Spatial Infrastructure for a Competitive Economy

Martin Nix | August 7, 2009

One aspect of spatial information is high precision (centimetre level) GPS positioning. Each of these industries is being radically transformed, productivity wise, by high precision GPS positioning. There are many specific examples. Centimetre level GPS tractor guidance allows cereal plants to be planted between previous crop rows, eliminating ploughing. This reduces moisture evaporation and disease spread in new plant roots. This single example is estimated to increase wheat yields up to 10% and contributes to water savings in dry land agriculture. Similar examples abound in mining and construction, especially in the transformation of work practices resulting from guiding and controlling off-road vehicles and machinery. Several mines are already testing driverless machinery, enabled by high precision GPS.

 

Over many years leading the development and distribution of high precision positioning and measuring systems in Europe, Australia and the Americas, I noticed 3 common themes to the take up of high precision spatial data.

 

First, the value of spatial data was higher for the higher accuracy applications and even higher when provided instantaneously (i.e., in real time).

 

Second, that the cost of obtaining higher accuracies declines as volumes of high precision spatial data gathering systems increased, their production costs went down and as GPS reference networks grew. The GPS reference networks provide a high precision, real time positioning infrastructure for multiple user communities and lowers capital equipment costs and set-up times for users.

 

Third, high accuracy spatial data can be used for multiple purposes leveraging the cost benefit of centimetre data collection. This theme was particularly noticeable in countries where asset location (e.g., cables, water pipes etc.) for GIS databases was required at centimetre level and associated with boundaries. 

 

In all these themes, national GPS reference networks that provide 24/7 centimetre accuracies with unambiguous and consistent commercial policies have made significant contributions. European countries such as Great Britain and Germany have their national GPS reference networks which underpin spatial information’s contribution to their economies. Various initiatives in Australian states, in national authorities and at the private level show that GPS reference networks are underway but there is much to do to create an unambiguous national policy that can be communicated to mine, agriculture, construction and many other beneficiary industries.

 

Interestingly, there is an investment plan of some $43 billion into Australia’s broadband infrastructure to improve productivity for the information economy which will be highly co-ordinated by a new public-private company. There are also various reports indicating that at least 80% of all information has a “where” component (i.e., spatial information.) It would seem logical to correlate the national policy on broadband infrastructure with a simultaneous national policy on spatial infrastructure to support that 80% of all information.

 

Our public spatial community leaders are actively collaborating to develop spatial infrastructure such as GPS reference networks from various jurisdiction budgets. There are examples of private and public engagement, too. The “will” to improve the infrastructure is gaining momentum. It’s time for the next phase: finalise and roll out a communication strategy for national spatial infrastructure to beneficiary industries.