FIG Commission 5 - Positioning and Measurement

Work Plan 2019-2022

Origional work plan in .pdf format

Terms of Reference

  • The science of measurement (instrumentation, methodology and guidelines)
  • The acquisition of accurate and reliable survey data related to the position, size and shape of natural and artificial features of the earth and its environment and including variation with time consistent with internationally adopted standards and models.

Mission Statement

The mission of Commission 5 is to:

  • Focus on modern technologies, and technical developments and assist individual surveyors, engineers and GIS/LIS professionals through guidelines and recommendations, to choose and utilise those methods, technologies and instruments that are most appropriate to different applications.
  • Follow technical developments through collaboration with other FIG Commissions and other international organisations; participation in appropriate meetings; and the preparation of appropriate publications.
  • Support research and development and stimulate new ideas in the fields of expertise represented within the commission.
  • Collaborate with manufacturers on the improvement of instrumentation and associated software.
  • Present and promote the work of the Commission and its working groups on an ongoing basis at FIG Congresses, FIG Working Weeks, FIG Regional Conferences and other relevant technical meetings and in appropriate FIG and other media.

General

This work plan covers the development, use and integration of technologies for positioning and measurement and the associated standardisation, best practice and fundamental reference frame issues. Many of the issues are global in nature and Commission 5 along with many other Associations is well suited to tackle the technological challenges we face. There will be an ongoing cooperation with United Nations Agencies to address global problems such as sustainable development and humanitarian needs. The disciplines covered by Commission 5 will deliver solutions for the spatial aspects of these important global problems. Specific activities aimed at developing countries include examination of Low Cost Surveying Technologies, assistance with implementation of modern Geodetic and Vertical Reference Frames and associated infrastructure and contribution to appropriate Continuing Professional Development programs.

Specifically, to work closely with the International Association of Geodesy (IAG) and the United Nations Global Geospatial Information Management (UN GGIM) on the development of new models, standards and tools for implementing a Global Geodetic Reference Frame (GGRF) that includes aspects of the International Terrestrial reference Frame (ITRF) and the International Height Reference Frame (IHRF). The GGRF will serve as a global standard for all Nations to implement their respective national datums. As such. This directly impacts FIG Members who must implement these new datums and the requirements to access them.

In addition to the specific activities above, the Commission will support and contribute to FIG Task Forces and the Standards Network. The Commission will also respond to the FIG Council to address new issues as they emerge.

Working Groups

Working Group 5.1 – Standards, Quality Assurance and Calibration

Policy Issues

  • Influence the development of standards affecting positioning and measurement instruments and methods, in collaboration with the FIG Standards Network and through participation in the relevant technical committees (TCs) of the International Standards Organisation (ISO) and other appropriate bodies.
  • Acceptance controls, quality assurance and certification and their impact on the surveying profession.
  • Testing and calibration of measuring instruments.
  • Assist other Commission Working Groups to implement Standards from TC 172/SC 6 and ISO TC211 as appropriate.

Chair

David Martin, France
david.martin[at]esrf.fr

 

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Working Group 5.2 – 3D Reference Frames

Policy Issues

  • Work to bring together all organisations involved in defining or using reference frames to develop common approaches and avoid duplication. Such organisations include FIG, the International Association of Geodesy (IAG), UN-GGIM, ISO, groups of national mapping agencies, and other influential national agencies.
  • Continue the existing co-operation with IAG on the Regional Reference Frame Projects such as AFREF, APREF, EUREF, NAREF, and SIRGAS.
  • Develop and expand upon the relationships with UN-GGIM’s Sub-Committee on Geodesy (UN-SCOG), the UN SCOG WG’s, and the various UN-GGIM regional bodies.
  • Consider options for the development and implementation of 4 dimensional datums that incorporate the effects of plate tectonic and regional effects such as those due to earthquakes or local effects such as landslides.
  • Provide background technical information on relevant issues written in a way that is accessible to surveying practitioners.
  • Examine how surveying practitioners can access the reference frame, through less emphasis on networks of ground monuments and more emphasis on Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) base stations.
  • Provide information on the maintenance of CORS networks to ensure long-term stability

Chair

Nic Donnelly, New Zealand
ndonnelly[at]linz.

 

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Working Group 5.3 – Vertical Reference Frames

Policy Issues

  • Educate FIG member agencies on current and future status of regional and global vertical reference frames and height systems
  • Educate FIG member agencies on practical aspects about the implementation of new geopotential datums including:
    • access using geoid height models and a geometric datum
    • redefining heights on existing bench marks to serve as secondary control
    • ties between height systems and local and global mean sea level
  • Develop and expand relationships in IAG Commission 2, UN SCOG, and WG focused on implementing vertical control based on IHRF around the world.
    • IAG will develop an IHRF that will be a component of the UN GGRF.
    • UN GGRF will encompass both ITRF and IHRF
    • Time varying aspects of the geoid, vertical control and the gravity field must be addressed.

Chair

David Avalos-Naranjo, Mexico
david.avalos[at]inegi.org.mx

 

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Working Group 5.4 – GNSS

Policy Issues

  • Provide FIG input during planning and implementation phases associated with programs of modernisation and development of all GNSS
  • Support and disseminate emerging positioning techniques using GNSS
  • Research and dissemination regarding real time networks
  • Multi-GNSS products and advancements
  • Develop and expand upon the relationships between FIG, IAG, MGA, RTCM, UN-ICG, IAG and UN-GGIM.

Chair

Suelynn Choy, Australia
suelynn.choy[at]rmit.edu.au

Ryan Keenan, Australia
ryan.keenan[at]septentrio.com

 

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Working Group 5.5 – Multi-Sensor-Systems

Policy Issues

This group is a joint working group between FIG and IAG. It focuses on the development of shared resources that extend our understanding of the theory, tools and technologies applicable to the development of multi sensor systems. It has a major focus on:

  • Performance characterization of positioning sensors and technologies that can play a role in augmenting core GNSS capabilities
  • Theoretical and practical evaluation of current algorithms for measurement integration within multi sensor systems.
  • The development of new measurement integration algorithms based around innovative modeling techniques in other research domains such as machine learning and genetic algorithms, spatial cognition etc.
  • Establishing links between the outcomes of this WG and other IAG and FIG WGs (across the whole period)
  • Generating formal parameters that describe the performance of current and emerging positioning technologies that can inform FIG and IAG members.

Chair

Allison Kealy, Australia
allison.kealy[at]rmit.edu.au

Guenther Retscher, Austria
Guenther.Retscher[at]geo.tuwien.ac.at

 

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Working Group 5.6 – Cost Effective Positioning

Policy Issues

  • Educate FIG member associations and individual surveyors on when to use which surveying instrument or evaluation software taking into account economic reasons
  • Design fit-for-purpose surveying systems that are cost-effective
  • Support decision makers for establishing cost-effective positioning solutions

Chair

Leonid A. Lipatnikov, Russia
l.lipatnikov[at]ssga.ru

Li Zhang, Germany
li.zhang[at]iigs.uni-stuttgart.de

 

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