PHOTOGRAMMETRIC ENGINEERING & REMOTE SENSING
May 2019
337
My advice for the UAS-operators-turned-
mappers community is to understand that UAS
is just another platform to carry aerial cameras
and other sensors. The mapping community
has developed techniques and processes to
deal with imagery over the last century. I
advise these UAS operators to join the larger
mapping community through participation,
open dialogue, and seeking professional
mapping certification. Among its professional
certifications, ASPRS offers two programs that
are dedicated to professionals who specialize in
one or more of the following UAS activities:
1. Design, operation, and management of
survey, mapping, and remote sensing
projects using UAS;
2. Analytical techniques and methods for
processing UAS-acquired data;
3. UAS system design and research;
4. Performing or supervising routine tasks
to collect, process, and interpret data
acquired with UAS for use in surveying,
mapping and remote sensing applications.
In addition, I hope that members of the
mapping community will embrace the presence
of the new UAS operators-turned-mappers
among us and support them by sharing their
knowledge, fostering their education and giving
advice. Working together will only enrich
our geospatial mapping community, make us
stronger professionals and produce the best
mapping products to benefit everyone.
Author
Dr. Qassim Abdullah, Ph.D., CP, PLS
, has
more than 40 years of combined industrial,
research and development, and academic
experience in analytical photogrammetry,
digital remote sensing, and civil and surveying
engineering. As chief scientist for Woolpert,
Abdullah designs, develops and implements
evolving remote sensing technologies for
geospatial users. Abdullah serves as an adjunct
professor, publishes a monthly “Mapping
Matters” column in the
PE&RS
Journal and in
2019 received the ASPRS Lifetime Achievement
Award.
This article is to be published concurrently in
the
PE&RS
journal and the
xyHt Magazine.
“Although some of the drone-based product
providers advocate the new ASPRS standards
when marketing their products, they pay little
attention to the meaning of product accuracy as
specified by the ASPRS standards”
Too young to drive the car? Perhaps!
But not too young to be curious about geospatial sciences.
The ASPRS Foundation was established to advance the understanding and use of spatial data for the
betterment of humankind. The Foundation provides grants, scholarships, loans and other forms of aid to
individuals or organizations pursuing knowledge of imaging and geospatial information science and
technology, and their applications across the scientific, governmental, and commercial sectors.
Support the Foundation, because when he is ready so will we.
asprsfoundation.org/donate
