Eric D. Colburn, PLS

Professional Land Surveyor News

Professional Land Surveyor News: First China-Made Unmanned Aerial Photography Systems Delivered

People’s Daily Online reports that on April 15 the first batch of 17 light, fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) aerial photography systems was delivered in Beijing, China to the surveying and mapping departments of 16 provinces and municipalities.

Chinese surveying and mapping departments have begun to extensively apply UAV aerial photography systems for the first time. Previously, the use of UAV aerial photography was employed during disaster relief efforts, like in the aftermath of the Wenchuan earthquake.

China sees UAVs as providing the following:

• Improving emergency support service capacity relating to surveying and mapping.
• Allows for rapidly taking HD photos within small areas that are hard for general aerial flights.
• Play an important role in developing a Digital China.
• Facilitate monitoring of geographic information.
• Improving social-management efficiency (I’m not sure what this means? Sounds scary, though it probably refers to managing development).

“Xu Deming, vice-minister of the Ministry of Land and Resources and director general of the State Bureau of Surveying and Mapping (SBSM), said that acting as a powerful supplement to traditional aerial photography, the UAV aerial photography system is characterized by its flexibility, high efficiency, accuracy, low cost and wide application scope.”

Professional Land Surveyor Source – People’s Daily Online

China Has a Plan

SBSM plans on increasing its use of these light, fixed-wing UAV aerial photography systems throughout China this year. The UAV systems, according to SBSM, provide for easy and efficient methods of surveying and mapping to obtain the following types information and data:

• Development of digital cities.
• National emergency disaster relief.
• National land-monitoring.
• Development of new rural areas.

Professional Land Surveyor Source

• People’s Daily Online

Professional Land Surveyor News

Professional Land Surveyor News: GeoTagging is Illegal in China

Today I found this interesting article by Expert Reviews, which reveals that the Communist China Government has made GeoTagging illegal. This is a fascinating story and union of two unlikely pairings – a camera review and surveying in China.

It seems that Expert Reviews was, well, doing an expert review on the Leica V-LUX 20 Geo-Tagging camera when they found out that the GPS features of this camera may not work in China. Surprised by this, they looked into it more and are reporting that the “Chinese government has made such devices illegal for use.”

Why is GeoTagging Illegal in China? Read the rest of this entry →

Mt. Everest from Space. Photo Credit: NASA

China and Nepal Agree to Disagree on Height of Mount Everest

I came across an interesting article at the end of last week about how China and Nepal agreed to disagree on the exact height of Mount Everest. The Nepalese and Chinese governments negotiated last week to solve the 150 year old question, but in the end could not come to a unified conclusion regarding the height of the world’s highest peak.  The crux of the disagreement, apparently, is an age old problem to professional land surveyors, cartographers and governments alike – Where is here? Or more seriously, what defines the top of a mountain?

Read the rest of this entry →

Professional Land Surveyor News

Geospatial Consortium Implements Land Registry System in Anhui Province, China

BEIJING, CHINA — International Land Systems (ILS), Inc. with the Anhui Agricultural Commission held a commencement meeting for the China Rural Land Certification and Registration Program, a technical assistance pilot project funded by the United States Trade and Development Agency (USTDA).

The project aims to allow Chinese residents in Anhui province’s rural Feidong county to register farm plots and gain land lease certificates.  States Yang Zhao, Vice-Secretary for China’s Center for Rural Development Policy, “The goal is to further protect farmers’ rights by reducing uncertainty pertaining to land ownership, and by providing clearer and more complete information pertaining to designated land rights for farmers.”  The Chinese government has set the policy framework to protect farmers’ rights through the 11th Five Year Plan, but much work remains to survey individual farmers’ plots and document individuals’ ownership status.

Read the rest of this entry →

Professional Land Surveyor News

Yesterday, January 18, 2009, Reuters India reported from Beijing, China that over the past weekend China launched the third BeiDou (Big Dipper) or Compass satellite in an effort to build its own global satellite positioning (GPS) system. This latest satellite is part of  a proposed constellation of 35 Chinese GPS satellites to be in orbit by the year 2020.

China is competing in space with the United States and Russia, and in addition to these BeiDou or COMPASS satellites also has plans to land on the Moon in 2012. While this instills a great deal of national pride within China, and is increasing the prominence of China in the space arena, this initiative and the overall China space program has alarmed some western counterparts. Within the region, rival India, in response to China’s space ambitions, is now working to increase India’s space program.

As reported, the China BeiDou or COMPASS GPS network will provide the following services:

• Read the rest of this entry →

China Information Security Technology Wins National Surveying & Mapping Awards
October 14, 2009 – 8:00 AM EDT

China Information Security Technology, Inc., (Nasdaq:CPBY) (“China Information Security,” “CIST” or the “Company”), a leading total solutions provider of digital security,geographic information, and hospital information systems in China, today announced that three of the Company’s projectshave been honored with high level awards in the surveying and mapping industry in China.

The Company’s “Multi-source Spatial Information Network Sharing Software Platform and Engineering Applications” project was awarded first place for the Surveying and Mapping Science and Technology Progress Award by the Chinese Society for Geodesy Photogrammetry and Cartography (the “Society”) while the Company’s “Zhejiang Provincial Geographic Information System” project won second place. In addition, the Company’s “Nanchang Digital Garden” project was awarded third place in the Outstanding Surveying and Mapping Engineering Award. These awards are granted annually by the Society to companies and projects that have created innovative technology, found innovative and beneficial applications for existing technology, successfully adopted and developed upon foreign technology or that have achieved excellence in technological information administration, as determined by the National Science and Technology Award Principles.

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Old Map of China

As reported by China’s Xinhua, there is now a ban on topographic map trading, both online and offline, of classified topographic maps in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. This is according to said northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region authorities in a joint notice according to local officials.

” topography map entitled “classified”, published during the Culture Revolution (1966-1976), was discovered trading in a collection market in May, which triggered the joint notice by five regional departments, including the bureau of surveying and mapping, civil affairs department, administration for the protection of state secrets and communication administration.”

Professional Land Surveyor Source – Xinhua

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China Compass (Beidou) Constellation Planned by End of 2010. Source: InsideGNSS.com

Here’s an article I found China Daily about the Chinese Compass, or Beidou (Big Dipper) Global Navigation Satellite System which is expected to challenge our U.S. developed GPS, the EU’s GPS and Russia’s GPS.

This Compass GPS is planning on providing regional service to China with 12 satellites in 2011. By the year 2020 China plans to employ a total of 35 satellites in this Compass navigation satellite system.

Also reported is that all four Global Navigation Satellite Systems are negotiating compatibility amongst their civilian-use technologies.

Read the rest of this entry →

China vows to foster the development of the geographic information industry and boost the “building of Digital China” through the National Geographic Information Summit, which opens in Beijing today, according to Xu Deming, vice-Minister of Land and Resources.

Surveying and mapping has become a fundamental safeguard for the development of the economy, Wang Chunfeng, vice-chief of the State Bureau of Surveying and Mapping, said last month.

Professional Land Surveyor Source: China Daily

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Strange Maps 312-The Population of China’s Provinces Compared

Professional Land Surveyor Source: 312 – The Population of China’s Provinces Compared « Strange Maps.

This is an interesting map showing the Peoples Republic of China‘s Provinces, or Administrative Divisions, labeled as countries with equivalent populations.

At this post, on Strangemaps.com, you’ll also find informative data listing Chinese territories compared to foreign country populations.

The population and size of China is very hard to grasp, but this map and related data helps to put it into some perspective.

While you’re checking  this map, check out all the other great maps at Strangemaps.com, too.