05 Mar 2021

The Role of Geospatial Intelligence in Delivering Positive Change

Luca Budello, Geospatial Lead at KTN introduces a joint thought leadership publication by the KTN and Ordnance Survey on “The Power of Place – A Sustainable Future with Geospatial Insights".

We are on the edge of a geospatial transformation. What started as a simple data set is now becoming a powerful geospatial knowledge infrastructure. There are billions of sensors collecting data everywhere on Earth, and hundreds of earth observation satellites monitoring the health of the planet. Miniaturisation of electronics enables the production of increasingly smaller payloads for cubesats, drones and ground-based monitoring systems. Meanwhile, cloud-based computing is providing the computational power to experiment with new business models, making geospatial data available via platforms in near real-time.

To explore this evolving landscape, KTN and Ordnance Survey have collaborated on “The Power of Place – A Sustainable Future with Geospatial Insights”. The thought leadership publication brings together industry leaders and emerging thinkers to reflect on the role of geospatial insights in building a sustainable, resilient future. Each chapter features case studies showcasing how geospatial is already at the heart of building a digital ecosystem for planet Earth.

As part of the launch of this joint thought leadership publication Clare Hadley, Deputy Head of Government Geography Profession at Ordnance Survey, wrote: “Nations that recognise the importance of ‘location/place’ can take a geospatial approach to organising their economies, government policies and technology. They can then prioritise investment in geospatial data, technology and management to allow them to make decisions with full geospatial knowledge and are better able to progress to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.”

To read the full report click here to be sent to the KTN website: https://ktn-uk.org/geospatial/.

Laura Foster

Associate Director - Technology and Innovation, techUK

Laura is techUK’s Associate Director for Technology and Innovation.

She supports the application and expansion of emerging technologies, including Quantum Computing, High-Performance Computing, AR/VR/XR and Edge technologies, across the UK. As part of this, she works alongside techUK members and UK Government to champion long-term and sustainable innovation policy that will ensure the UK is a pioneer in science and technology

Before joining techUK, Laura worked internationally as a conference researcher and producer covering enterprise adoption of emerging technologies. This included being part of the strategic team at London Tech Week.

Laura has a degree in History (BA Hons) from Durham University, focussing on regional social history. Outside of work she loves reading, travelling and supporting rugby team St. Helens, where she is from.