GPS SOUTHERN AFRICA CONFERENCE AND EXHIBITION

20 to 22 August 2008 at the Indaba Hotel, Fourways, Johannesburg

I recently attended the day “GPS Southern Africa Conference” the first of its kind in South Africa. Ryno van Ellewee must be complimented in putting on this conference, which is long overdue, together. The value of the conference was proven by the numbers of the papers presented. This conference proved something which I have often suggested and that is that GPS is the technology of the future. Positioning or location will become essential in most aspects of life and this will be for all people and not only Land Surveyors and Civil Engineers.

Most people today know or have heard of a GPS as a hand held device that shows where you are or directs you to an address. Maybe we should start referring to it rather by the subject name, Satellite Navigation. I am as guilty as Mr. Joe Public when commonly referring to GPS as the system. GPS is the American system (NAVSTARGPS the correct name) and a GPS is only the device in your hand. The more we look into the subject the more systems we will find, with the Russian, the Chinese, the European systems and a few other that are not so commonly known and used solely for positioning and not for navigation.

The conference’s name I felt was incorrect as most guest speakers did not address GPS or NAVSTARGPS but rather the more accurate satellite navigation systems that are used for more precise work such as data capturing and surveying where “sub metre” and centimetre accuracies are required. These systems have a direct relationship and input to Geographic Information Systems, GIS (A computer system that bases its decision making on digital mapping and intelligent information relating to locations on the digital maps). In doing so addressing the more precise requirements of the professionals. I believe they cut out 95% of the actual user group of GPS devices.

Major events and construction projects are planned for the near future and GPS devices (all three categories, surveying, data capturing and navigation) are going to play a major role in the planning of these events, the preparation of the events and in managing of the events. These events and the role that this technology can play and should play was not addressed at this Conference and I believe that an opportunity was missed.

Some very interesting and excellent presentations were presented by some twenty guest speakers all of which had the delegates spell bound.

Prof Charles Merry from the University of Cape Town presented an excellent paper on what GPS is or rather how Satellite Navigation works, its history and the latest developments finding time to correct incorrect facts from earlier speakers. It is always of interest to listen to Prof Merry as he always introduces something new in his presentation. What interested me was that Prof Merry confirmed that the newer hand held navigation devices, under good conditions are getting 3m accuracies most of the time. I am still happy to promote, and feel safe in doing so, that a handheld device is generally accurate to 5m.

Richard Wonnacott, Director of Survey Services at Chief Directorate Surveys and Mapping, Department of Land Affairs presented a paper on the TrigNet GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System). This is the GPS network of permanent GPS stations recording GPS signal that can be used to enhance Survey and Data Capturing systems to better accuracies (less that 1 metre and centimetre accuracies).

Lorraine Deane from MAPiT presented a Case Study of the future of GPS Advertising. While listening to her, this small GPS device and its applications, can no longer be considered the “small toys for boys”. This navigation device is a “small monster” with unlimited applications and has the potential for business and recreation applications.

Michael Breetzke presented a talk on airborne lidar mapping. This is a laser system mounted in an aircraft or possibly other vehicles, that knows its actual position, while on the move. While it is moving it is correcting any errors and at the same time scanning the earth surface with its laser. This formation can later be enabled to provide a detailed image (Digital Elevation Model) of the earth’s surface or a contour map of the earth surface with the sub meter accuracy.

Pierre Rossouw of the South African Post Office presented a paper on the new postal code system that will start rolling out towards the end of 2009. The new system has a far longer code than at present but will be unique to the home location / address for most South African’s in rural and urban areas. It will not be a co-ordinate but will be based on location. If the system rolls out as planned it will mean that we will have one of the most advanced postal code systems in the world. The system when fully operational is claimed to save time and money and get post delivered on time.

The paper presented by Magnus Rademeyer the Managing Director of Afrigis, covered the GPS and mobile technology. This is his personal passion in life and includes the Gautrain project. As normal Magnus had everyone sitting on the edge of their seats waiting for the next piece of tidbit information about the two technologies. You always know you are going to come away richer in knowledge. These two technologies are now becoming more and more integrated giving the end user so much more real-time information. If you consider the cell phone and all the facilities it offers and then integrate them you get :-
• A camera
• A MP3 player for music
• A GPS
• A SMS communication feature
• A mobile phone
• A Tracking device
• A tour guide for current information
• A web connection for real-time live information off the web.
• And don’t forget the video recorder

A few years ago when the first GPS cellphone came out it was a simple the device but continually failing. Today these problems have been ironed out and the system provides a far better service than we ever expected. Today’s cell phone / GPS still has a few problems like short battery life and a small screen but these problems will be short lived and overcome.

The afternoon session of the second day was presented by Mark Smith from CLM Positioning Solutions talking about GPS and productivity management in construction and mining. An eye opener to what can actually be achieved with real-time location. From asset control, productivity analyzing to maintenance scheduling. The follow up speaker was Mike Briers from Geosystems Africa who spoke about structural monitoring using GPS. The most interesting is the current case study involving the Big Hole in Kimberly that could be at risk in the future.

Lance Nel from TGIS presented an excellent paper on the Infrastructure asset evaluation for Integrated Systems, Infrastructure Management and financial assist register synchronization in South Africa municipalities and the important role that GPS will play in getting these registers updated. This paper was then followed by a paper from Gert Meintjies from the Research and Development, Hotgroup on GPS and proactive risk management in conversation and farming. Gert explained how they are able to track animal behavior, trends and patterns to assist the farmer in making far better decisions and more cost effective decisions in the future. More interesting was that Gert was able to show, through use of is computer, how GPS and a collar were able to restrict animal movement in unfenced areas. Does this suggest that we will one day control our children this way?

Dr Henk Coetzee a Scientist from Environmental Geosciences Unit of the Council for Geosciences presented a most informative paper. Dr Coetzee went into a bit of history of GPS explaining that the concept of Satellite Navigation existed during the 18th century. He also put a bit of a damper on the idea of the integrated GPS, camera and mobile phone in that the 3 were not ideally integrated. The device might exist but is not robust enough for field work just yet.

In conclusion I consider that the Conference was most informative, introducing the different applications of the GPS and their success. One thing that came out of the conference was that people,in the professional field, are using this new or mature (Dr Henk Coetzee’s words) technology but without an understand of the technology, its principles of application. The same could be said about the recreational user. This lack of understanding could be the reason for the frustration experienced when the device does not comply with the expectation created by the sales people.