SMC-Synergy

During our visit to Intergeo in Berlin during October we were introduced to the EOS positioning systems by Satyam Dave from EOS Positioning Systems. Satyam arranged a demonstration model from Terry Odgers (Red Dog Scientific Services) who is the distributor in South Africa. The main objective was to see how well the EOS Arrow integrated with Global Mapper Mobile Pro (GMMP) and the accuracy that could be obtained. The integration with GMMP went smoothly and the accuracy in the horizontal as well as the vertical was below 0,5m. Any enquiries can be directed to Terry at RDSS.

SMC Synergy evaluated very affordable Digital Elevation Model (DEM) data with 2 m resolution (50 cm vertical accuracy) available from GeoSmart. GeoSmart was founded by Prof Adriaan van Niekerk and is a spin-off company of Stellenbosch University. The 2 m DEM proved extremely useful for water management planning on agricultural fields as well as general watershed modelling (stream flow and flow accumulation). Global Mapper users can contact SMC Synergy for more information on how to acquire the DEM data and possible applications.

Renier Balt and Dirk Pretorius attended the Intergeo trade fair and conference in Berlin (Germany) during October 23. This was also a good opportunity to link up with Kris Berglund and his team from Blue Marble Geo who exhibited at the Expo. Some of the highlights of the Expo included a strong focus on the interoperability of sensors for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, the capturing and use of LiDAR data as well as new developments in the field of Building Information Modelling (BIM). Renier also had a brief meeting with Barbara Ryan, outgoing Executive Director of the World Geospatial Industry Council (WGIC).

Dirk Pretorius visited Sensys Magnetometers and Survey Solutions (Markus Schikorra) in Bad Saarow (Germany) during October 23. Sensys is one of the most advanced and experienced companies in the world regarding magnetometer and electromagnetic surveys systems. During 2020 Sensys provided SMC Synergy with a MagDrone 3R unit for testing. Markus also highlighted some new exiting developments regarding UAV based magnetometers which will be available soon.

Accurate maps of bird distributions requires survey inputs from knowledgeable birders, mostly volunteer citizen scientists. The South African Bird Atlas Project (SABAP2) started in 2007, and more than 17 million records have been collected with about 2 million more being added each year. This valuable dataset is key to determining the conservation status of bird species, correctly assigning red-list status and establishing Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas, as well as forming the basis for informing environmental impact assessments. SMC Synergy supported the atlas bash between Williston and Fraserburg in September 23 with coverage maps, as well as the Global Mapper Mobile app. Contiguous survey inputs are important for accurate distribution modeling. Vulnerable and endemic species listed in this area in the Karoo will make a difference to the SABAP2 dataset, also for assessment of the potential impact of Climate Change.

Global Mapper v25.0 was released on September 26, 2023 - new functionality includes:
- Image painting tool
- Python script builder
- Auto styling for vector data
- Tree cover polygon generation from LiDAR data
- Improved menu layout

Global Mapper training - Community Development project

Renier Balt presented a Global Mapper training course as part of a Community Development project near Touwsrivier in the Western Cape on the Lettas Kraal Private Nature Reserve during June 2023. ...

Tools in Global Mapper Pro to improve the vertical accuracy of point clouds and DEMs

The Quality Control (QC) tool of Global Mapper Pro is easy to use and improves the vertical accuracy of point clouds and digital elevation models (DEMs) or grids dramatically. In this screen copy ...

SMC Synergy is finalising the EcoRestore information system in BEIMS with the NWU

SMC Synergy is finalising the EcoRestore Bush Restoration Information System in collaboration with the North West University (NWU). The system provides information on bush restoration projects and ...

SMC Synergy/MBV Ubumbano receives Achievement Award from Blue Marble Geographics (BMG)

During March 2023 SMC Synergy (with MBV Ubumbano as partner) received a reseller achievement award from BMG

Global Mapper training at the North West University

SMC Synergy provided Global Mapper training for students and interns of the North West University on 8 March 2023. The training focused on the functionality of Global Mapper as well as workflows ...

SMC Synergy assisting the NWU with the development of BEIMS

SMC Synergy and the North West University is finalising the Bush Expert Information Management System (BEIMS). The location of all EcoRestore case studies will be evaluated and where necessary ...

Using the View shed tool in Global Mapper in estate security analysis

Global Mapper Pro was used during December 2022 to process around 600 drone images to create a point cloud for a Country Estate in the Southern Cape. A digital terrain model was compiled from the ...

SMC Synergy assisted DFFE to capture land degradation information in the catchments draining into the Mount Fletcher dam

SMC Synergy has been appointed as an independent service provider for the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) and assisted the NRM Programme of the Department to capture land ...

Groen Sebenza WOCAT and GIS training

SMC Synergy presented a training seminar on the World Overview of Conservation Approaches and Technologies (WOCAT) programme and GIS for the Groen Sebenza interns of the Department of Forestry, ...

SMC Synergy is assisting DFFE to capture Knysna fire restoration in the WOCAT Knowledge database

SMC Synergy is assisting the Department of Fisheries, Forestry and Environment (DFFE) to capture restoration projects implemented after the destructive fires around Knysna during 2017 in the World ...

Global Mapper training during the lock-down

Global Mapper training during the Covid Pandemic provided some challenges, but also many opportunities.

SMC continued to provide professional and practical training throughout this ...

The wait is over - Global Mapper Pro is here

Global Mapper Pro®, the newest addition to the Global ...

SMC Synergy assist UNDP to evaluate bathymetric survey of silted dams

Dirk Pretorius from SMC Synergy assisted officials from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to evaluate the use of low cost sonar equipment and existing digital terrain data in a GIS ...

SMC Synergy and UAV Technologies testing drone magnetometer

During the week of 15 October 2020 SMC Synergy and UAV Technologies tested a drone based magnetometer at a test site near Pretoria. Results of this survey will be evaluated through a comparison with ...

Mount Fletcher dam - UAV survey

SMC Synergy and UAV Technologies conducted a UAV survey (including LiDAR) of the Mount Fletcher dam area during March 2020 as part of a project for DEFF NRM.

The UAV survey had the following ...

SMC Synergy attends the LifeWatch ERIC meeting in Rome, Italy

During February 2020 Dirk Pretorius of SMC Synergy was requested by Dr. Christo Marais (Chief Director NRM Programmes) to attend the LifeWatch ERIC (European Research Infrastructure Consortium) ...

SMC Synergy partners with UAV Technologies

SMC Synergy today signed a partnership agreement with UAV Technologies, a SACAA registered Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) service provider. This partnership will expand SMC Synergy's services ...

SMC Synergy delivers the upgraded Bush Expert Information Management System

SMC Synergy was contracted by the North West University (funding from the Department of Environmental Affairs, Forestry and Fisheries) to upgrade the first version of the Bush Expert Information ...

Global Mapper exhibits at AfricaGIS 2019 in Kigali

SMC Synergy in collaboration with Blue Marble Geographics will be exhibiting Global Mapper GIS software at AfricaGIS in Kigali, Rwanda from 18 - 22 November 2019. AfricaGIS is the largest Geospatial, ...

Almost Real-time weather data in Global Mapper

EUMETSAT's almost realtime weather data is freely available through a Web Map Service (WMS) in Global Mapper. The link to the WMS can be added in GM through the "Connect to ...

Global Mapper v21 release

Blue Marble Geographics released Global Mapper 21 this week. Some of the new functionality:

•  The Global Mapper MangoMap Extension for publishing maps directly to a ...
  
  
  
  

Biomass Expo Otjiwarongo Namibia - August 2019

Renier Balt and Dirk Pretorius attended the Biomass Technology Expo on August 9, 2019 in Otjiwarongo, Namibia. The Expo was arranged by the Namibian Biomass Industry Group (N-BiG). SMC Synergy ...

WOCAT - TerrAfrica publication on Sustainable Rangeland Management in Sub-Saharan Africa

WOCAT and TerrAfrica released a digital version of guidelines on Sustainable Rangeland Management in Sub-Saharan Africa. SMC Synergy was involved in the logistical arrangements of the Writeshop in ...

Got a Drone? Now What? — Using Global Mapper with Your UAV

The rapid growth of UAV ownership has resulted in an interesting dilemma for some would-be pilots. Having purchased the hardware and collected some data, many are often unclear as to what exactly ...

SMC Synergy visit Blue Marble Geographics in Hallowell, Maine, USA

Renier Balt from SMC Synergy recently visited the mapping software company Blue Marble Geographics (BMG) in Hollowell, USA. Apart from the excellent social interaction with the BMG team Renier also ...

Where in the World? - The Monthly Blue Marble Geo-Challenge

Think you know your way around the world? Why not take the Blue Marble Geo-Challenge. Each month they provide five images captured in Global Mapper showing a city, country, or some other geographic ...

SMC Synergy visit Blue Marble Geographics at Intergeo in Frankfurt

Dirk Pretorius from SMC Synergy attended the Intergeo Trade Fair in Frankfurt, Germany during October 2018. Some of the highlights include:

•  Visit the Blue Marble Geographics ...
  
  
  
  

LiDARUSA uses Global Mapper on Expedition Unknown

Did you catch Global Mapper on television over the summer? In an episode of the Travel Channel show, “Expedition Unknown,” the production crew visited Guatemala in search of Mayan ruins. A team ...

Global Mapper Advanced Training - 28 to 29 August 2018

During August 2018 a Global Mapper advanced training course (including LiDAR data processing) was presented to Birane Dia from Senegal (SMC Synergy GlobalMapper reseller partner in Senegal), various ...

SMC Synergy collaboration with the North-West University

SMC Synergy is currently collaborating with the North-West University (NWU - School of Biological Sciences) on a bush encroachment project (funded by DEA NRM) as well as training of students in the ...

Global Mapper Training - 23 to 27 April - ACGT from the Congo

Another successful Global Mapper advanced training event was hosted by SMC Synergy at the City Lodge Hotel (Lynnwood Bridge) in Pretoria. The training course presented by Renier Balt included an ...

New SMC Office in George

SMC Synergy moved one of our offices from the Northwest Province to George in the southern Cape. We will be able to service our clients in this area more directly, in addition to the online support ...