Geospatial Data Analytics and Information Systems

Geospatial data concerns the earth’s surface and the objects on it. It has traditionally been used for geographic mapping, but is increasingly being combined with other data from various sources, such as weather data, census data, satelllite imagery, aerial photography and social media data, to answer questions and help with predictions, analysis and decision making in a wide variety of application areas. Innovation and cutting-edge research and development (R&D) in the field of geospatial data analytics and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) continues to offer solutions to today’s most challenging problems.

Geospatial data is used by all levels of government. In Victoria the Department of Transport and Planning has overall responsibility for geospatial data and analytics, and provides data to the private sector as well as other levels of government. However much geospatial data is held by local councils. Some geospatial data is freely available to the public while some must be bought.

Ryan Watson Consulting is developing a capability in geospatial data analytics, particularly in using the many open-source python libraries that support this technology. We are currently applying it to the statistical analysis of road accident environmental data and urban modelling using point cloud data.  However our ability to quickly get up to speed in new areas makes us a valuable support resource in whatever field you wish to apply the technology to.

In August 2022 our company outposted an intern from Swinburne University, Ms Prim Hansakul, to assist the Whitehorse City Council’s GIS Team to develop a layer in their public facing GIS platform that details current planning applications. Prim has considerable experience in urban planning as well as geospatial data analytics, and was a valuable asset to the WCC GIS Team.

In March 2024 the WCC GIS Team sponsored a project for our Swinburne interns on urban canopy identification using LiDAR point cloud data.