GIS

Get great results by default with Esri
Great news! Beginning April 12, 2023, Esri’s GIS software becomes the default mapping tool in Fulcrum’s mobile platform.

Watch a demonstration of Fulcrum’s integration with Esri’s ArcGIS Online!

Two experienced geospatial pros discuss the challenges and lessons learned over their GIS careers.

Since field inspections require sharp eyes, high-quality data collection, and location information, they’ve always required a complex stew of technologies to support them.

To do their jobs effectively, today’s field workforces need location-aware apps: apps that connect what’s happening — inspection data that’s being collected, or steps in a checklist that someone is checking off — with where it’s happening, or that provide users with maps to understand the location context of what they’re doing.

Welcome to the second of our series of stories around clients using Fulcrum to perform data collection in the field. For Part 2, we have non-profit organizations that use Fulcrum’s data collection forms in the field for charitable pursuits.

You may know that Fulcrum is the only field inspection platform that automatically delivers location information with every inspection, every data point, every task, and every issue. But how does Fulcrum’s geolocation capability play out over different titles and job functions? We’ve explored just that in our new infographic, Location Intelligence for Smarter Field Inspections.

Great news! Fulcrum has entered a definitive Commercial Provider agreement with Esri™ to build on the Esri technology stack. What does that mean? Let’s break it down.

The Problem

Field-based teams face many challenges operating in the diverse range of international environments in which MSI works. For instance, remote regions often lack mobile networks, or lack of infrastructure might make it impossible to find critical locations. When teams arrive, surveys need to be conducted in multiple local languages. Teams may face challenges with local authorities who might be suspicious of activities. Finally, frequently changing inspection criteria and client information requests require field teams to rapidly pivot and shift priorities.

In late 2021, Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) encountered a severe problem. A former contract worker was accused of falsifying up to 3,000 electric system inspections over two years. The deception was revealed when a power pole, allegedly inspected and declared free of rot, collapsed into a residential backyard. It sent a live electrical wire into a swimming pool, fortunately without causing any injuries.

Location-enabled mobile data collection has helped Wonderful Orchards grow nutritious foods safely and efficiently.

Each day, teams on the ground play a crucial role in performing essential operations like inspections, installations, and ensuring compliance. These operations, while seemingly straightforward, create an abundance of location data that often doesn’t receive the attention it deserves.

Learn how to generate meaningful insights based on the activities your field teams do every day.

With the integration announced earlier this year, customers of Fulcrum and Esri™ can now get more value out of their investments in both platforms. By sending high-quality, real-time Fulcrum data into Esri, organizations can get a clearer picture of what’s happening on the ground, analyze their situation more effectively, and make better, more data-driven decisions.

In a recent study conducted by Boston Consulting Group (BCG), 95% of executives across several industries in the United States, UK, Singapore and India said that mapping and GIS location intelligence are important to achieving desired business results.

With the mobile revolution, more and more users in field roles are discovering the power of location-based data. Whether it is used to trigger a workflow or process, or simply help visualize information on a map, users — particularly those who work in the field — are increasingly demanding location-aware apps to make their jobs easier and more efficient.

“Pretty much anyone can create an app that can be launched and used right away.”

Download this free PDF checklist to conduct a site survey before executing telecom projects.

The Problem
The Creek Fire, which began in September 2020, was one of the largest disasters that impacted the County of Fresno, said Public Works and Planning IT Manager Thanaphat “Pat” Srisukwatana. Due to the nature of this disaster that impacted the community, officials needed to find a solution that could be deployed instantly or shortly after the fire to assist with damage assessment and accurately collect data to share with FEMA so the recovery process could begin.

Today marks the first phase of a new, easier way to integrate Fulcrum and Esri™. Joint customers can now get more value from their existing Esri investments by extending their location intelligence capabilities beyond the specialized geographic information systems (GIS) user.

Use this checklist to document the condition and maintenance records of your transformers.

Amid the election and pandemic, it seems every American has likely deepened their knowledge of U.S. geography. We’ve spent a substantial part of the year analyzing data. This data has pinpointed where the virus hits hardest, identified states reporting their election outcomes, and now, tracks the deployment of the coronavirus vaccine.

Download this form to keep transmission lines protected from hazardous trees and prevent power service interruptions.

Conducting pole audits, fiber-optic route maintenance, and feasibility studies.

Clearing landmines and other explosive remnants of war in countries recovering from conflict.

One of our favorite mobile mapping apps is Locus Map, a “utility belt” mapping app for Android that’s feature-packed and robust for all sorts of outdoor and recreational mapping needs. It lets you load offline trail maps, record GPS tracks, drop waypoints, and more.

No network – no problem! Using maps when offline in Fulcrum
Today we added a much anticipated feature to our Android client that now allows users to save time and bandwidth. Previously in order to utilize true offline maps on Android, each map would have to be uploaded to your account, and then downloaded back down to each device. This presents challenges for users with limited to zero Internet connectivity.

A Dangerous legacy
In Cambodia, almost 20 years after the last mines were laid, 1,000 square kilometers of land in the northwest are still contaminated by small plastic anti-personnel mines which can sever limbs and larger anti-vehicle mines, which can destroy a farmer’s tractor and kill passengers—there have been thousands of civilian casualties in the past decade.

Program Management Solutions with Fulcrum

Century Engineering, Inc. (Century) is proud to work with the Delaware Department of Transportation Railroad Program (DelDOT) providing engineering design and technology solutions services related to over 500 railroad crossings that they manage and maintain statewide. DelDOT is responsible for ensuring that all crossings promote safe travel for Delaware citizens, visitors, and railroad operators. This responsibility comes with the task of ensuring all railroad crossing structures are operational and compliant based on Federal and State regulations (ADA and MUTCD). In addition to maintaining the physical assets of the State’s railroad crossings, DelDOT also handles public complaints, reported incidents, and coordinates / monitors all construction activities related to maintenance and redesign projects.

Celerity Integrated Services (Celerity) is a telecom contracting company that designs, builds, andservices fiber optic and wireless infrastructure, the primary medium for communication and datatransfers in the world today. It has engineered thousands of miles of fiber optic infrastructure fortelecommunications and utility companies as well as educational and governmental organizations.Its seasoned professionals use the most current equipment, making Celerity a premier providerof OSP engineering, aerial and underground construction, splicing and testing services, and nextmile wireless networks.

The COVID-19 epidemic highlights the importance of a data-driven approach. From an epidemiological view, limited test data restricts our understanding of the spread and future trajectory. Often, even available data is hard to analyze and present in a form useful for public and policymaker decisions.

Randal Hale is a longtime Fulcrum user and the owner of North River Geographic Systems, Inc., a GIS consulting firm based in Chattanooga, TN. He was kind enough to share the details of his experience helping his client — a local 911 office — convert their GIS system to a more affordable, flexible setup using Fulcrum!

Today’s businesses have vast amounts of data, and decision-makers must use it to solve pressing problems. However, due to the high data volume and limited time for analysis, it’s crucial to cut through the noise and focus on what matters. Location intelligence streamlines this process by visually representing your data, making it easier to understand. Viewing data in a visual context, such as on a map, significantly enhances comprehension.

I just arrived back home in St. Pete after an awesome and productive week in San Diego for this year’s FOSS4G-NA conference. It’s North America’s version of the go-to event for those of us at the intersection of geospatial and open source. OSGeo and the local organizing committee hosted it at the Marina Village Conference Center in Mission Bay. Overall the event was a phenomenal week full of great content, new (and old) friends, time with customers and partners, and a chance to see what’s next in the industry.

About Geodexy

When I joined Spatial Networks we were in the very early stages of building a data collection tool, primarily for internal use to improve speed and efficiency on data project work. That product was called Geodexy, and the model was similar to Fulcrum in concept, but in execution and tech stack, everything was completely different.

Fulcrum records location data with each parent record, child record, and media attachment, ensuring high location accuracy. The collected data relies on the configured location provider in your mobile device’s operating system. Typically, this provider is the onboard GPS sensor, which sometimes works in conjunction with other sensors and radios in the device.

Every year since 2014, the American Geographical Society (AGS) has hosted Geography 2050, a multi-year strategic dialogue among thought leaders from academia, government, business, and the nonprofit sector.

Spatial Networks is once again proud to announce our support for the annual Free and Open Source Software for Geospatial (FOSS4G) conference. FOSS4G 2018 brings together the largest gathering of developers and users of open source geospatial software in the world- and this year it’s all happening in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, one of Africa’s fastest growing cities!

As we mentioned in a recent post, adding a spatial dimension to your field data vastly increases the value of your efforts, whether you’re collecting information for the purpose of tracking sales or fighting malaria. And all geospatial data collection starts with a basemap.

As a geospatial intelligence and technology company, Spatial Networks is dedicated to advancing geographic literacy in education. This commitment aims to enhance students’ understanding of our rapidly changing world.

When we initially launched our integration with DroneDeploy on its App Market, we had other plans for expanding it. Our goal was to make drone imagery more accessible for fieldwork and ground-truthing through Fulcrum.

What is human geography

Human geography has been around as long as, well, humans. But our study of “human geography” as a concept is relatively new, especially among the geospatial/GIS community.

At our core, Spatial Networks is a geography company. From building geospatial technology products to collecting, organizing, and analyzing geodata, we eat, drink, and breathe geography. It’s sobering to learn that, for many of our customers, Fulcrum often provides their first exposure to the wonderful world of Geographic Information Systems (GIS).

We are thrilled to support the FOSS4G 2017 Conference as a Gold Sponsor this August in Boston! The annual Free and Open Source Software for Geospatial (FOSS4G) brings together the largest global open-source geospatial software global community. This event gathers developers, users, decision-makers, and observers for a week of immersive learning and networking.

Last week at Columbia University, hundreds of scholars, policy makers, environmental researchers, and geographers sat down to discuss how geography can be used to solve major world problems at this year’s Geography2050 Conference. The theme for the conference, “Envisioning a Sustainable Planet,” focused on the use of GIS tools, data, and novel approaches to aid in the protection, preservation, and conservation of our planet for future generations.

I had the opportunity to represent Fulcrum at the inaugural DroneDeploy Conference in San Francisco, CA last week. One of the goals of the conference was to “focus on real-world drone deployments across industries driven by people”. The conference had people in attendance from an array of industries including end users, software providers, and developers interested in folding aerial survey data into applications.

Geography has never played a more critical role in our lives than it does today. The long-standing traditions of map-making and understanding physical environments remain essential to how we organize our world. Additionally, modern advancements such as GIS, GPS, and geospatial analysis now permeate nearly every aspect of daily life.

Speaking at conferences is a great way to think about what you know in your industry and how you can share that information. A couple weeks ago, I was invited to speak at O’Reilly Fluent Conference in San Francisco, where I talked about web map libraries and emerging geo industries technologies. Here are some few discoveries and thoughts I had about the experience.

Last week I attended the GIS CAMA Technologies Conference in Savannah, hosted by URISA and IAAO. The event was a meeting-of-the-minds for tax assessors, property appraisers, and the GIS / technical staff for the industry writ-large to discuss the latest in tech and trends for the property assessment community.