Contributed by the European Association of Aerial Surveying
The field of aerial surveying is not just for skilled pilots or geomatics experts. The industry needs professionals from diverse fields such as business, finance, IT, marketing, and more. While a solid understanding of geodesy, photogrammetry, and cartography is crucial, the industry also requires talent to manage operations, drive business development, implement marketing strategies, and develop innovative IT solutions, among others.
Recognizing the need to connect with the next generation, the European Association of Aerial Surveying Industries (EAASI) actively participates in initiatives that aim to attract potential professionals to the aerial surveying profession. Our next event is a webinar designed to facilitate meaningful dialogues between students and industry representatives.
Webinar Details
- Date: Wednesday, May 29th, 2024
- Time: 11:00 CEST
- Location: Teams – Registration link
This webinar is an excellent opportunity for students, young graduates, and professionals from various fields to gain insights into the dynamic world of aerial surveying. Participants will have the chance to interact with leading experts in the field, learn about various career paths, and understand the skills needed to thrive in this industry. The event will feature a panel discussion followed by an interactive Q&A session.
Speakers:
Nejc Dougan - Founder and CTO, Flai
An alumnus of the University of Ljubljana with an MS in geodesy and geomatics, Dougan has charted a path as the CTO of Flai, a company he founded to revolutionize geospatial processing with the use of AI.
Before this, Dougan worked at Flycom Technologies, where he started as a GIS and Remote Sensing Engineer and advanced to become the Head of AI and Machine Learning.
At Flai, Dougan harnesses his extensive experience in software engineering to lead innovations in the application of AI, particularly in the automation of lidar point cloud classifications.
He is currently expanding his expertise through PhD research at the University’s Faculty of Computer and Information Science. There, his research focuses on exploring the potential of deep learning convolutional neural networks to transform aerial laser scanning point clouds.
Alice Hilton - Product Specialist, Bluesky International
Alice's journey with Bluesky International began at the 2022 ESRI Conference in London while she was still studying at the University of Exeter (Bachelor of Science, BSc with applied GIS). Completing her dissertation on tree mapping and climate change's impact on tree species, she approached the Bluesky stand, intrigued by their work aligning with her recent research.
In September 2022, Alice commenced her role at Bluesky, focusing on the National Tree Map as a Graduate Product Specialist. Her responsibilities include collaborating with sales and production teams, generating new ideas, conducting research, engaging in marketing activities, and liaising with customers.
Alice rejoined Bluesky in December 2023 after 6 months of traveling around North and Central America. Since coming back her role has changed slightly – she is now the Product Specialist for all environmental products, including the recently launched National Hedgerow Map.
Dr. Mohsen Miri - Director of Product Management, Phase One
Dr. Mohsen Miri holds a doctorate from Freie Universität Berlin, where his research focused on computer vision and object-recognition algorithms for image processing of digital surface models from lidar and photogrammetry. His innovative work has been validated using terrestrial lidar and close-range photogrammetry. Mohsen also holds an MSc in Photogrammetry Engineering from K. N. Toosi University of Technology.
Before his current role as Director of Product Management at Phase One, he held senior positions at Trimble and served as a geo-consultant and project manager at BSF Swissphoto. His expertise spans product management, business development, and geospatial consulting.
Johann Sidial - Team Leader, Photogrammetry, BSF Swissphoto
Johann Sidial has a robust background in geoinformatics, holding a BSc in Geology and an MSc in Geoinformatics from the University of the West Indies. He joined BSF Swissphoto in January 2023, where he is now the Team Leader of Photogrammetry, managing large-scale projects across Europe and optimizing the photogrammetry workflow.
Johann has also pursued interests in computer sciences, obtaining certifications in programming, cloud computing, and big data analytics. His career includes roles in both academia and government service. He served as the lead GIS Officer at the Ministry of Spatial Planning, Public Housing, Infrastructure, and Environment (VROMI) in St. Maarten, where he implemented ArcGIS Enterprise, conducted spatial analysis projects, and led data acquisition projects with FUGRO and the World Bank.
Additionally, Johann was a Lecturer at the University of Saint Martin, where he introduced the first GIS course, enhancing geospatial education on the island.
The event is open to the public and will be moderated by Simon Musäus, EAASI Students Committee Leader.
EAASI is a non-profit association created in 2019 representing organizations in the European aerial surveying market. EAASI aims to promote the benefits of aerial surveying, improve awareness of aerial survey data, and maintain and promote best practices within the industry.
