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The Conversation
The Conversation
Darren Ruddell, Associate Professor of Spatial Sciences, University of Southern California

What is geospatial intelligence? A geographer explains the powerful melding of maps and data

Where + what = geospatial intelligence. Peter Steffen/picture alliance via Getty Images

With record-breaking temperatures across the South, smoke from Canadian wildfires across the North, historic flooding in the Northeast and a powerful hurricane in the Southeast, the summer of 2023 has presented a range of threats to the safety of the majority of Americans. The good news, through all of this: Geospatial intelligence has offered valuable insights to help governments and organizations protect communities.

Geospatial intelligence is the collection and integration of data from a network of technologies, including satellites, mobile sensors, ground-control stations and aerial images. The data is used to produce real-time maps and simulations to help identify when, where and to what extent a threat is likely to emerge. Government officials, individuals or both can use this information to make informed decisions.

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