FIG Commission 5

FIG Commission 5 - Positioning and Measurement

The mission of commission 5 is to: Commission Chair
  • Focus on modern technologies, technical developments and assist surveyors, engineers and GIS/LIS professionals through guidelines and recommendations, to choose and utilise those methods, technologies and instruments that are most appropriate to different applications.
  • Facilitate and follow technical developments through collaboration with other FIG Commissions and other international organisations; participation in appropriate meetings; and the preparation of appropriate publications.
  • Foster and support research and development and stimulate new ideas in the fields of expertise represented within the commission.
  • Formulate and formalise collaboration with manufacturers on the improvement of instrumentation and associated software.
Prof. Volker Schwieger, DVW, Germany
Upcoming Events

FIG Congress 2018
6-11 May 2018, Istanbul, Turkey
www.fig.net/fig2018

FIG Congress 2018

 
Recent News

Report on the Technical Seminar on Reference Frames in Practice held in conjection with the FIG Congress

The Technical Seminar on Reference Frames in Practice was held in Istanbul on 4-5 May 2018. The main focus was on reference frames in general, kinematics and dynamic datums which reflects geodetic priorities for all regions suffering from natural disasters such as earthquakes. Participants mostly come from countries where there is a strong need to model deformation to maintain their accurate spatial reference frames. So, this Seminar has been a good platform to share knowledge and resources for their mutual benefits.

The Seminar was organised by FIG Commission 5, in conjunction with the International Association of Geodesy (IAG), the United Nations International Committee on GNSS (UN ICG) and the Turkish Chamber of Survey and Cadastre Engineers (HKMO). 

Forthcoming FIG Commission 5 events

GEOPREVI 2018, Geodesy for Smart Cities, Joint Seminar of FIG Commission 5, 6 and 10 Symposium

Bucharest, Romania, 29-30 October

The GeoPreVi 2018 is a scientific event of the Faculty of Geodesy - Technical University of Civil Engineering Bucharest and will be organized this year in cooperation with FIG Commissions 5, 6 and 10, Romanian Surveyors Union and Romanian Association of Private Surveyors.
GeoPreVi 2018 is continuing the previous year collaboration with FIG. This year, International Symposium GeoPreVi 2018 is inspired by the theme Digital Geodesy for Smart Cities focusing on general topics like reference frames, positioning, surveying and Building Information Modelling.
We are sure that GeoPreVi 2018 will create the professional frame and environment for discussions, exchanging knowledge and experience among surveyors, geodesists and other professionals. Still it is one more opportunity to enhance the awareness regarding our profession in Romania, Europe and worldwide.
International Symposium GeoPreVi 2018 gives to the participants the opportunity to present papers, debate and communicate in a professional and scientific manner highlighting their own contribution finding out technical solutions and new researches in order to identify the social, technical and environmental benefits.

The Faculty of Geodesy, that merges the traditions and excellence in Romanian surveying academic education, together with its outstanding event initiators and co-organizers professional associations, members of The International Federation of Surveyors - the premier international organization that is supporting the interests of surveyors worldwide and covering the whole range of professional fields within the global surveying community have agreed to focus to very important challenges of the nowadays Romanian society such as positioning and measurement, engineering surveys, construction management.

For more information, please visit https://geoprevi.xyz/

10th Multi-GNSS Asia (MGA) Conference

23-25 October 2018 at RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia.

The Multi-GNSS Asia (MGA) is an international cooperative initiative endorsed by the United Nation International Committee on GNSS to promote cooperation and utilisation of satellite positioning, navigation and timing services in Asia and Oceania. With the 2018 MGA Conference theme “Creating Solutions, Driving Innovation, Connecting Industry”, the event will present an informative program showcasing the latest advancements in GNSS technology and applications, innovative satellite positioning and navigation solutions, as well as connecting industries to explore new business cooperation in GNSS services, products and applications. MGA aims to expand the impact of navigation satellite technology right across our economy. Also, the program will include a facilitated networking event, open forums to discuss future collaborations and a young professionals and students event.

For mroe information, please visit: https://2018.mgaconference.com.au/

The deadline, the 1st October, for papers to be peer-reviewed for the FIG Congress Istanbul Turkey in May next year is approaching

The FIG Commissions 5 and 6 have an agreement with the Chief Editor of the Journal of Applied Geodesy: after the Working Week the best peer-reviewed scientific papers can be published in a special issue of this journal.

We hope to give researchers and scientists from all around the world an additional motivation to attend the FIG Congress, and at the same time the opportunity to publish their valuable research results in a well-known Journal.

The process will be as follows:

  •  you have to include your paper into the FIG peer-review process
  • the paper is successfully accepted and rated by the reviewers as well as and presented at the Working Week
  • the commission officers will decide on the base of the reviewer ratings about  the scientific quality of the paper
  • the authors of the best papers will be contacted by the Commission chairs, if they are willing to publish in the Journal
  • the peer-review process of the Journal of Applied Geodesy will start

Ivo Milev
Chair Commission 6 		 Volker Schwieger
Chair Commission 5

One day meeting on “Regional Challenges, Benefits and Opportunities of Exchanging Geodetic Data”

The  Geospatial Information Authority of Japan (GSI) , FIG Asia Pacific Capacity Development  Network, and the UN Global Geospatial Information Management for Asia and the Pacific Working Group 1 are jointly hosting a one day meeting on “Regional Challenges, Benefits and Opportunities of Exchanging Geodetic Data” on 16 October 2017, at the Kumamoto City International Centre in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan.

This meeting with United Nation Asia Pacific country member delegates will workshop -

  • the social, technical, environmental and economic benefits and opportunities of accessing and sharing geodetic data;
  • open geodetic data and access policies;
  • geodetic data / licencing agreements; in particular the UN-GGIM Compendium on Licensing Geospatial Information;
  • the state of play of geodetic data sharing in Asia;
  • geodetic data that should be shared and accessible; and
  • examine solutions to challenges, impediments and the way forward.

For more information about this meeting please navigate to - https://gsi-intl.github.io/ggim-ap-kumamoto/

Please note this meeting will be convened prior to the UN GGIM AP Plenary Meeting 17-19th October 2017 - http://www.un-ggim-ap.org/meetings/pm/6th/201707/t20170704_389286.shtml

Chair of the Asia/Pacific Regional Network, Rob Sarib would appreciate to get comments or information about geodetic data sharing from our Commission 5 Delegate. For example – case studies from different countries, challenges, the benefits of data sharing, open data, policies etc. You support would be appreciated.

 Read more about the FIG Asia/Pacific Network: http://www.fig.net/organisation/networks/capacity_development/asia_pacific/index.asp

Reference Frame in Practice Seminar

29-30 July 2017, Kobe, Japan

The Reference Frames in Practice (RFIP) series has been in operation since May 2012 and this year’s seminar was convened in Kobe (Japan) on 29-30 July 2017.  The seminar venue was the Kobe Chamber of Commerce - Port Island, and was hosted by GSI - Geospatial Information Authority of Japan.  A special thanks to Mr. Basara Miyahara and his team at GSI for their great hospitality.

Like previous seminars this RFIP was well attended.  It attracted 68 delegates from 19 different countries. From a program perspective, there were 21 quality presentations which included 4 presentations from the event sponsors who provided a manufacturers perspective on the issues and challenges relating to geodetic reference frames.

The seminar’s objective was to provide fundamental geodetic reference frame background, concepts and examine the associated data and analysis techniques, each with a focus on practical implementation and application. 

Newsletter - July 2017

Commission 5 Newsletter July 2017 - incl. Commission 5 report from FIG Working Week 2017 in Helsinki, Finland

Cost Effective Positioning and Geo Data Seminar

20 April 2017, Novosibirsk, Russia

The Seminar was organized by FIG Commission 5. It was held within the frame of the XIII International Exhibition and Scientific Congress "Interexpo GEO-Siberia 2017" in Novosibirsk. The primary objective of the Seminar was to shape a vision for the future of cost-effective positioning technologies. The seminar was aimed at bringing developers of precise low-cost solutions, surveyors, and other potential users together.

Commisson 5 at the FIG Working Week 2017 in Helsinki, Finland 29 May - 2 June

Commission 5 had its annual meeting during the FIG Working Week 2017 in Helsinki, Finland 29 May - 2 June 2017

Commission chairs 2015-2018 at their meeting during the FIG Working Week, 29 May-2 June in Helsinki, Finland: Remy Boudon(comm. 6) Volker Schwieger (comm. 5), See Lian ONG (comm. 10), Angela Etuonovbe (comm. 4), Steven Nystrom (comm. 9), Kwame Tenadu (comm. 8), Enrico Rispoli (comm. 3), Gerda Schennach (comm. 7), Fahria Masum(comm. 2), Brian J. Coutts (comm. 1)

TECHNICAL SEMINAR ON REFERENCE FRAME IN PRACTICE

29-30 July 2017, Kobe - Japan

This seminar will be of benefit to operational geodesists or surveyors who are dealing with reference frame issues and crustal deformation, either in a government or commercial environment. It is also open to academics or postgraduate students in a surveying or related discipline.

More information on this special event

Technical Seminar on Cost Effective Positioning and Geo Data

20 April 2017, Novosibirsk, Russia

We are pleased to invite you to attend the International Seminar on the role of Cost Effective Positioning and Geo Data. The Seminar will be jointly organized under auspices of FIG Commissions 3 and 5. It will be held within the frame of the XIII International Exhibition and Scientific Congress "Interexpo GEO-Siberia 2017", April 19-21, 2017. More information...

International Digital Elevation Model Service (IDEMS)

A newly developed International Digital Elevation Model Service (IDEMS) is now available under the umbrella of the International Gravity Field Service (IGFS) of the International Association of Geodesy (IAG). IDEMS provides a focus for distribution of data and information about various digital elevation models, including spherical-harmonic models of Earth’s global topography and lunar and planetary DEM. Related datasets, such as representation of Inland Water within Digital Elevation Models, and relevant software which are available in the public domain are also provided. IDEMS will provide the following DEM related products:

  1. Compilation, tutorial-style provision and maintenance of information on global gridded DEMs;
  2. Compilation of available national elevation data sets with information on data resolution, methods used for DEM generation and links to providers;
  3. Generation and dissemination of spherical-harmonic models of Earth’s global topography and bathymetry;
  4. Compilation of geodesy-relevant DEM-studies;
  5. Extension of the focus from Earth to Moon and terrestrial planets through compilation of information on available planetary topography models.

IDEMS is hosted and operated by Environmental Systems Research Institute (Esri) (http://www.esri.com/) under the lead of Mr Kevin M Kelly (Director) and Dr Jianbin Duan (Deputy Director). The new IDEMS website is available at: https://idems.maps.arcgis.com/home/index.html. Mr Kelly is also the chair of FIG Commission 5 (Positioning and Measurement) Working Group 5.3 - Vertical Reference Frames.

IDEMS offers two main digital elevation data services managed and maintained by Esri: Terrain and TopoBathy. These services provide online access to a global collection of multi-resolution and multi-source elevation and bathymetry data, including metadata and source information. This DEM data collection includes the best publicly available data and community contributed data with resolutions ranging from 1000 meters to 3 meters. The IDEMS terrain and bathymetry data are updated periodically as new datasets become available. Many other DEM data, not directly hosted by Esri, are also available on IDEMS.

Access to IDEMS will not require Esri software. However, for users with Esri software – which includes many academic institutions globally – a number of pre-defined, common terrain data analysis tools become available such as data aggregation, interpolation, density, buffering, flow analysis, and more.

IDEMS encourages contributions to the site from the geodetic community in any of the five product types listed above. Please contact the IDEMS Director or Deputy Director if you would like to contribute or recommend content you think appropriate for IDEMS.

Kevin M. Kelly (kevin_kelly@esri.com)
Director IDEMS
Chair FIG WG5.3 – Vertical Reference Frame
Environmental Systems Research Institute (Esri)		 Jianbin Duan (jDuan@esri.com)
Deputy Director IDEMS
Environmental Systems Research Institute (Esri)

Newsletter - July 2016

Commission 5 Newsletter including the report from Commission 5 at FIG Working Week 2016 in Christchurch, New Zealand, May 2016

Commission 5 at the FIG Working Week 2016 in Christchurch, New Zealand 2-6 May

Commission 5 had its annual meeting during the FIG Working Week 2016 in Christchurch, New Zealand, 2-6 May 2016


Commission chairs 2015-2018 at their meeting during the FIG Working Week, 2-6 May 2016 in Christchurch, New Zealand: Brian J. Coutts (comm. 1), E.M.C. (Liza) Groenendijk (comm. 2), Enrico Rispoli (comm. 3), Angela Etuonovbe (comm. 4), Volker Schwieger (comm. 5), Diane Dumashie (Vice president), Ivo Milev (comm. 6)., Gerda Schennach (comm. 7), Steven Nystrom (comm. 9), See Lian ONG (comm. 10) and Eva-Maria Unger (YSN)

Annual Steering Commission Meeting was held during the FIG Working Week in Christchurch, New Zealand

Reference Frame in Practice Technical Seminar - Report

The technical seminar aimed at surveyors, spatial professionals, students and operational geodesists who are interested in learning more about practical aspects of reference frames from some of the world’s leading geodesists and geodetic surveyors. As well as covering reference frame basics, the two-day seminar focused particularly on dealing with deformation and datum unification.

The Technical Seminar Reference Frame in Practice - Reference Frames, Datum Unification and Kinematics was held at the Rydges Latimer in Christchurch, New Zealand, on 1-2 May 2016 in conjunction with the 78th FIG Working Week 2016, 2-6 May 2016. The seminar was organized by IAG (International Association of Geodesy), FIG (Fédération Internationale des Géomètres), UN-GGIM-AP (UN Global Geospatial Information Management for Asia and the Pacific), ICG (International Committee on GNSS) and NZIS (New Zealand Institute of Surveyors). The seminar was attended by over 50 participants from 18 countries.

Five participants were funded by the International Committee on Global Navigation Satellite Systems (ICG) United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA).

  • Report by Asakaia Tabuabisataki, Fiji
  • Report by Charisma Cayapan, Philippines
  • Report by Joanna Kuczynska-Siehien, Poland
  • Report by Niraj Manandhar, Nepal

The technical program comprised of eight technical sessions, including two focused on case studies. There were fifteen presentations given by speakers from New Zealand, Australia, Japan and USA, two presentations on behalf of sponsors: Leica and Trimble, and five brief presentations given by ICG-supported delegates from Philippines, Poland, Fiji and Nepal.

Report on the Pacific Geospatial and Surveying Council Meeting and GIS / RS User Conference

The meetings were held from 16-20 November 2015 in Suva Fiji. FIG and Commission 5 was represented by Rob Sarib.  Mr. Sarib was invited by the Australian Government’s Climate and Oceans Support Program in the Pacific (COSPac) to participate in discussions by contributing to the development of a “strategy document” for the PGSC. It is anticipated that a draft strategic plan will be ready for review at the Christchurch FIG Working Week in May 2015.

Technical Seminar on Vertical References Frame in Practice

27-28 July 2015 in Singapore

This event is co-sponsored by IAG, (International Association of Geodesy), FIG (Fédération Internationale des Géomètres), UN Global Geospatial Information Management for Asia and the Pacific (UN-GGIM-AP), ICG (International Committee on GNSS) and Singapore Land Authority.

The Organisers IAG, FIG, UN ICG, UN GGIM AP and SLA would like to thank and acknowledge the following FIG Corporate sponsors for their generous support of this event.

Newsletter June 2015

Annual Steering Commission Meeting was held during the FIG Working Week in Sofia, Bulgaria

Commission 5 at the FIG Working Week 2015 in Sofia, Bulgaria 17-21 May 2015


Prof. Volker Schwieger, Chair of commission 5 making his report to the General Assembly		 Commission 5 had its annual meeting during the FIG Working Week 2015 in Sofia, Bulgaria, 17-21 May 2015.

Commission 5 at the XXV FIG Congress 2014 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 16-21 June


Mikael Lilje

From a FIG Commission 5 perspective, the Congress was impressive and the Commission 5 technical program was comprehensive and extensive. Also the Annual Steering Committee Meeting was held during the XXV FIG Congress 2014.

Report on the Eight Meeting of the International Committee on Global Navigation Satellite Systems (ICG-8), 9-14 November 2013, Dubai, UAE

The Eight Meeting of the International Committee on Global Navigation Satellite Systems (ICG) was held in Dubai, UAE from 9 to 14 November 2013. The ICG has been formed as a result of recommendations of the UN Committee on the Peaceful Use of Outer Space (COPUOS), as ratified by the General Assembly of the UN.

FIG Pacific Small Island Developing States Symposium
18-20 September 2013, Suva Fiji

Joint Workshops: UN-GGIM-AP and FIG Commission 5

FIG Commission 5 and the UN-GGIM?AP (United Nations Global Geospatial Information Management ? Asia Pacific) are facilitating two workshops at the FIG Pacific Small Islands Developing States Symposium in Fiji - www.fig.net/fiji/.

Commission 5 Technical Seminar - Reference Frame in Practice, 21-22 June 2013, Manila, Philippines

 

This event is co-sponsored by IAG (International Association of Geodesy), FIG (F??ation Internationale des G?m?res), UN Global Geospatial Information Management for Asia and the Pacific (UN-GGIM-AP), ICG (International Committee on GNSS) and PhilGEGS ? Philippines Geodetic Engineering and Geomatic Society.

We are proud to announce that our FIG corporate sponsors - ESRI, Trimble and Leica Geosystems are generously providing support for this event.

Commission 5 at the FIG Working Week 2013 in Abuja, Nigeria 6-10 May 2013

Commission 5 had its annual meeting during the FIG Working Week 2013 in Abuja, Nigeria, 6-10 May 2013. Commission 5 report

Contact
FIG Commission 5
Prof. Volker Schwieger
University Stuttgart
Institute of Engineering Geodesy
Geschwister-Scholl-Strasse 24D
D-70174 Stuttgart
GERMANY
Tel. + 49 711 685 84040
Fax + 49 711 685 84044
E-mail: volker.schwieger@ingeo.uni-stuttgart.de 		FIG Commission 5 Webmaster
FIG Office
Kalvebod Brygge 31-33
DK-1780 Copenhagen V
DENMARK
E-mail: FIG@fig.net
Tel + 45 3886 1081