Spatial Thoughts Newsletter #23
COGs and STAC in QGIS, Maps by Paani.earth, Upcoming classes, New YouTube videos
Thanks for reading my newsletter. Special shoutout to the new subscribers! Read on for new learning resources for QGIS, Python, Google Earth Engine, GDAL and more.
What if I told you that you can now create a satellite image mosaic for any region of the world in QGIS in just a few minutes without downloading or processing data locally? And that too without any proprietary solution. Instead of telling you - let me show you. I published this new video tutorial where I introduce the concepts of Cloud-Optimized GeoTiff (COGs) and Spatio Temporal Asset Catalog (STAC) that allow you to work with massive amounts of data efficiently in desktop clients using open standards and open-source software.
Upcoming Classes
We have 2 new batches scheduled in June. These instructor-led cohort-based sessions offer you the fastest way to ramp up your skills and they come with free lifetime support!
End-to-End Google Earth Engine 15-30 June 2022
Cutomizing QGIS with Python (PyQGIS Masterclass) (with QGIS.org certification) 5-7 July 2022
Limited seats. Student discounts are available!
Featured: Maps by Paani.Earth
Working on GIS and Remote Sensing can feel a bit abstract and disconnected from real-world problems. So I am always thrilled to see when maps are used to understand and solve complex issues affecting us. I recently came across the work of Paani.earth - A non-profit that aims to empower citizens with data, information, and analysis that can save rivers. They use open-data and open mapping tools like QGIS and Google Earth Engine to present evidence-based solutions for river conservation. Check out their work on Arkavathy River Map and Rivers of Bengaluru.
News and Learning Resources
Microsoft released a new dataset of Global Building Footprints extracted from satellite imagery. Checkout Quisheng Wu’s video tutorial on how to download and explore this data in a Python notebook.
Large vector datasets can be quite painful to work in geospatial software. Fortunately, new data formats are bringing innovations from the world of big data analytics to geospatial. Bert Temme’s tutorial shows how the FlatGeoBuf format can easily load a 12GB vector file in QGIS. OGC also announced the support for GeoParquet - another rapidly growing format. Recent versions of GDAL/OGR support both FlatGeoBuf and GeoParquet formats.
The next version of QGIS (3.26) will bring a lot of new features working with elevation data - including LIDAR point clouds. Nyall Dawson gave a feature-packed preview of the new Elevation Profile tool!
QGIS has powerful data editing capabilities that can match expensive CAD software. I am making a series of mini video tutorials showcasing how to use QGIS for everyday editing tasks. Check out this new video on Using the Vertex Tool to Edit Geometries. If you are curious, check the full series on Spatial Thoughts YouTube channel.