The Harlow Report-GIS
2024 Edition
ISSN 0742-468XSince 1978
On-line Since 2000
GIS News Snippets
For the week of
November 11, 2024
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A “Harlow Report” From Nov 11, 2023
How Does Lidar Empower the UAV Industry?
by Guest Contributor
Lidar emits light actively and outputs “point cloud” images with the received reflected light, outlining the details of all road objects with a complete representation of the 3D world.
Lidar plays a critical role in drone construction, establishing itself as an indispensable sensor for an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). With lidar, UAVs not only free up time for humans but also offer solutions to problems such as covering vast areas in a shorter period of time, navigating tighter spaces, and protecting humans from unsanitary locations. So how does our lidar navigate diverse challenges, cater to the perception needs of robotic applications, accelerate the adoption of unmanned technology, and enhance safety and production efficiency?
Lidar's robust sensing ability enables accurate recognition of hazards such as dust, raindrops, and snowflakes. It reduces the likelihood of false alarms triggered by small obstacles and enhances the overall safety of UAVs. With multiple-return technology to process returned signals, lidar corrects the data it receives, enabling laser beams to partially penetrate through rain, snow, fog, haze, and dust—thus dealing with the challenges of extreme climates. Meanwhile, lidar that passes reliability tests, including vibration and weather tests, can endure the vibration of the vehicle and remain functional in harsh weather environments. To achieve large-scale droning operations, without human intervention, companies choose lidar as the primary sensor in their sensor fusion approaches, which effectively addresses the huge demands of area imaging.
Read full story at Commercial UAV News…
Now back to 2024
How Geospatial technology and Earth Observation data can unlock value for Financial Services
by Mark Tabor, Principal Consultant, Ordnance Survey
Discover how Ordnance Survey's geospatial data can drive sustainable investments by linking asset location with Earth Observation insights.
In today's dynamic financial services landscape, understanding the connection between location data and Earth Observation (EO) technologies is becoming increasingly important. As part of the UK Space Agency's Unlocking Space for Business initiative, a feasibility study by Ordnance Survey (OS) has illustrated how precise, comprehensive location data can drive informed investment decisions—particularly in areas of sustainability and biodiversity net gain.
The financial sector faces persistent challenges in linking asset location data with risk assessment. This disconnect limits the effectiveness of EO data applications, which can be crucial for better understanding environmental, social, and governance (ESG) requirements. As sustainability concerns grow in prominence, financial institutions are under more pressure to respond. Yet, without a precise understanding of where assets are located, companies struggle to harness the full potential of EO data, leading to gaps in risk evaluation and investment insight.
Read full story at Global Banking & Finance Review…
Is LiDAR Everything It's Made Out To Be?
by John Oncea
While LiDAR is a powerful technology with unique capabilities, it's not without drawbacks. Its effectiveness often depends on the specific application and context.
LiDAR excels in providing highly accurate and detailed 3D mapping capabilities, making it invaluable across every industry. Its ability to quickly collect data from challenging environments, coupled with minimal human intervention, enhances efficiency and reduces costs.
It even was instrumental in discovering a huge Maya city centuries after it disappeared under jungle canopy in Mexico. “It was a LiDAR survey, a remote sensing technique that fires thousands of laser pulses from a plane and maps objects below using the time the signal takes to return,” writes the BBC. ”But when (Luke Auld-Thomas, a Ph.D. student at Tulane University) processed the data with methods used by archaeologists, he saw what others had missed — a huge ancient city which may have been home to 30-50,000 people at its peak from 750 to 850 AD.”
While LiDAR technology offers many advantages, it's not without limitations. We'll get into both sides of the LiDAR debate and, ultimately, try to decide if it is worth the hype.
Read full story at Photomics Online…
Industry News
In Government
Dep't of State to Develop New AI Marketplace for Staff
by Alexandra Kelley
Following a deluge of modernization updates, State officials discussed their AI-centric priorities, including a custom marketplace and leveraging classified intel into AI tools.
The State Department is taking new steps in its modernization plan that will marry advanced technologies with ongoing diplomatic efforts, continuing its expansion into leveraging artificial intelligence for daily operations.
Matthew Graviss, State's chief data and artificial intelligence officer, told Nextgov/FCW that his agency is treating its AI endeavors as programs, not products.
“It's something that we're really focused on maturing and adding more and more capabilities through our journey for years to come,” Graviss said on Thursday. “We're not staying static.”
Read full story at Nextgov/FCW…
Energy Deputy to Take Over as New Commerce CIO
by Jason Miller
Brian Epley, the principal deputy CIO at the Energy Department, will start at Commerce in early June as its CIO.
The Commerce Department made fairly quick work in hiring a new chief information officer.
Brian Epley, the principal deputy CIO at the Energy Department, will be the new technology leader at Commerce, Federal News Network has learned.
Epley replaces Andre Mendes, who left in in January to join Tarrant County, Texas to be its CIO. Epley will join Commerce on June 3.
Epley joined Energy in September 2022 as its principal deputy CIO and previously worked at the Environmental Protection Agency for six years as the deputy CIO and as the deputy assistant administrator for administration and resources management.
Read full story at Federal News Network…
Russia Fines Google an Impossible Amount in Attempt to End YouTube Bans
by Jon Brodkin
Kremlin rep on fine of 2 undecillion rubles: “I cannot even say this number.”
Russia has fined Google an amount that no entity on the planet could pay in hopes of getting YouTube to lift bans on Russian channels, including pro-Kremlin and state-run news outlets.
The BBC wrote that a Russian court fined Google two undecillion rubles, which in dollar terms is $20,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000. The amount “is far greater than the world's total GDP, which is estimated by the International Monetary Fund to be $110 trillion.”
The fine is apparently that large because it was issued several years ago and has been repeatedly doubling. …
The Moscow Times writes, “According to RBC's sources, Google began accumulating daily penalties of 100,000 rubles in 2020 after the pro-government media outlets Tsargrad and RIA FAN won lawsuits against the company for blocking their YouTube channels. Those daily penalties have doubled each week, leading to the current overall fine of around 2 undecillion rubles.”
Read full story at arsTechnica…
In Technology
Deleting an App? Do These 3 Things First—or Risk Getting Hacked
by Brooke Nelson Alexander
Removing an app from your phone isn't as simple as it sounds. Get top tips on deleting apps safely from our experts.
Deleting apps taking up precious space on your phone is always a good idea—especially for the ones that could be spying on you. But for some apps, you'll need to do more than simply hit the “delete” button. While you may think you've dumped it, deleting an app doesn't mean it's uninstalled, and its remnants could still be lurking in the background, leaving your device vulnerable or causing other issues.
“The biggest misconception is that once an app is deleted, the relationship with the app and the company that owns it is severed,” says Jean Vixamar, Associate Director of Security Risk Management at Verizon. “That could not be further from the truth. Those terms and conditions you casually checked off matter. In most cases, you've given them unfettered permission to use your data in whatever ways they see fit, within the interpretation of applicable laws, of course.”
Read full story at Reader's Digest…
Thousands of Hacked TP-Link Routers Used in Yearslong Account Takeover Attacks
by Dan Goodin
The botnet is being skillfully used to launch “highly evasive” password-spraying attacks.
Hackers working on behalf of the Chinese government are using a botnet of thousands of routers, cameras, and other Internet-connected devices to perform highly evasive password spray attacks against users of Microsoft's Azure cloud service, the company warned Thursday.
The malicious network, made up almost entirely of TP-Link routers, was first documented in October 2023 by a researcher who named it Botnet-7777. The geographically dispersed collection of more than 16,000 compromised devices at its peak got its name because it exposes its malicious malware on port 7777.
Read full story at arsTechnica…
What's The Difference Between USB-C and USB-C PD?
by Ally Childress
Confused by the latest USB cables and charging technology? You're not alone. We break down the latest specs, so you can get the most out of your tech.
The article discusses the differences between USB-C and USB-C PD. USB-C is a connection type that is symmetrical and bidirectional, while USB-C PD is a USB charging specification that maximizes the available power delivered to a device. USB-C PD can deliver 240 watts of power, but not all USB-C cables and ports can handle USB-PD.
Read full story at Family Handyman…
In Utilities
5 Ways to Strengthen Water Infrastructure Security
by Dominick Sorrentino
Water systems and utilities, under threat from a cascade of cyberattacks and physical breaches, can take several core steps to improve their security posture.
Listen (07:55)
In early October, the largest utility in the U.S. was hit by a devastating cyberattack. The provider had to postpone all billing operations in the wake of unauthorized system access, and more than 14 million people were unable to pay for water during the weeklong billing shutdown.
Communities in Kansas, Pennsylvania and Texas also experienced disruptions to water systems after cyberattacks within the past year.
This has prompted warnings from federal agencies, including the FBI, National Security Agency and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. Most hackers are motivated by financial gain, the agencies say, but others act on behalf of America's geopolitical rivals such as China, Russia and Iran. Consequently, the EPA has
Read full story at StateTech…
FERC Rejects Interconnection Pact for Talen-Amazon Data Center Deal at Nuclear Plant
by Ethan Howland
Chairman Willie Phillips dissented from the decision on the “first of its kind” co-location proposal, saying it could harm national security and grid reliability
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission … rejected an amended interconnection service agreement, or ISA, that would have facilitated expanded power sales to a co-located Amazon data center from a nuclear power plant in Pennsylvania that is majority owned by Talen Energy.
On a 2-1 vote, with FERC commissioners Mark Christie and Lindsay See in the majority, the agency found that the PJM Interconnection, which filed the amended ISA, failed to show that provisions in the agreement that contravene the grid operator's existing, or pro forma, ISA were needed due to “specific reliability concerns, novel legal issues or other unique factors.”
Read full story at UtiltyDive…
No Quick Fixes on Data Center-Generator Co-Location Issue
by Kevin Clark
At a FERC technical conference, utilities, grid operators and regulators came together to discuss the potential and pitfalls of large load co-location, as data centers' surging energy demands challenge existing grid structures and spur calls for updated planning and forecasting frameworks.
“I don't know if we've ever had more people on a panel before,” joked FERC Commissioner David Rosner to a chorus of laughs as he looked at the row of individuals in front of him.
The lighthearted moment drew contrast to the gravity of the topic being discussed inside the Commission Meeting Room on Friday. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) led a technical conference to discuss the co-location of large loads at generating facilities and all the issues that come with it: Load growth, resource adequacy, grid reliability impacts and the fair distribution of costs.
With respect to other large loads that are driving U.S. electricity demand growth, AI data centers are what is top of mind. According to a study published by EPRI in May, the facilities could consume up to 9% of U.S. electricity generation by 2030 — more than double the amount currently used.
Read full story at Power Engineering…