How mobile technology is changing the geospatial game

The geospatial landscape has evolved significantly over the last few years as digitisation has become embedded, however, this also means that advanced mobile requirements can be difficult to achieve with traditional Graphical Information System (GIS) tools.

Today, location services are a crucial part of our everyday life. Live location data allows us to plan a car journey or track a bus, find a local restaurant, or share our location with friends. Businesses use location data to be more efficient and provide new and better services, emergency services can reach an incident quickly, and field workers can deal with issues remotely.

This technology has become so ubiquitous that we all expect to be able to access our location and identify local services wherever we are, whenever we need to.

Traditional maps are outdated

Location-based insight was historically delivered by maps of our country, cities, and towns. However, consider the limitations-for instance, a field worker relying on traditional maps. If you have a static map, the information it contains is very quickly outdated for anyone working in the field. There is not only inaccurate information but also information overload, as a field worker tries to sift through volumes to get to the data points they need.

There can also be physical limitations when trying to carry multiple maps and tools. What the field worker needs, is an all-in-one system, and this was achieved by early GIS applications.

However, there are also limitations with those now-legacy GIS web applications. For a start, there is a dependency on the internet and limited offline functionality. Often there is a lack of guided interaction and a loss of data quality due to manual entry processes, meaning the data collected can be inaccurate.

Therefore, how can we revolutionise field operations with a GIS solution that empowers real-time data collection and offline access anytime, anywhere?

Turning the geospatial game on its head

Today mobile technology is revolutionising the productivity and efficiency of field operations, to seamlessly integrate with existing GIS systems. Mobile technology is turning the geospatial game on its head by drastically transforming field operations. With capabilities such as real-time field data collection and verification, and consolidated data sources, mobile tech increases the efficiency of field service crews while delivering customisable applications that suit specific business needs.

Traditional paper maps and legacy web applications both come with limitations as outlined above that include obsolete data, information overload, accuracy issues, and dependency on stable internet connections. These hindrances impede efficient field operations and decision-making. Today’s mobile technology provides an effective solution to overcome these challenges.

Mobile applications not only deliver standardised reporting, increased data accuracy, enhanced decision-making, and streamlined field operations, but they also deliver incredible added value. Testimonials from customers like Roseburg Resources, Stadtwerke Jena, and California’s Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) illustrate this perfectly.

A case in point - CDFA

CFDA is one such example of how they have revolutionised pest detection with the CalTrap app which has transformed CDFA’s statewide programme. The CDFA is responsible for tracking and preventing the spread of invasive species in the state. However, it was struggling with outdated paper-based systems that were slow and cumbersome to use. For example, the CDFA were using route books and paper log entries to track pests, report on trap status, and map trap locations. This manual process was difficult to standardise across participating counties. This resulted in delayed and inconsistent reporting and, in some cases, an absence of accurate data.

Without access to central, standardised, and correct real-time data, it was difficult for the CDFA to make informed and quick decisions. Additionally, the paper system made training the CDFA’s large number of seasonal workers time-consuming and arduous.

The CDFA needed a modern solution that could help them systematically monitor the status of any invasive species mitigation programme through the internal sharing of data. It also needed to share these insights with external agencies and government bodies — their existing tools were not flexible enough to do this.

Making reporting and decision-making faster and simpler

VertiGIS worked with the CDFA to build CalTrap, a modern GIS web and mobile application to manage the organisation’s statewide pest control programme. CalTrap’s interactive map enables field workers to log and report trapping data online and offline, standardising the process and allowing for the timely tracking of pests that are seen as a risk to agriculture. Now, the reporting and decision-making process is much faster and simpler.

CalTrap has delivered multiple benefits for the CDFA and the state of California, including more efficient, timely, and accurate reporting, the standardisation of processes, and decision-making — all while adhering to state policy and USDA requirements. Additionally, the data collected through CalTrap lets stakeholders aggregate, analyse, and visualise substantial amounts of information. As a result, the CDFA can better manage programmes to reduce pests, improve treatment plans, and protect the state’s agriculture industry.

Driving benefits for field workers

This demonstrates how mobile GIS technology delivers customised applications for field workers. It enables organisations to create applications that can be accessed and used on a mobile device from anywhere. With offline access, real-time data sharing, and user-guided interfaces, productivity, accuracy, and usability for field employees are significantly enhanced, leading to quicker decision-making, and improved operational efficiency. Finally, the value of an organisation’s spatial data and the problems it can solve are not limited to the walls of an office.

The practical potential of mobile GIS applications in the field is limitless, from tasks such as inspecting utility poles, updating maintenance work orders, and conducting environmental surveys, to allowing GIS-specific operations to be conducted onsite. This ensures real-time data collection, editing and sharing, making the process more efficient and timelier which in today’s productivity-focused climate is an imperative for business success.

Drew Millen is CTO of VertiGIS, a provider of Enterprise spatial management solutions, based in the UK and with offices and partners in eight countries world-wide