

The MapScaping Podcast - GIS, Geospatial, Remote Sensing, earth observation and digital geography
MapScaping
A podcast for geospatial people. Weekly episodes that focus on the tech, trends, tools, and stories from the geospatial world. Interviews with the people that are shaping the future of GIS, geospatial as well as practitioners working in the geo industry.
This is a podcast for the GIS and geospatial community subscribe or visit https://mapscaping.com to learn more
This is a podcast for the GIS and geospatial community subscribe or visit https://mapscaping.com to learn more
Episodes
Mentioned books

Mar 15, 2024 • 52min
The way you talk about your geospatial skills is costing you money
Refactoring the Way you Talk About your geospatial skills: It is Costing you Money
Some of the key topics in this episode
1.Our Geospatial Skills and Marketability: There's a realization that while our traditional geospatial skills are valuable, they might not always be marketed effectively to match the broader IT and data analysis job markets. We discuss the benefit of framing our skills in terms that are more widely recognized outside the niche of geospatial technology, such as data science or IT.
2.The Spatial Discount: We explore the concept of the spatial discount, which refers to the observation that geospatial professionals might face a disparity in compensation compared to their counterparts in more generalized IT roles, despite having highly transferable and valuable data manipulation skills.
3. Skill Development and Adaptation: The importance of continually developing skills that are not only advanced within the geospatial domain but also marketable across various sectors is emphasized. Learning and mastering technologies that have broad applications, such as SQL for spatial data manipulation, can enhance our versatility and marketability.
4. Communication and Marketing Skills: Our ability to effectively communicate and market our skills is highlighted as crucial for career advancement. We are encouraged to adopt the language and terminology that resonate with broader industries and potential employers, moving beyond the jargon of the geospatial field.
5. Finding Value in Our Geospatial Work: The discussion also touches on the importance of identifying and articulating the real-world value of our geospatial work. We should focus on how our skills can solve practical problems and address the needs of businesses and organizations, rather than solely on the technical complexity of our tasks.
6. Professional Development: Lastly, the conversation advocates for a proactive approach to our professional development, suggesting that we should seek out opportunities to learn new skills and technologies that align with market demands and personal interests.
These points collectively suggest a strategy for us, as geospatial professionals, to enhance our career prospects: by broadening our skill sets, effectively marketing our capabilities, and aligning our work with the needs and language of the wider IT and data analysis fields.
Connect with Brain Timoney on LinkedIn
Thank you to our sponsors
https://www.scribblemaps.com/
https://merginmaps.com/
Recommended Listening
Modern Geospatial
Rebranding Gis and Geospatial
Getting Where You Want To Go In Your Geospatial Career
Mid-Career Change

33 snips
Feb 29, 2024 • 48min
Modern Geospatial
Discover what modern geospatial entails as the CEO of SparkGeo, Will Cadell, discusses the intersection of cloud, smart space, open source data/standards, AI, and smart devices. Learn the importance of modernization versus innovation in enhancing geospatial capabilities and understanding end-users' perspectives for better solutions.

Feb 15, 2024 • 49min
Introduction To LIDAR & Point Clouds
The main topics discussed during this episode include:
Basics of LIDAR data and its applications.
Differences between LIDAR and photogrammetry.
Processing chain of LIDAR data.
Challenges in classifying point clouds.
Applications of LIDAR technology in vegetation mapping, terrain modelling, and infrastructure inspection.
The future of LIDAR technology includes the potential for more affordable and widespread use.
Importance of automated processing tools for handling large volumes of data.
Connect with Nejc Dougan here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nejcdougan/
or at https://www.flai.ai/
Recommended listening
Cloud Optimized Point Clouds
https://mapscaping.com/podcast/cloud-optimized-point-clouds/
PDAL - the point data abstraction library
https://mapscaping.com/podcast/pdal-point-data-abstraction-library/
Lidar from drones
https://mapscaping.com/podcast/lidar-from-drones/
Bathymetric Lidar
https://mapscaping.com/podcast/bathymetric-lidar-and-blue-carbon/

Jan 26, 2024 • 55min
Introduction to Cloud Native Geospatial
Alex Leith is a Digital Earth Architect and in this episode, you will learn what Infrastructure as code is - hint it is the opposite of the "clicky-clicky" and so much more!
Connect with Alex here https://auspatious.com/
Recommended Listening
Cloud-Optimized Point CLounds
https://mapscaping.com/podcast/cloud-optimized-point-clouds/
Cloud Native Geospatial
https://mapscaping.com/podcast/cloud-native-geospatial/
Planet Scale Tiled Maps without a Server
https://mapscaping.com/podcast/planet-scale-tiled-maps-without-a-server/
What is Modern GIS
https://mapscaping.com/podcast/what-is-modern-gis/

26 snips
Jan 9, 2024 • 55min
GeeMap
In this episode of the MapScaping Podcast, Kushang Wu discusses GMAP, an open-source Python library for interactive mapping with Google Earth Engine. He explores the development process, the differences between client and server objects in GIS, and the capabilities and limitations of GMAP. He also emphasizes the impact of sharing geospatial tools and resources and provides links for further exploration.

Dec 27, 2023 • 46min
GPS Reimagined
This podcast explores the concept of reimagining GPS and utilizing a large number of measurements from multiple devices to improve accuracy. It discusses the potential of turning every phone into a base station for high-precision GNSS and the future advancements in mobile device positioning. The podcast also delves into the fusion of different sensors for positioning, the challenges of location spoofing, the value-based pricing in GPS technology, and the importance of redefining cost structures.

Dec 20, 2023 • 52min
The Business of QGIS Development
Nyall Dawson, QGIS developer and founder of North Road, shares his journey into geospatial, discussing the satisfaction of contributing to QGIS development, pricing challenges for freelancers, transitioning to full-time consulting, and the collaborative nature of the open-source industry.

Dec 14, 2023 • 53min
Making Beautiful Maps In Felt
Professional cartographer Mamata Akella discusses the essential elements of map design, including visual hierarchy, zoom-based styling, color palettes, and interpretation. The conversation includes practical examples and emphasizes the importance of creating engaging and aesthetically pleasing maps. Akella also shares insights on the process of creating a visually stunning map of global shipping traffic using raster data sets. Other topics covered include custom color palettes, importing data into Felt, and the significance of collaboration and learning in cartography.

Dec 6, 2023 • 45min
Planet - Imaging Everything, Every Day ... Almost
Planet manufactures and manages the world’s largest constellation of earth observation satellites!
Imaging “Just about everywhere on earth just about every day – Making change visible, accessible, and actionable”
… and the hope of this episode is to help you understand how they do that – along the way
you will hear about their two constellations and how they work together
Learn the difference between ghost ships and dark ships and find out that there are very few ground control points in the ocean and why that matters
Find out what this means for GIS and permit enforcement.
For more information go to https://www.planet.com/gis/
Recommended Podcast Episodes
Hyperspectral vs. Multispectral
https://mapscaping.com/podcast/hyperspectral-vs-multispectral/
NICFI Program
https://mapscaping.com/podcast/reduce-and-reverse-tropical-forest-loss-with-nicfi/
Synthetic Data
https://mapscaping.com/podcast/synthetic-data-for-real-problems/
Labels Matter
https://mapscaping.com/podcast/labels-matter/

Nov 30, 2023 • 46min
Fire Mapping, Maritime Search And Wide Angle Imaging
This episode is a story about wide-angle imaging for fire mapping and maritime search but it's also a story about changing the culture and getting people to trust a new way of doing things.
My guest today is Alison Harrod - mission success manager at a start-up called Overwatch imaging
Whenever I work with a company like Overwatch Imaging it is hard to know which story to tell, we could just as easily have made an episode about AI and object detection or about smart sensors because they do those things too.
The decision depends on the guest and their background so after meeting Alison we decided to make this episode for you and try to give you a broad overview of what wide-angle imaging is and how it's used in the context of fire mapping and maritime search.
...but It's one thing to have a technology and it is another thing entirely to get people to use it … as you will hear fire mapping is not “a move fast and break things kind of situation”
Connect with Alison here!
https://www.linkedin.com/in/alisonharrod/
https://www.overwatchimaging.com/
Other relevant podcast episodes that you might enjoy
Thermal Imagery From Space
https://mapscaping.com/podcast/thermal-imagery-from-space/
Finding Water Leaks From Space
https://mapscaping.com/podcast/finding-water-leaks-from-space/
Cube Satellites Of The Stratosphere
https://mapscaping.com/podcast/cube-satellites-of-the-stratosphere/


