Your Canadian Geospatial Briefing for October 28th: Top 15 Largest Engineering Firms in Canada; Scanning the Earth with Lidar; A London Bar Uses Facial Recognition; Drone Delivery Canada and DSV Canada announcement; Canada’s Maritime Launch Services for C4M Upper Rocket Vehicle
Top 15 Largest Engineering Firms in Canada
Canada has over 295,000 registered engineers in the country with an expected continuation in growth over the next few years.
Here is a list of the top 15 (in no particular order).
- Aecon Group Inc.
- Bantrel Co.
- Canadian Natural Resources (CNRL)
- CIMA+
- GHD Group
- EllisDon
- EXP (Formerly Trow Global)
- WSP Global Inc. (Formerly Genivar)
- Golder Associates Inc.
- Hatch Group
- McElhanney
- Morrison Hershfield
- PCL Construction
- SNC-Lavalin
- Stantec
Top 15 Largest Engineering Firms in Canada
Scanning the Earth with Lidar
We think of Lidar as the tech we use in self-driving vehicles. By using remote sensing, the vehicle can receive their surroundings. Two professors at Colorado State want to use that same tech to scan the total surface area of the planet Earth.
Although this is a very ambitious goal, the Lidar system used by archaeologists tends to be quite a bit more than the on-board scanners found in vehicles. « In the case of the lost Cambodian city, the scans were made using a helicopter with a lidar rig installed on its underside. » By choosing to do fly-by passes over on-the-ground scanning, we will able to retrieve so much more data in a shorter amount of time.
The goal may seem lofty and difficult, although not impossible, the team emphasizes the importance of doing this quickly. As we continue to lose our rainforest, our forestry and our sea levels rise, some countries may soon be unrecognizable. « Unless we have a record of these places, no one in the future will even know they existed. »
Inside the outrageously ambitious plan to scan the entire Earth with lidar
A London Bar Uses Facial Recognition
The Underdog London in London, England is using facial recognition at its bar. The goal is to stop individuals from cutting in line, making it the first bar to us AI tech.
Although the use of the tech works for them, we can’t help but wonder; what about Canada? Privacy advocates might be on edge, and it is not as if the concept is new, but one can argue that there is a lack of regulation on AI in Canada.
Also Read: unmasked cameras connected to facial recognition software
Steve Waterhouse, a cyber security specialist is calling on the federal government to establish proper limits and clearer guidelines for facial recognition technology.
A London bar is using facial recognition; what does that mean for Canada?
Drone Delivery Canada and DSV Canada announcement
Drone Delivery Canada announced that on October 22nd, 2019, they have entered an agreement with DSV Air & Sea Inc. Canada to deploy a commercial drone delivery platform. This will commence at their new HQ and warehouse in Milton, ON.
Martin Roos, the Managing Director of DSV Air & Seas Canada had this to say; “DSV Canada is dedicated to delivering innovative and integrated supply chain solutions… With a global view in mind, our focus is on continuously optimizing our local partners’ supply chains. That means, a long-term vision that opens up new markets and service offerings. Our strong partnership with Air Canada Cargo and now DDC will offer our current and potential partners best-in-class solutions and service excellence that is scalable and futureproof. We have looked to overcome some of today’s challenges by investing in tomorrow’s opportunities, and we are ready for the next steps.”
Drone Delivery Canada announces commercial agreement with DSV Canada
Canada’s Maritime Launch Services for C4M Upper Rocket Vehicle
Nanoracks has recently announced the agreement made with Canada’s Maritime Launch Services to “work on re-purposing and re-using spent C4M upper rocket vehicles stages”. This vehicle would then be in-orbit after launch missions from the Canso Spaceport in Nova Scotia, this is the only commercial spaceport located in Canada.
Steve Matier, the Maritime Launch CEO had this to say about the project and Canada’s first and only commercial spaceport. “The proven heritage of the C4M launch family, with over 220 launches to date, will provide Nanoracks with plenty of opportunities to choose the appropriate missions on which to test and develop the proposed upper stage conversions into resilient automated habitats, and one day human habitats… Canada has a reputation for providing in-space robotics for the International Space Station, such as the CANADARM and the Dextre programs. With Nanoracks, we hope to see this country’s legacy expanding further into economically viable space habitats, and to organize the related launch missions to bring equipment and supplies to these new working structures.”
