county basis (See Fig1). This 6” Townland Survey, as it was called, and the subsequent 25” survey, conducted around the turn of the century, became the de-facto maps attached to most land transfers in Ireland. Although more folio maps are based on the 25” mapping rather than the older 6” mapping, it was decided to investigate the original 6” field surveys for two reasons. Firstly, the 6” survey was the basis for the later 25” survey and secondly it can be argued that of the two, the 6” Survey was the only proper cadastral survey.
6” Townland boundaries The first element of the 6” Townland Survey was for the valuation office boundary surveyor to take to the field with existing maps of the day and to contact all relevant land owners. A local man was assigned as meresman and both he and the boundary surveyor liaised with all owners and met with
22 Geomatics World May / June 2012 Boundary surveys them to mark out the agreed private boundaries that lay along the Townland boundary. The boundary surveyor mapped in these pegged boundaries noting the mereings (the exact line of the boundary on the field feature) and forwarded this signed map to the ordnance surveyor in charge of that district. The ordnance surveyor perambulated and recorded the boundaries with the meresman to ensure the correct boundary was identified. The townland boundaries were surveyed in separate field books and mapped to a higher Fig 2: Chain accuracy than all other detail, such as roads Survey Field and buildings (See Fig 2). Book.
Where to begin? Boundary retracement is a term more associated with countries that have a cadastral registration system, which is mathematically defined, rather than our map-based system. It must be said that the Property Registration Authority (PRA) in Ireland emphasises that its mapping is an index to registered titles rather than a cadastral map that defines boundaries. But the same map is used to ‘describe’ a parcel of land in a sale and is understood by parties to a land transfer as fully describing the extents of that land. Thus in the event of stations were established in each parish and a dispute between neighbours, the map often these provided the ‘distance’ needed to scale or becomes the primary focus. compute the local parish triangulation (See Fig A retracement of the original survey 3). This parish triangulation provided the ‘Trig’l involves examining the nuts and bolts of that distance’ needed by each division to commence survey down to its fundamental parts. This their chain survey, as without this they could basically involves re-plotting the original survey not close (check) their main chain lines. from the parish triangulation as this will more Parish triangle sides typically measured circa fully identify the positions of the original 2-3km depending on local terrain. The surveyed features. The legal position of such theodolite was set up over each station and an exercise will not be explored here. three rounds were observed to surrounding stations (which were marked by piles and 6” Parish triangulation poles) and also to reference objects such as Before we can re-trace a survey we must have lighthouses, chimneys or spires (See Fig 4). an understanding of how that survey was The parish triangulation plan shows the performed. The detail of the 6” survey was reduced / adjusted distances for each triangle in surveyed and plotted on a parish triangulation feet or links. The spread of the angular Below: far left, Fig 3, Parish framework, which was established using a 7” observations was usually large, probably owing triangulation plan with or 8” theodolite from a number of main to circle eccentricities but the precision and ‘distances’. stations established from the secondary accuracy of the parish networks appears to be Below: Fig 4, Parish triangulation. Typically two main triangulation high and possibly at the 0.1m level where all Observation Book.
May / June 2012 Geomatics World 23 Boundary surveys
three angles of a triangle were measured. At surveyor’s arrows was used to carry out the the periphery of the Parish Triangulation chain survey. The first job was to peg out the Networks there were weaknesses. main triangle lines with a theodolite and record the vertical angles at changes of slope for the The 2011 Survey (Resections) reduction of the chained lengths to the The field retracement started with these parish horizontal. Next, the line was chained on the observations, but rather than climbing up slope and closed at the end ‘trig l stn’. The some rough terrain with a theodolite, it was chained distances were reduced to the decided that it was easier to coordinate (on horizontal and adjusted in the horizontal the new ITM Grid) the reference objects levelling books. These distances were usually booked during the parish theodolite written into the field books before plotting. The observations. This way we would not have to misclosure of these lines was often in the 5-7m worry about obstructions on the lines. Two range but where the main chain line had a lighthouses, a church belfry, a church tower small vertical difference they would sometimes and an old castle tower later and there were close to as little as 0.5m. enough reference points to locate the three The main triangle was then sub-divided into stations (R-Q-K in Fig 5) forming the main a series of smaller (minor) chain triangles that triangle, using a weighted resection. StarNet were fitted around the townland boundaries was used for this and each station was (See Fig 5). The boundary detail was surveyed computed independently except for the last from these chain lines using offsets and station, which included rays to the two recorded in the content field books. It is not stations computed previously. exactly clear how these minor lines were set The advantage of using rounds of angles is out, but it must be assumed that the 5” that they are independent of scale and grid. Theodolite was used for this purpose. The actual scale conversion was not critical as it was the original station positions computed Plotting the original 6” field books from these original angles that were of The main chain (triangle) lines (R-K & R-Q) interest, i.e. we wanted to establish where the were plotted in CAD onto the resected station 8” theodolite was centred in 1838. The main network and all intermediate stations along chain lines were set out from these stations. these lines forming the minor chain When the parish triangulation distances triangulation were also plotted. This case were compared to the resected distances we study was focused on one townland boundary found that there was typically a 1:2000 scale along an old stone wall. The chain line difference, circa 1m per side. A combined running parallel to this feature was a minor scale factor to convert between the ITM Grid chain line (q-p-o) running between two main and the local 6” Triangulation (Ft.) was chain lines for approximately 700m. Before we calculated in order to plot the 6” Survey detail could plot the original 6” field book detail, it over the 2011 GPS survey. was necessary to determine the accuracy of To get some idea of the precision of the the adjusted chainage positions of ‘q’ and ‘p’ three resected stations, an independent point and ‘o’. The distributed chaining error along Fig 5: Chain triangulation (Water Guards Signal Pole), which was the main chain line was 7m or 1:350. diagram. recorded in the original parish observation book was plotted Limitations of the accuracy of chaining in CAD. The error To check the effectiveness of chaining over triangle formed by such long distances, a number of well defined these three intermediate points were surveyed using GPS. original angle These were features, still present today, that observations were bisected by the main chain line (R-K), i.e. (intersection) as on zero offset as recorded in the field books. plotted from the At the lower end of one of our main chain new resected lines there were a number of farm outhouses positions that we surveyed as checks. The GPS distance measured less to this feature as compared to the adjusted 6” than 0.1m. This chainage agreed to 1m, which was fairly indicated a high good. But moving closer to the middle of the degree of main chain line, a check on a wall showed a precision both in miss of circa 3m with a similar miss on the the original main line (R-Q) of circa 2.3m. These checks observations and indicated a random or non-linear aspect to the in our resected chaining errors. positions. So the proportional distribution of substantial errors in the chaining, particularly The 1837 chain along long lines of uneven terrain, would triangulation appear to have been of questionable A 66’ chain with effectiveness and limits the usefulness of 100 links and establishing the parish triangulation stations
24 Geomatics World May / June 2012 Boundary surveys and main triangle using resections. It was also likely that this weakness in the chaining over lines up to two miles long was known and contributed to the view that the 6” field books could not be accurately plotted at the 25” scale, although they were used in two counties. The accuracy of the minor chain lines of the internal survey would be even more compromised. It is not known if or how these chaining difficulties were dealt with in the 25” Survey. Fig 6: Comparing the 6” survey of a wall with its position as measured Localised fit of the 6” chain line using GPS (indicative diagram). Because of the weaknesses identified in chaining over long distances it was decided to locally fit the 6” chain line survey to the hard on the centre of to our GPS surveyed position. detail on our GPS survey. This involved These findings highlight the main potential accurately surveying features such as walls, of the old 6” survey field books in that the well defined banks etc, which crossed the plotting of a chain line will more accurately chain line concerned. The CAD plot of the indicate the distance between features over chain line (q-p-o) was re-positioned onto these which it crosses than distances scaled off the well defined GPS surveyed features using two 6” maps. Whereas any detail plotted from the points 600m apart. field book with offset greater than 10 links In order to verify the validity and accuracy was found to be of poor accuracy in this case This case study of this ‘fixing’ procedure it was necessary to study area. ‘‘ check a number of intermediate points / has shown that features which were also close to or bisected Conclusion there is another by the same chain line. The results of three Although the retracement has identified some check positions along the line were favourable pitfalls there is much to be gained by re- dimension with agreement typically of less than 0.3m. plotting the original 6” field books in order to available to These checks suggested that the 1838 open up a level of accuracy that is not surveyors to help minor chain line (q-p-o) location was re- obtainable by reviewing the maps alone. established to an accuracy of circa 0.2m, but This case study has shown that there is in solving issues when the offsets to the boundary feature another dimension available to surveyors to caused by unclear were plotted, there was poor agreement with help in solving issues caused by unclear the actual positions surveyed by GPS in the mapping. It is up to surveyors to grasp the mapping. order of 1-2m too short (See Fig 6). thorny issue of poor legal maps and develop ’’ Something was not adding up. accepted solutions that it is hoped will be part A second project area 200m to the south of a mediation remedy in such cases. was investigated. In this area the same chain When completed, the OS 6” maps provided line ran on the opposite side of the boundary Ireland with the most comprehensive mapping feature. If the chain line was mis-positioned, coverage of any country. It is a testament to the content field book offsets would plot too the skill, ingenuity and perseverance of the long. But once again the offsets to the feature ordnance surveyors of this era that their plotted short. surveys more than hold their own against Clearly there was some breakdown between some current day mapping. the chain line and the boundary feature being All the remaining Irish 6” OS survey records measured, but it must be remembered that they are lodged at the National Archives, Bishop were surveying for a scale of 1:10560. Street, Dublin. There is also a wealth of books, In this particular retracement the objective registers and plans pertaining to the 19th was to investigate the feasibility of improving Century OS maps and surveys in the British upon the accuracy limitations of scaling from and Irish libraries and Archives and every the 6” and in particular the 25” maps. One surveyor should visit them at least once. important observation made during this study When the parish field books are held up was that where the chain line passes over or and shaken, you will find that the sheets are very close to a feature, it was surveyed more tightly glued together. accurately. Reviewing the 6” field books showed a Acknowledgements About the author minor chain line (28) perpendicular to the Images of OS Material reproduced courtesy of Kieran O’Shea graduated from chain line (q-p) and bisecting the feature that the National Archives of Ireland (NAI) and The Bolton Street , Dublin in Geo was the focus of our investigation. It was Director of the NAI Surveying and is also a decided to plot this line which crossed the OS/105A/191(Fair drawing) licensed surveyor in the state boundary wall of interest, 31 links from an OS/104A/191(Parish Triangulation Plan of New Jersey. He runs a small intersection with our minor chain line (q-p). OS/58A/191(Content Field Book) land surveying business in Co The results were good with the 6” recorded OS/43/162 (Parish Obs Book) Wicklow and can be reached position of the wall in question plotting right OL/3.5471(Boundary Survey) at [email protected]
May / June 2012 Geomatics World 25 Down under currents
Snap visit for first showing is tinged with sadness By John Brock
Our columnist y snap visit to the UK was sadly tinged 1300 by Richard de Bello (of Holdingham). with the shock passing of one of the After gazing upon this legendary old map of made a brief visit Mgreats, Professor Michael Cooper, who the world my exhilaration was complete, to UK in March, died two days after my arrival. I first heard of certainly providing me with a more first-hand this while having lunch with our editor and experience that I can share with those who partially for family Undercurrents columnist Malcolm Draper at the come to Rome. Eleven other presentations business but also Michelle Roux restaurant right next door to RICS from world-renowned historians fulfill a HQ. Mike was not only one of the foremost memorable day to be dedicated to the to present his authorities on ancient surveying history, he was memory of Michael Cooper. latest version of a truly colourful character of the profession and a most thoroughly wonderful human being. My My first GEO Event surveyors at the sincerest condolences to his family, friends and When our editor Stephen asked me to extend movies. Those who colleagues. my UK visit by a couple of days to enable me to provide some after-dinner entertainment to attended saw a The Hereford Mappa Mundi and FIG Rome the full house at the Holiday Inn Elstree Gala rare treat. My youngest daughter Alexandria, who is Dinner for the GEO-12 event I was happy to currently living in London, took me to the oblige. My presentation of “Hollywood Movies really quaint town of Shrewsbury from where Spectacular” included a showing, for the first we travelled to Hereford to visit the Norman time in the world, of my most recent cathedral within which hangs the marvellous production: “A Bonanza of Superstar TV medieval Mappa Mundi. As I am presenting a Surveyors”. paper based on this superb artifact at the The presentation showcases extracts from upcoming FIG History Workshop in Rome on 4 15 television shows that feature surveying. May I felt compelled to view the source of my Main characters “doing surveying” included motivation, which was painted around 1290- Peter Graves in Mission: Impossible (1969), Bob Crane as Col. Hogan in Hogan’s Heroes (1966), Right: Brocky with Principal Skinner in The Simpsons, Danny daughter Bonaduce in Married With Children, Jennifer Alexandria on a Garner in Alias, Dylan Bruno in Numb3rs (2009) visit to Hereford and even Vic Morrow and Ronald Reagan in Cathedral to view Death Valley Days. Surveyors are bashed up the great Mappa with their tripod in The Sopranos; are the Mundi. villains in the plot of Kung Fu (1972) and Bonanza (1959) while aliens seem to include them on their kill lists in The X-Files and Stargate SG1. In Green Acres the surveyor bamboozles farm owner Oliver Douglas (Eddie Albert) and the pick of the TV episodes coming in MacGyver where Mac makes a “theodolite” from two straight branches, a pair of earrings and the compulsory gaffer tape! The majority of the capacity crowd who stayed to the end were obviously appreciative surveyors but those who left early will probably still be looking for Brad Pitt or George Clooney • John Brock is a playing the part with a 3D laser scanner in any Registered movie! That’s alright, we all know that Surveyor in Hollywood directors want rugged outdoor types Australia and is a exactly like surveyors as heroes for their films! stalwart of FIG By the same token I did greatly appreciate the and its Permanent hospitality of all of those who made me feel Institution for the most welcome so far from my home especially Art and History of the staff of PV Publications and Stephen’s son Surveying. Nick and his partner Wendy.
26 Geomatics World May / June 2012 Mapping
Observations of a Map Addict
by Richard Groom
n London, outbreaks of bad temper are without a one inch map. Most map cover common between drivers competing for images were dominated by single males, but Iroad space, using mobile phones and one showed a (mildly erotic) scene of a cyclists crashing red lights. My journey by (heterosexual) couple walking away from the bike to the annual GeoForum lecture at RICS viewer down a country trail. He remarked It was with a sense hq introduced me to a new phenomenon – wryly that in reality it would have been rather of dread that cyclists against cyclists. The heinous crime more realistic for the woman to be forty was for one cyclist (not me) to wait at a paces behind the man and staring at the Richard Groom crossing in a lane allocated for cyclists going back of his head. approached the in the opposite direction. The expletives from Post-war covers were stark by comparison a cyclist momentarily delayed by the blockage and, Parker suggested, reflected the question posed by were way beyond those necessary and left architecture of the late 1950s and 1960s with this year’s GeoForum the offender stunned. Are Londoners its rejection of a past, extinguished by two becoming angrier in their increasing world wars. lecturer: “What do economic stress? maps tells us about Protecting the brand How did you miss it? Despite this affectionate nostalgia, OS national character?” The speaker was Mike Parker, author of Map mapping has had its down sides. Worthiness Addict (GW July/August Editorial 2010). If you can lead to pomposity, epitomised by OS’s wondered how you missed it, the reason could famous legal battle with the Automobile be that the RICS has banned their staff from Association. He was disappointed that the sending out reminder emails to the members. case never went to court because the evidence Apparently the system gets unacceptably pointing to copyright infringement would have clogged up. made a gripping yarn. The next forty-five minutes were devoted to Whilst it is probably unfair to classify the Parker’s evocation of the feelings generated by AA case as motivated by pomposity, the OS maps. For most of us it would be a challenge response to the front cover of a book, “The to fill just a minute, but he completed the task Hills are Stuffed with Swedish Girls”, by admirably and achieved his well-deserved Richard Happer must surely fit into that applause for not hesitating or deviating too category. It looked not dissimilar to the front far from the subject. cover of a 1:50,000 scale map but featured a scene showing a pair of buttocks moulded The nation’s cartographic soul into a countryside view. Did that really, really OS is the cartographic soul of the nation, devalue the OS brand? Parker declared. The map maker produces works that are thorough, dependable and They knew all along! worthy and does it with a modest flair. We are He mentioned the British national security proud of the scientific endeavour that goes obsession that, for example, caused a blank into map making and the privations of the space that should have been filled with the surveyor sitting on a hilltop for weeks waiting giant golf balls of the defence early warning . . . not dissimilar for a clear view of distant trigs. Romantic? Yes system at Fylingdales in Yorkshire, which ‘‘to the front cover indeed. This was an exploration of the dominate the skyline for miles. It is only romance of map making, which was after all, recently that such absurdities have been of a 1:50,000 probably the reason for most of us entering ditched. Parker highlighted this by showing scale map but the profession. Russian maps of Britain from the cold war featured. . . a pair period that depicted all the banned All our Yesterdays installations. Who were we kidding? of buttocks This was really a trip down memory lane to a Sometimes we need to get away from the moulded into a time when the British were thorough, day-to-day grind and enjoy the journey. This dependable, worthy etc. Indeed, Parker ‘sold-out’ lecture filled the bill. My evening countryside view. suggested that nostalgia is itself a British was only marred by the journey home. Yet Did that really, characteristic. He spoke of OS map covers by another angry cyclist expressing his feelings, the artist Ellis Martin from the first half of this time about my having marginally crossed really devalue the the twentieth century that in their subtlety the invisible line running down the centre of OS brand? suggest that ramblers, hikers, cyclists, the cycle path through Hyde Park. He got an ’’ motorists and tourists should not leave home earful in return.
May / June 2012 Geomatics World 27 Hydrography
From Blue Oceans to IMUs: a week of hydrography
Richard Groom n the week before GEO-12, hydrographic become the sales force. R2Sonic is also a small surveyors once again converged on the Excel company, which can cut the bureaucracy that reports from ICentre in Docklands for the biennial so often stifles large organisations. They have R2Sonic's Oceanology exhibition and conference. The no marketing department, although clearly event was even bigger than it was two years some marketing expertise went into Technology Forum, ago, and very nearly filled the entire hall. organising the technology forum! A walk followed by a visit There were also vessels at the quayside to take around Oceanology certainly revealed many clients out to see the equipment in action. organisations that clearly do have marketing to the coinciding This is a truly international gathering that departments. R2Sonic were there too, but Oceanology 2012 also hosts a number of other meetings over the without the glitz of other stands. three days. This year multibeam echosounder Amongst the technical speakers at R2Sonic’s marine exhibition. manufacturer, R2Sonic used the Monday of event was Andy Wilby from Raytheon who Oceanology week to hold their second spoke about combining interferometric swathe, Technology Forum at a smart hotel just off used to survey to the flanks of a swathe, with Trafalgar Square. This was a full day of talks, Multibeam Echosounding (MBES) to survey the mainly from the company’s customers, which gap between them. He used this system to was well worth taking time out to attend. survey a pipeline route from a gas platform 200 miles off the shore of NW Australia to the Blue and Red Oceans coast. He was able to adjust the frequency of The day started with a presentation by his R2Sonic 2024 system so that there was no R2Sonic’s CEO, Jens Steenstrup, who interference with the interferometric system. By introduced us to the concept of ‘blue oceans’ analysing data in the 50m overlap zones and ‘red oceans’. The term ‘Oceans’ was a bit between the two datasets he was able to of a red herring, as the talk was not so much conclude that it is possible to fuse these data about hydrography as about R2Sonic’s types successfully. business strategy (blue ocean) in comparison with, according to Steenstrup, the strategy of Monitoring diamond mining his competitors (red ocean). De Beers must be one of the largest global With the blue ocean strategy, the company diamond mining concerns. They now mine aims to make competition irrelevant by under the sea off the coast of Namibia and Paul creating an uncontested market place by Nicholson from De Beers Marine spoke about adding value to its products and widening the this unusual application. The diamond-bearing Oceanology is held at market. The alternative is the red ocean where strata are close to the surface, so they bore 7m London’s Excel venue which companies compete in the existing space, aim diameter vertical holes in the seabed in order to has direct dockside access to beat the competition and seek to address extract the diamonds. It is important to avoid too so visitors can see many the need of the existing demand. Steenstrup under- or over-excavation, so they use MBES to systems in a live says that his company aims to make products monitor each hole. They attach a boom on the environment. that sell themselves, so that the customers drill pipe above the boring machine and, by rotating the boom, can produce circular multibeam data around the drill. By sending the data up an ethernet cable to the surface vessel, they are able to monitor progress in near real time. The system can also be used to monitor occasions when the drill jumps out of its hole (drill wandering) – a phenomenon not unfamiliar to home DIY drillers! John Peacock from DOF Subsea gave an entertaining talk about using MBES for pipeline inspection in the North Sea. The product required was 10cm resolution data within 10m of the pipeline. This demands use of an ROV packed with instrumentation at a low ‘flying height’ above the pipeline. Their
28 Geomatics World May / June 2012 Hydrography first attempt at putting the equipment together resulted in interference but by adjusting the frequency of the R2Sonic multibeam, they were able to resolve that problem. For calibration, DOF Subsea have the benefit of a WWII sunken submarine which The adjacent they scanned with six swaths at the same dockside resolution. provided an ideal location to IHO Special Order demonstrate a Mike Brissette from Mosaic Hydro took the IHO remote Special Order specification to task. He asserts controlled that it concentrates on vertical accuracy survey boat. without paying sufficient attention to the horizontal. A land surveyor would look at this problem by comparing the accuracy required with the scale at which the error would be ‘plottable’. The IHO spec requires 2m plan accuracy, which would mean 1:10,000 plot scale. Brissette viewed the problem from a emergency – like a major oil spill. different angle by comparing the beam footprint with positioning precision. Thus, we Acoustic path modelling might have a beam footprint of 0.17m in 20m Although the conference programme had of water compared with positioning precision looked rather thin a few weeks before the of 1.5m for DGPS, down to 0.1m for RTK. show, there turned out to be two full streams of Clearly, on this basis, you need high-precision presentations on each day of the conference. positioning in shallow water. Valentian Zeiger from the University of Kiel spoke on “Model-Based Positioning”. Most acoustic Scour surveys positioning systems assume that the sound We then ventured into the world of OWECS – follows a straight line path. Zeiger has been Offshore Wind Energy Conversion Stations – or researching the possibility of modelling the path Wind Farms to you and me! Soeren Themann of acoustic signals through water. The subject is from Embient spoke about a task to measure important for single-beam echo-sounding but is scour around the turbines, constructed in 40m even more critical when considering the slanting of water in the German North Sea. The beams in an multibeam system. requirement is to observe monitoring surveys every six months. The turbines are mounted on IMUs tripod structures that suffer primary scour, Finn Otto Sanne from Kongsberg Seatex AS is around each foundation and secondary scour, interested in the integration of INS and which occurs when scours combine. They DGNSS. Not only are the outer beams of a carried out the survey by observing three multibeam system subject to greater refraction swathes parallel to each side of the triangle effects, but the accuracy of the instrument’s formed by the tripod feet but encountered the attitude sensors has a greater effect on the same positional accuracy problem as Mike outer beams than the inner beams. Kongsberg Brissette when working in real time using has over 20 years experience of using MEMS- DGPS, so they post processed using PPK. based gyros. They are used in the automotive industry where they are produced in high Analysing backscatter volumes at low cost and have a working life Backscatter from multibeams is starting to be of up to 120,000 hours. The aim with an used as a source of information about seabed inertial measurement unit is to have low condition. Dr Lloyd Huff gave a presentation on position drift. Surprisingly, Sanne has found this underwater remote sensing. It turns out that 0.01 degree pitch accuracy can be to be different from its airborne cousin, achieved by using a micro rate MEMS gyro because the medium has to be considered with high performance accelerometers. rather more carefully. Huff’s main point was The final talk of the day was from Sam that backscatter analysis has to account for all Hanton of Nautronix. He again looked at the energy emitted by the beams; energy that inertial navigation systems but this time may be lost through beam divergence, objects described the integration of acoustic …backscatter in the water column, water temperature and positioning with an IMU. His company is ‘‘analysis has to salinity as well as the nature of the bed looking at close coupling of the observables account for all material. from both systems – gyro and accelerometers R2Sonic was just one of the companies from fibre-optic gyroscopes and range to the energy exhibiting at Oceanology. All the main acoustic transponders on buoys suspended emitted by the suppliers were present and this year around a just above the seabed. Accurate weighting of fifth of the stands were devoted to the many the observables is the critical factor in beams. companies that help when there is an obtaining the best results from the system. ’’
May / June 2012 Geomatics World 29 3D Design Hugh Anderson: a 360° view of retirement
o encapsulate an entire career in a single presentations, if it is not perfect, the illustration is a challenge. Even more so imperfections are what you notice’, says Hugh, Twhen the subject has travelled several ‘I like it to be right, and “when it has to be continents, lived and worked alongside a right” you have to live up to that claim – even if multitude of different cultures, and has often that makes me a bit annoying in rehearsal!’ captured his experiences in stunning colour and 360° panoramic photography. Culture shock The presentations at Hugh Anderson’s Born in Kenya, Hugh arrived in London in retirement dinner included an affectionate 1965 to study land surveying at North East Many readers of caricature showing a carefree, kilt wearer, at London Polytechnic. His father hailed from GW struggling with the wheel of an MG Midget. The hood is Glasgow but prior to 1965 Hugh had only down, sunglasses are in position and a Leica visited the UK on a family holiday. The eldest technical problems cap is positioned at a jaunty angle. The other of three children, he had grown up on an will have had cause passenger is a total station and the driver African farmstead where the nearest to thank Leica’s appears to be motoring through Kenya’s Rift neighbour was twenty miles away from his Valley, whilst a family of giraffes in the distance father’s tea and coffee plantation. Coming Hugh Anderson. lope across the savannah. Arching above this from a boarding school education in Nairobi Now retiring after idyllic scene is an oversized camera lens. to digs in London, he did not intend to stay in Hugh joined Leica’s predecessor Wild the UK once he gained his qualification and 23 years with the Heerbrugg in July 1989, following three years some experience. company, Ruth with D&H Surveys as a land surveyor where he He recalls his first impressions of London wrote software applications. With expertise in back in the 1960s. ‘It was like going from life Badley charts AutoCad and Leica’s Geocom software, Hugh in full colour to seeing everything in shades of Hugh’s career and was able to provide solutions, technical grey. I was a student living in Walthamstow support and training to customers. and working as a surveyor with J A Storey & (literally) panoramic When Leica Geosystems established a Partners through the summer. The money I interests. partnership with LISCAD surveying and earned was paying my way through engineering software in 1990, Hugh was education. The plan was to get some training involved in establishing the application in the and go back to Africa’. But when he returned UK as well as supporting users in Libya, Dubai, in 1970 things had changed. Independence Nigeria and Sudan. In recognition of his service, required the division of land and the family a retirement gift from LISCAD includes return had to switch from growing tea and coffee to Glaring hot sun, dust, flights to Melbourne to visit their hq. sugar cane. There were no jobs so he returned refraction – the surveyor’s Hugh has always been fascinated by techno- to the UK and J A Storey & Partners. lot in the Middle East. logy and sat on an advisory panel for the development of new Coral, communities and traditions instruments at Leica’s, Swiss Within a month he was back in that world of hq. ‘What I am interested in colour and working on a controversial project has engineered what I do. I in the San Blas islands, off the coast of find computers and Panama. With Alaskan oil just coming on computer technology stream, a hydrographic survey was undertaken fascinating and was working as part of a project to accommodate super at the right time in land tankers and a terminal. ‘Whilst it was very surveying and engineering to exciting to navigate a tiny boat through the immerse myself in this field canal, if the project had gone ahead, it would and to utilise my have destroyed the coral reef and the ancient programming skills.’ communities that live on those beautiful Not everyone will have islands. I was delighted when the information noticed Hugh at Leica’s became public knowledge and alternative roadshows but it has often schemes were adopted.’ A posting to the been his meticulous Cayman Islands followed. approach and skills behind the scenes that has ensured Pioneering techniques company presentations Hugh and Linda, who he married in 1971, delivered that wow factor. enjoyed a married posting to Malawi, sailing He takes very seriously Leica’s back to the UK in 1975 with three month-old motto of “when it has to be Clair. A second daughter, Jacqueline was born right”. ‘When it comes to in 1978 and the family remained in the UK for
30 Geomatics World May / June 2012 3D Design the majority of Hugh’s subsequent overseas assignments. Cameras have been a source of fascination for Hugh since childhood so using photography as a means of measurement was a natural progression. Mapping from aerial photographs for projects in the Cayman Islands, Kenya, YemanYemen, Tanzania, Nigeria, Oman, Abu Hugh’s pioneering Dhabi and Saudi Arabia was carried out before approach to computer software was able to stitch images mapping enabled together. Back in UK in 1974, Hugh’s him to plot pioneering approach to mapping enabled him Annesley Hall, to plot the rooms of Annesley Hall, Nottingham Nottingham by by using photographic intersection and a using photographic camera fitted with a fish- eye lens. A UK patent intersection and a was granted for his “Optic for Instantaneously camera fitted with Photographing an Horizon of 360°” but he a fish- eye lens. lacked the funds to develop it – though others, including Kodak, eventually did. Later, working for BKS Surveys, Hugh and a colleague developed and used the ‘light line’ method to survey railway tunnels, and close- range stereo photogrammetry to record process- ing plant, well ahead of the academics who later published research papers on the topic. record and create panoramas. Working with a website developer, he has produced virtual Cultural exploration through Earth Sciences tours allowing viewers to look around the Hugh’s involvement with the British Schools hospitality venues of Cheltenham and Expedition Society as a scientific leader took Twickenham. This is a service he hopes to A UK patent him back to Tanzania in 2004 for a five- week expand. For more visit: www.360hugh.co.uk. ‘‘ trek across the Gregory Rift and Crater And so to complete the 360° view, the MG was granted for Highlands. Data collected from a gravity Midget mentioned at the beginning, hints at a his “Optic for survey using Leica GPS and TPS on the density continuing interest in the fun side of motoring and composition of the Ol Doinyo volcano was and a plan to be at the wheel for the annual Instantaneously subsequently made available to universities Kop Hill Climb in Buckinghamshire. Each year Photographing an (see GW Jan/Feb 2005). veteran, vintage and classic car owners take Horizon of 360°” Hugh is convinced that experiences like this part in a charitable sporting event. Hugh has ’’ are life changing for young people. ‘I know been persuaded to encourage owners and from my own career how important it is to see manufacturers of alternatively powered the world and different cultures at first hand, vehicles, such as those fuelled by steam, before life traps you with responsibilities. We electricity or pedal power, to take part. all belong to Planet Earth. The diversity of Retirement is supposed to be the time to cultures is interesting and more complex than slow down, after all. . . ! we realise and organisations like BSES allow young people to experience a different culture • Detailed information on creating panoramas in a safe and informed way.’ and examples of many of Hugh Anderson’s Retirement has presented a new photographic projects and techniques can be opportunity for Hugh to utilise his skills to found by visiting www.hugha.co.uk.
WORLDWIDE GEODETIC CONTROL • Precise worldwide GPS fixing. • Establishment of geodetic networks and infrastructures. • Installation of GPS base station networks for subsequent RTK mapping. • Densification and recovery of existing survey networks. • Photo Control for Aerial Mapping. • Survey monument installation and maintenance.
Tel: +44 20 8398 8991 e-mail: [email protected] web: www.harryskinner.com
May / June 2012 Geomatics World 31 PRODUCTS & SERVICES
geosystems.com/icon BRIEFS
Geo Calculator SeaZone Solutions has released launched the first in a new series of marine The Geo Calculator app for mapping layers to sit within their Android smartphones has been HydroSpatial 2 product family of released by Telecric, a UK-based marine vector mapping. Benefits IT consultancy include an enhanced data model (www.telecric.com). Geo for feature filtering; geo- Calculator is an integrated processing and spatial analysis to calculation tool for basic survey create customised data outputs Robotic calculations including joins, and map views using both real polars, intersection, resection and world and abstract feature types. hydro trigonometrical heighting. The surveyor app is configurable for (E, N), (N, The latest version of Trimble’s E) and grads data formats. It is Business Center software (v.2.70) debuts at currently available from Google features new functionality for GEO-12 Play, the Android app store. An photogrammetry, support for iPhone and iPad version will be polygon features and a GNSS available in the near future. baseline processor. Meanwhile, a Applications in CADD and Acorn Surveys Ltd used the recent GEO-12 new release of Trimble Access event to launch 4Site Sonar, a shallow-water survey system that Technology Days software (v. 2012.10) improves combines an Ohmex Sonarmite echo sounder installed in a remote- Trimble dealer KOREC has communication between field controlled boat and positioning from a robotic total station on the bank. announced dates and venues for crews and the office, as well as 4Site Sonar runs on top of AiC’s 4Site Survey engine, with sonar three Technology Days in the UK adding new functionality for total observations transmitted to the total station controller using long-range and Ireland, as part of the station surveys and support for Bluetooth. The system developers say that there is a time-lag between Trimble Express road shows. The the OmniSTAR GNSS network measurements on the boat and measurements on land and have London event will be on Tuesday correction system. developed software to measure and apply corrections to bring the data May 22nd at One Great George into synchronisation. For more information contact Acorn Surveys Tel: Street in London, home to the Spectra Precision’s ProFlex 800 is 01405785208 email: [email protected] Institution of Civil Engineers a powerful GNSS solution with (ICE), the Belfast one will be on revolutionary Z-Blade GNSS- Thursday 10th May at The centric technology. The ProFlex StaySafe - your emergency contacts and alerts by Culloden Estate & Spa and the 800 delivers fast and reliable RTK personal guardian SMS as well as email. Depending Dublin event on Tuesday 15th positioning, even in environments An iPhone app has been on the success of the app, May at The Carton House Hotel. where GNSS signals may be released that removes most of developer Graham Mills will The theme is ‘Innovation’ and difficult to acquire. Rugged and the hassle that goes with lone extend it to other smartphone visitors will have a chance to IP67 rated, the unit is built to working. StaySafe comes with platforms. For more, visit hear about the latest withstand harsh operating the tagline “Your personal www.StaySafeapp.com developments including an conditions. François Erceau, guardian”. The GPS enabled update on the Swinglet AUV (see general manager of Trimble’s phone always knows your Iconic new range also page 20) and a first outing Spectra Precision, Nikon and location. Set up a PIN so that Readers of Engineering Surveying in the UK for the Aibot X6 Ashtech Business Area adds that the app can identify you and Showcase (ESS 2012 issue No 1) multicopter. Also on show will this is “an ideal solution for enter details of an emergency will have noticed the launch of a be the Trimble GeoXR network customers wanting a single GNSS contact from your phone’s new range of survey products rover and the latest mapping receiver for multiple applications”. address book. Enter details of an from Leica Geosystems. The iCON products. GW readers can book appointment, journey or activity. product line enables contractors their place at High-resolution images of hundreds Allocate a time to complete it to enhance ‘performance www.korecknowhow.com of European cities can now be and either check in to indicate throughout the construction streamed direct to the desktop. A that it is complete or extend the workflow’. The range includes: Pathfinder family’s partnership between Bristol based time needed using your PIN. If iCONstruct - hardware and new generation Blom UK and Leicestershire based you don’t check in before the software for positioning and Trimble has introduced a new Bluesky, has opened up access to appointed time, an email alert measuring tasks on site generation of its GPS Pathfinder some of the most up-to-date (with your location) will be sent iCONtrol - provides family of receivers for GIS and geographic imagery including high to your emergency contact, even communication between mobile mapping. The Trimble Pro resolution vertical photographs and if the phone is switched off or personnel on site plus a portfolio series (Pro 6H and Pro 6T) allow oblique images. The BlomURBEX damaged. of machine control solutions mobile workers to configure a geoserver allows even the smallest StaySafe is available in a Lite iCONsult - an extensive support solution for a wide range of feature of an image to be digitised or a Premium version. Lite is free network for guidance applications and comes with a and measured. and has limited functionality. iCONnect - connects the system new streamlined form-factor that StaySafe Premium costs £1.99 to a superior network. Wireless delivers productivity The new EZiTEX 100 is a high per month for which the user data transfer, easy, fast and improvements in difficult GNSS powered entry level cable detector. gets some bells and whistles, secure. For more information see environments using Trimble It comes with four selectable including allowance for more http://www.leica- Floodlight technology. power outputs peaking at 1 Watt
32 Geomatics World May / June 2012 PRODUCTS & SERVICES
Faro has announced SCENE 5.0 Case study: GstarCAD gains Romanian plaudits point cloud capture processing software for the Focus3D scanner. A Romanian company that specialises in road design, railroads and area Scans can be viewed in true development is an enthusiastic user of GstarCAD software. With a history stereoscopic 3D and automatic of 22 years in road design, the company has vast experience and fine registration eliminates the knowledge. In order to select the right design software they investigated need for artificial targets, in many the market and focused on several options, finally selecting GstarCAD cases, when piecing together after several comparisons. multiple scans. A new Project IT manager Bucur comments: “The quality of the product is our prior Database enables improved consideration. After the test, we found that the some functions of networking between users. GstarCAD are even more powerful and superior to other software.” While company engineer Denis referred to plotting and hatching, adding “In New mission planning software is road design, entities as crossed areas, lane width, buildings, pavement, or available for airborne streetlight, etc. are needed to be highlighted. With GstarCAD, I can hatch Sokkia has added a further new applications. Leica MissionPro is them with different elements”. And when it comes to plotting, Denis gets total station to its updated range suitable for all airborne sensors even more excited! He says: “I should say that the plotting of GstarCAD (see also GW Mar/April). The FX including LiDAR, line and frame is very intelligent. This function can automatically export all the images (above) is a reflectorless model sensors and is fully integrated in the drawing according to their names for batch printing. Amazingly, with on-board MAGNET field into existing Z/I Imaging and this function can also automatically split different images of the same software, the telematics-based Leica Geosystems workflows. In file and rearrange them and recognize their scale.” communications module TSshield, addition to the core planning GstarCAD is regarded as a cutting-edge product by its users and is and a long-range wireless functionality, MissionPro includes ranked highly by them. Dorel, the designer of this Romanian company has communications system using new features such as 3D virtual the last word: “When I start GstarCAD and upload a big picture or zoom, Bluetooth Class 1 technology. Globe View. it only takes a few seconds, without high requirement of the computer hardware! This saves me a lot of time, allowing me to concentrate on my A new version (4.2) is available of design.” For more see below or go to www.southsurvey.co.uk that help with depth estimation as Leica’s Spider suite for GNSS well as tracing services over a networks and reference stations. It greater distance. More from includes support for Leica’s latest network processing during high approaching sunspot maximum www.cabledetection.co.uk receiver, the GR25 and enhanced ionospheric activity during the next year.
May / June 2012 Geomatics World 33 GW CLASSIFIED RECRUITMENT
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34 Geomatics World May / June 2012 GW CLASSIFIED
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May / June 2012 Geomatics World 35 Why do so many choose Leica SmartWorx Viva?
Great hardware is only part of the requirement for today’s Whether you have always used Leica Geosystems equipment engineers and surveyors. The elements of precision, or have never used our systems before, you will be up and performance and reliability are required as standard by productive in no time at all. But our commitment to our positioning professionals and are integral to the customers goes beyond this; we can tailor training programs development of Leica Geosystems’ Total Stations, GNSS to suit, so that you can get the very best from your receivers and Laser Scanners. investment. Furthermore, through Active Assist, our technical support team can operate your equipment over the mobile What’s more, functionality must be coupled with usability and internet to help you wherever you are! this is where the Leica SmartWorx Viva interface comes in. All the functionality that you expect from market leading hardware, but so easy to use!
Want to see for yourself? Contact us on 01908 256500 now for a free consultation and evaluation.
Leica Geosystems Ltd Davy Avenue, Knowlhill, Milton Keynes MK5 8LB Tel: 01908 256500 [email protected] www.leica-geosystems.co.uk