During the spring, flocks of migratory wading birds arrive from their natural habitat, which would be usually intolerably cool during winter, to a critical non-breeding habitat on the tropical places.

Protection of these migratory birds is a concern that needs real attention. Some of these birds from northern hemisphere fly more than 20,000 km a year in search of a suitable dwelling place for survival during the winter season.

The use of GIS and remote sensing technology can be used as an integral part to trace the migrating location of these birds from field mapping to reporting of the location.

One tip to find the birds of migration is to identify their food habit. This would give an idea of their prospective migrating location with regard to the availability of the specific food.

For instance, if we take the birds that usually migrate from Siberia to the tropical North coast of Australia. These migratory birds feed on small animals that live in mud such as crabs, snails and worms. These birds naturally migrate to the area of low muddy lands of Australia to feed and refill their energy for their journey back to their natural habitat.

Using compatible and innovative GPS units and enough field staff, samples can be collected from various points of the expected area of migration by producing progress maps and occasional species maps. By these procedures, even the presence of any new species in the area also can be identified.

To cite another example, some migratory birds have time and again halted in Malaysia during their roosting season that usually lasts from November to March because of its Matang Mangrove Forest.

The arrival of these migratory birds was observed by The Department of Wildlife and National Parks and they have decided to create a GIS database in order to study the biodiversity and sustainability of migratory birds.

Finally, they made a GIS database for the migratory birds and conducted an overall analysis on the captured data. The methodology run from need assessment to data collection, database development and system integration. This finally resulted in an analysis on the trends of bird migration, the properties of ecosystem, environment sensitivity analysis and spatial statistic analysis on the distribution of the migratory birds.

As already mentioned, the resultant migratory bird’s database contain statistical results on the trend of bird migration which in turn helped to identify the endangered species of migratory birds. When the endangered species are classified, measures and procedures for the maintenance of the mangrove areas are taken.

• The database of the migratory birds with reference to the diversity and sustainability of the birds can been developed using ArcView 3.2, MapObject 2.0, Microsoft Visual Basic 6.0, AutoCadMap 2.0 and S-Plus 2000.

Process of creating orthophoto / orthorectification <!– @page { size: 8.5in 11in; margin: 0.79in } P { margin-bottom: 0.08in } –>

Regards

SBL GEOMATICS

Article by : RARIMA N S

In the areas of GIS data acquisition, visualization and general mapping, digital satellite imagery and aerial photographs have a significant place.

Photographs obviously provide a solid visual effect. Imperceptible spatial concepts are more clearly understood by viewing the photographs. These are not photographs taken by ordinary cameras. These are very professional high-end cameras with higher zoom and clarity.

Another important role of these photos is to provide a foundation for collecting the spatial information needed. Data in the form of the satellite images or aerial photographs must be taken without any distortions, if you need to gather information useful for a mapping or GIS system in the case of roads, marine forms or vegetation.

This process of correcting the distortions of a satellite image of aerial photograph is called orthorectification. This process allows you to make direct and precise measurements of areas, distances, angles, positions etc.

Why an aerial photograph needs correction?

The main challenge of an aerial photograph compared to a non-aerial photograph is that an aerial photograph needs perspective correction. An aerial photo is usually captured at an angle to the object being photographed. Here, the perspective of the photograph will be incorrect with near objects compared to distant objects. By perspective correction, the objects in the image and the real world will have equal size.

Process of Orthorectification

As topographical variations in earth’s surface and the tilt of the satellite or the aerial sensors can affect the display of the features on the satellite or aerial image with regard to their distance. The image distortion will be more as the topographical diversity of the landscape is more.

Image data acquired by airborne and satellite image sensors are affected by systematic sensor and platform-induced geometry errors, which introduce terrain distortions when the image sensor is not pointing directly at the Nadir location of the sensor.

There can be hundreds of meters of terrain displacement. Image data over an area with at least a kilometer of vertical relief, with the sensor having an elevation angle of 60° (30° from Nadir), the image output will have nearly 600 meters of terrain displacement.

Errors in setting the reference elevation can cause further terrain displacement. Other than this, low elevation angles of images, imperfect terrain models, and inconsistency of sensor azimuth and elevation angles within an image alters the accuracy potential if image orthorectification is attempted. To overcome this defect, high elevation angles of the sensor is used with new high resolution satellite image of irregular terrain.

Creation of Digital Elevation Model (DEM)

For the accurate removal of the image distortions, a digital elevation model (DEM) is used to make image orthorectification. The requisite DEM can be produced by semi-automatic DEM extraction software from stereo satellite scenes obtained by the QuickBird, IKONOS, SPOT-5, or ASTER satellite sensors, and stereo aerial photography.

In situations where higher mapping accuracy standards are required, the DEM is extracted from the already existing topographic maps with reference to a standard scale or collected using stereo satellite image data.

To obtain this accuracy standard, adequate GPS-derived ground control points (GCPs) are necessary. Other remote sensing techniques can also be used such as radar interferometry or LIDAR.

When a particular vector data needs to be extracted from satellite or aerial image data by raster-to-vector translation, the process of orthorectification of the remotely sensed image data can rectify all digital images of geological, environmental, topographic or any other source map which will be used in the GIS mapping environment.

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SBL GEOMATICS

Article by : RARIMA N S

With the companies emerging in oil and gas, everyone is looking for an edge over the competition. Having access to professional and highly accurate pipeline maps will match the difference between failure and success. A complete pipeline map will provide all information your company needs to rise in competition. Furthermore, SBL has developed GIS pipeline energy datasets that are completely dependable. To be a leader you have to be accurate and precise in measurements and it would not be possible i absence of a accurate pipeline map provider.

Mapping services can be further classified as mobile mapping which is a cutting edge technology applied by another feature-packed GPS. GPS receivers locate your exact position on land or sea and provide visual appearance through navigation and mapping software . We can also produce digital maps, a tracklog summarizes starting time, Ending time, time travelled, Number of waypoints crossed, Distance covered and the average speed. GPS mapping software products provide powerful and easy to use tools to extend the features of almost any hand-held GPS.

GPS technology provides tracking of live objects like lost pets by monitoring & tracking softwares and devices. This works with a device attached to the pet’s collar, which emits a signal that can be picked up with a special mobile-phone-type of handheld monitor. Similarly mobile phones being lost can also be tracked.

Have you ever wished for an easier and more enjoyable way to find a hidden treasure site lost hundreds of years ago ?

An easier way to locate a structure that disappeared in the last century? Have you ever stumbled on a remote spot and wished you had a sure way to remember its location?

If yes, then GPS can help you here.

Other mapping services includes web mapping automation & Geodatabase Designing Modelling. By understanding geography and people’s relationship to location, we can make informed decisions about the way we live on our planet. Successful businesses use Business Geointelligence.

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SBL GEOMATICS

Article by : NAVYA DARSANA

How do you choose a successful retail system? By understanding geography and people’s relationship to location, we can make informed decisions about the way we live on our planet. Successful businesses use Business Geointelligence. Organizations can go beyond standard data analysis by using GIS tools to integrate, view, and analyze data using geography.

How do you choose a successful retail site?

Location is the often repeated mantra that empowers retail site selection success. Gis accelerates this success by identifying a site of high demand potential and visual exposure through our business geointelligence methods.

GIS has tailored solutions for specific business needs which include advanced geospatial modeling, statistical analysis, and cross-referencing of customer,

public and private data.

All these are designed to help companies identify, analyze, and prioritize the fresh and upcoming business prospects and optimize existing sales and marketing programs to enhance their profit potentials.

GIS help you make decisions on

1. Real Estate Management.

2. Planning New Locations.

3. Optimization/ Selection.

4. Planning Business Planning.

5. Territory Planning.

Input for the process

1. Demographics.

2. Expenditure potential.

3. Consumer segmentation.

4. Shopping center locations.

5. Your corporate or proprietary database.

Applications of GIS Services in Retail Sector

1. Evaluate current market position and identify under and over invaded submarkets.

2. Estimate the number of locations a market can support.

3. Understand the effects of competitive market moves.

4. Identify the optimal expansion opportunities in a market.

5. Evaluate existing stores to spot over & under performers.

6. Measure the impact of new store openings, relocations, remodels, closures, and competitive acquisitions.

7. Identification of a series of existing locations that resemble the proposed location.

8. A compilation of maps and reports that highlight the crucial information about a potential site in a consistent and comparable manner.

9. Score potential locations based on the quality and composition of the expected trade area.

10. Assess the size and shape of a proposed store’s trade area based on urbanicity and competitive intensity.Store networks and prioritize capital investments based on predictive, multi-factor trade areas.

11. Optimize store networks; and localize marketing and merchandising.

12. Prioritize markets to enter, expand or exit.

GIS Benefits

1. Increase revenue potential by realizing market share.

2. Understand spheres of influence and gain knowledge of your trading areas.

3. Estimate sales and quantify market cannibalization.

4. Enhance performance of existing stores.

5. Prioritize retail expansion and optimize retail network strategies.

6. Improve returns on direct marketing and promotional campaigns with better.

7. Stimulate development strategies for improved results.

8. Reduce risk on long-term real estate decisions.

We hope you found it useful. For more information about the applications of GIS Services in various sectors Please visit the following link. http://www.sblgis.com

Thanks and Regards,

GIS @ SBL

GIS Service provider