Nearmap

Last updated

Nearmap Pty Ltd
Nearmap.png
Nearmap MapBrowser Interface.png
Screenshot of Nearmap's web portal showing Sydney, Australia.
Type of business Private
Founded2008;15 years ago (2008) in Perth, Australia
Headquarters Sydney, Australia
Owner Thoma Bravo
Key peopleAndy Watt
(CEO)
IndustryAerial Imagery
Products
  • Nearmap Vertical
  • Nearmap Oblique
  • Nearmap 3D
  • Nearmap AI
  • Nearmap ImpactResponse
Revenue A$146.0 million (2022) [1]
URL www.nearmap.com

Nearmap (officially Nearmap Pty Ltd) is an aerial technology company headquartered in Australia that provides frequently-updated, high-resolution aerial imagery and location intelligence on up to 95% of Australia's population, 80% of the United States population, 75% of the New Zealand population, and 66% of Canada's population. It was a publicly traded company on the Australian Securities Exchange until being taken private by Thoma Bravo in 2022. [2]

Contents

History

Nearmap was founded in Perth, Western Australia, by Stuart Nixon in 2008. Nearmap's first capture of aerial imagery dates back to 2007. [3]

In 2012, the business was acquired by an ASX-listed company Ipernica and becoming the primary entity. Nearmap then moved its headquarters from Perth to Sydney. [4] In 2014, the company expanded into the United States market. [5] In 2017, Nearmap expanded its capture program and surveyed New Zealand's top 13 most populated cities, including Queenstown. [6] [7] The same year, Nearmap expanded its aerial imaging content to provide 3D models of Australia's major capital cities. The business now offers Digital Service Model (DSM) and textured mesh data sets for bespoke download. [8]

In May 2021, EagleView Technologies and Pictometry International accused Nearmap of infringing their patents covering roof estimation technology. [9] Nearmap dismissed the patent infringement suit and said the allegations were without merit. [10]

In August 2022, private equity firm Thoma Bravo agreed to buy Nearmap for A$1.06 billion (US$730 million). [11]

Business

Concept

Historically, aerial imagery was available mainly to government and large enterprises, as it was quite an expensive and long process. First, a surveying company had to be engaged to take photos of a certain area of interest. Then, the data would be manually processed and stitched together digitally to create aerial maps. Imagery was then delivered on a hard disk. The entire process could take months and was repeated once every few years at best. [12]

Nearmap disrupted this model by creating a patented camera system and software pipeline that enables the company to capture aerial photos, stitch them together into seamless digital maps, and publish the content online within days of capture. [13]

With the cost of capture significantly lower than anything else on the market, Nearmap can update surveys more frequently and at a much lower cost. Its subscription model has effectively made high-quality aerial imagery available to a far wider swath of businesses and government organizations. [5] Nearmap captures aerial images frequently, up to six times a year in urban centres, at a resolution of 5.8–7.5 cm per pixel or better. [12]

By capturing aerial images with airplanes (as opposed to with satellites), Nearmap is able to solve for potential weather or atmospheric obstructions. The images are quickly processed and streamed to the cloud in a matter of days, where they are available for viewing and analysis on desktop, tablet, and mobile devices. [14]

Nearmap provides its high-resolution aerial imagery content as a subscription service to a broad base of customers from diverse industries including construction, engineering, urban planning, insurance, solar, telecom, utilities, and government entities across local, state, and federal agencies. Subscribers use Nearmap to remotely inspect locations for better informed planning and monitoring; evaluate properties and infrastructural assets; and understand historical context at their locations of interest. [15]

Nearmap serves over 11,200 businesses and organisations globally. [16]

Product

Nearmap provides many types of content including Vertical, Panorama, Measurable Obliques, 3D, Artificial Intelligence and Roof Geometry.

Vertical imagery is also known as orthorectified, providing a top-down view of the ground captured at a 90° angle. Orthorectification is a process used to correct the terrain distortion in aerial or satellite images that results from variations in the surface of the Earth and tilt of the satellite or aerial sensor being used to collect the data. This process allows accurate information to be gathered from the images such as distances, angles, and positions. [14]

The Nearmap Panorama product provides a seamless mosaic view of locations and features from all four cardinal directions in a single viewing experience. Circumventing the need to switch from one image to another to view content from multiple perspectives, Nearmap Panorama allows users to pan and zoom across a large footprint uninterrupted, allowing information to be reviewed much more quickly. [14]

Nearmap's Measurable Obliques allow users to make accurate height measurements of buildings and other ground features. Users can then export these images with the measurements and annotations included, allowing multiple stakeholders to communicate with accurate detail to an entire project team. [14]

Nearmap aerial imagery is delivered through an easy-to-use cloud-based interface called MapBrowser™ or through API integrations. [17] The MapBrowser web application allows users to easily switch base layers from Vertical to Panorama or Measurable Obliques content. It also allows users to navigate and search Nearmap's library of current and historical content, and includes tools for measuring and analyzing locations. [14] Nearmap's APIs offer integration with Esri® ArcGIS, Autodesk, CAMA systems, and other leading GIS and CAD applications via standard industry protocols including WMS, WMTS, and TMS. [17] Along with current imagery, Nearmap's online archive offers an extensive gallery of historical imagery; as of 2023, up to 15 years of photographic maps were available for some parts of Australia. [5]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aerial photography</span> Taking images of the ground from the air

Aerial photography is the taking of photographs from an aircraft or other airborne platforms. When taking motion pictures, it is also known as aerial videography.

Aerial archaeology is the study of archaeological remains by examining them from a higher altitude. In present day, this is usually achieved by satellite images or through the use of drones.

Planimetrics is the study of plane measurements, including angles, distances, and areas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Google Earth</span> 3D globe-based map program owned by Google

Google Earth is a computer program that renders a 3D representation of Earth based primarily on satellite imagery. The program maps the Earth by superimposing satellite images, aerial photography, and GIS data onto a 3D globe, allowing users to see cities and landscapes from various angles. Users can explore the globe by entering addresses and coordinates, or by using a keyboard or mouse. The program can also be downloaded on a smartphone or tablet, using a touch screen or stylus to navigate. Users may use the program to add their own data using Keyhole Markup Language and upload them through various sources, such as forums or blogs. Google Earth is able to show various kinds of images overlaid on the surface of the earth and is also a Web Map Service client. In 2019, Google revealed that Google Earth now covers more than 97 percent of the world, and has captured 10 million miles of Street View imagery.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bing Maps</span> Web mapping service from Microsoft

Bing Maps is a web mapping service provided as a part of Microsoft's Bing suite of search engines and powered by the Bing Maps Platform framework which also support Bing Maps for Enterprise APIs and Azure Maps APIs. Since 2020, the map data is provided by TomTom, OpenStreetMap and others.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pictometry International</span> American aerial measurement company

Pictometry International is an aerial measurement company based in Henrietta, New York that develops software that uses three-dimensional aerial photographs to view high-resolution images of buildings in their entirety. Pictometry International's technology was developed at the Rochester Institute of Technology and shows structures at an oblique angle or at a 45-degree angle, from all sides providing perspective and overhead shot images that are accurate to 1/100th of an inch. The company has 80 Cessnas that provide high-resolution aerial photography in counties that include 95 percent of the U.S. population.

Blom is a European service provider within acquisition, processing and modelling of geographical information. Blom maintains European databases with collections of map, images and models. With particular focus on online services, Blom provides data and services to customers in government, enterprise and consumer markets and enables partners to create applications using Blom’s databases, location-based services and navigation systems. Blom has more than 600 employees and subsidiaries in 10 countries. The company headquarters is in Oslo, Norway. The parent company NRC Group is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Google Street View</span> Photos at street level

Google Street View is a technology featured in Google Maps and Google Earth that provides interactive panoramas from positions along many streets in the world. It was launched in 2007 in several cities in the United States, and has since expanded to include cities and rural areas worldwide. Streets with Street View imagery available are shown as blue lines on Google Maps.

ImageAmerica Aviation, Inc. is an aerial photography company that was acquired by Google in July 2007. The company specialized in creating aerial photos with "accuracy, quick delivery and low cost". It previously sold its services primarily to city, county, state, and federal governments and to corporate customers. ImageAmerica also made money by selling low-cost imagery to county appraisers and assessors. The company's clients include the Texas Department of Transportation, the U.S. Geological Survey, and the Lucas County office that covers Toledo, Ohio. For satellite imaging, the company charges US$99 per 1 square mile (2.6 km2), compared to other companies which could charge from $500 to $700 and for a lower quality than what ImageAmerica offers. It also developed its own DDP-2 camera system. The system is housed in an aircraft. It has the ability to capture details as small as 6 inches (150 mm) to 12 inches (300 mm). ImageAmerica's patented processing system has the ability to produce orthorectified imagery corrected for perspective distortions. The company's technology also uses sensors which are based on a unique design from Sarnoff Research Labs in Princeton, New Jersey.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aerial photographic and satellite image interpretation</span>

Aerial photographic and satellite image interpretation, or just image interpretation when in context, is the act of examining photographic images, particularly airborne and spaceborne, to identify objects and judging their significance. This is commonly used in military aerial reconnaissance, using photographs taken from reconnaissance aircraft and reconnaissance satellites.

CycloMedia is a Dutch company specialising in the large-scale and systematic visualisation of environments based on 360° panoramic photographs (Cycloramas). Using specialised technology, large public areas are photographed and stored in an online database. Overlapping panoramic images are captured at 5-meter intervals from public roads at street level, with the camera system mounted on a moving car.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Computer cartography</span> Compiling data to create a visual image

Computer cartography is the art, science, and technology of making and using maps with a computer. This technology represents a paradigm shift in how maps are produced, but is still fundamentally a subset of traditional cartography. The primary function of this technology is to produce maps, including creation of accurate representations of a particular area such as, detailing major road arteries and other points of interest for navigation, and in the creation of thematic maps. Computer cartography is one of the main functions of geographic information systems (GIS), however, GIS is not necessary to facilitate computer cartography and has functions beyond just making maps. The first peer-reviewed publications on using computers to help in the cartographic process predate the introduction of full GIS by several years.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bing Maps Platform</span> Geospatial mapping platform by Microsoft

Bing Maps Platform is a geospatial mapping platform produced by Microsoft. It allows developers to create applications that layer location-relevant data on top of licensed map imagery. The imagery includes samples taken by satellite sensors, aerial cameras, Streetside imagery, 3D city models and terrain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red Hen Systems</span>

Red Hen Systems, Inc. is a technology company that develops integrated hardware and software solutions for multimedia asset mapping. Their spatial digital video recorders (DVRs) and still cameras instantly geotag video and still photos at the time of data collection. Corresponding mapping software provides the capability to view photographs, video, and audio using GPS coordinates.

An aerial image library is a collection of aerial imagery. The imagery is taken from cameras placed on aircraft, which capture images of the structures and features of the land below. These libraries can contain millions of individual images which depict geographic areas in incredible detail.

Pictometry is a patented aerial survey technique for producing oblique georeferenced imagery showing the fronts and sides of buildings and locations on the ground. Photos are captured by low-flying airplanes, depicting up to 12 perspectives as well as an orthogonal (overhead) view of every location flown. These perspectives are then stitched together to create composite aerial maps that may span many miles of terrain. Because they are captured at an angle, the pixels in the resulting images are trapezoidal, rather than rectangular. This necessitates special software and algorithms to accurately determine objects’ size and position on the maps.

A3 Digital Mapping System consists of a digital airborne camera and an automatic ground processing system produced by VisionMap. The A3 camera captures imagery using a sweep mechanism, which collects high resolution vertical and oblique imagery simultaneously. The captured data is post-processed by the A3 LightSpeed ground processing system in order to create the final output products. The A3 System is used by numerous national and regional mapping agencies, as well as commercial mapping firms.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ShoreZone</span> Mapping program that uses oblique aerial images acquired at low altitude

ShoreZone is a mapping program that acquires oblique aerial images at low altitude during the lowest daylight tides of the year to inventory alongshore and across-shore geomorphological and biological features of the Pacific Northwest intertidal shoreline. Habitat attributes are interpreted from the aerial images and categorized in a geographic database. The mapping program was first developed as an oil spill response tool for British Columbia, and now ShoreZone extends from Oregon to Alaska. Other uses of the spatial data include ecological studies, marine conservation planning, shoreline erosion monitoring, coastal flooding and vulnerability assessments, developing climate change adaptation strategies, and community education.

References

  1. ↑ "Nearmap Analyst Pack: FY22 Result" (PDF).
  2. ↑ "Thoma Bravo Completes Acquisition of Nearmap Ltd".
  3. ↑ Redrup, Yolanda (21 August 2019). "Investors punish Nearmap for widening losses". Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 22 August 2019.
  4. ↑ "Strengthening US market buoys Nearmap growth prospects".
  5. 1 2 3 Wallace, Anthony (14 March 2017). "An aerial imagery success story: Nearmap". Spatial Source.
  6. ↑ Sandberg, Phil. "Aussie Aerial Imagery Company Launches in New Zealand News Operations". Content+Technology.
  7. ↑ "Nearmap launches NZ pilot capture program - 9Finance". Nine Finance.
  8. ↑ "Strengthening US market buoys Nearmap growth prospects".
  9. ↑ "Nearmap Made Aware of Complaint in U.S District Court" (PDF).
  10. ↑ "Nearmap Made Aware of Complaint in U.S District Court" (PDF).
  11. ↑ Fildes, Nic (22 August 2022). "Thoma Bravo agrees $730mn takeover of Australia mapping company" . Financial Times .
  12. 1 2 Gabel, Julia. "Exclusive interview: Nearmap on competing with Google Maps". IT Brief.
  13. ↑ King, Mike (22 May 2013). "Mapping out a promising stock". The Sydney Morning Herald.
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 Heimgartner, Jeffrey. "Service Provides Clear, Orthorectified and Current Images of Construction Site". Engineering.com.
  15. ↑ Hall, Ben. "Nearmap posts record half yearly growth in aerial mapping subscriptions". Business News Australia.
  16. ↑ "Nearmap Analyst Pack: FY22 Result" (PDF).
  17. 1 2 "Nearmap Delivers New 3-D Content and Oblique Imagery, Transforming Location Content for the Mapping, Construction, Engineering and Government Industries". Businesswire. 10 July 2017.
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