Geomatics

Geomatics is the modern scientific term referring to the integrated approach of measurement, analysis, management, storage and display of the descriptions and location of Earth-based data, often termed spatial data. These data come from many sources, including earth orbiting satellites, air and sea-borne sensors and ground based instruments.

Its activity is based on information technology and very fundamental to civil engineering disciplines which use spatially related data. The principal areas embraced by geomatics include the mapping sciences, land management, geographic information systems, global positioning systems, geodesy, remote sensing and surveying. Geomatics has its roots in land surveying but now embraces much wider fields in measurement science and spatial information systems.

The course content in geomatics covers the whole aspects of geomatics technology and applications. This include the analysis of ground based measurement such as levelling, theodolite traversing, automated surveying, and setting out. The fundamentals of geo-information science and image processing is also introduced with the emphasis on the component, functions, analysis and spatial modelling.

The principles of satellite positioning and offshore positioning are also covered with special attention to the instrumentation and measuring techniques.