Spatialists

Panoramax: #Panoramax is an open and #federated alternative to #StreetView, born from collaboration between France’s national mapping agency #IGN and the French #OpenStreetMap community. With over 100 million geolocated images and a foundation in the making,...
https://spatialists.ch/posts/2026/05/02-panoramax/ #GIS #GISchat #geospatial #SwissGIS

OGC GeoParquet best practices: The OGC offers a best practices guide for distributing #GeoParquet files, covering compression, spatial indexing and ordering, row group sizes, partitioning, and metadata. The guide also lists concrete commands for common tools so you can produce...
https://spatialists.ch/posts/2026/05/22-ogc-geoparquet-best-practices/ #GIS #GISchat #geospatial #SwissGIS

#Wayfinding assumptions challenged: A new study challenges the assumption that pedestrians wish for turn-by-turn #navigation, showing many prefer a simple route preview, without losing performance or spatial awareness. Paired with contrasting ideas from #3D navigation design, it’s a...
https://spatialists.ch/posts/2026/05/20-navigation-assumptions-challenged/ #GIS #GISchat #geospatial #SwissGIS

etter: Natural language location: etter is a new open‑source #Python package that turns natural language location queries into GeoJSON geometries, focusing purely on the spatial component of the query. It supports multilingual input, a range of spatial relations, and integrates...
https://spatialists.ch/posts/2026/05/06-etter-natural-language-location/ #GIS #GISchat #geospatial #SwissGIS

Guidance on GIS accessibility: Massachusetts’ GIS Accessibility Guide is a practical, comprehensive resource covering #accessibility in #webmaps, #storymaps, and static maps. Besides a substantial collection of structured recommendations and links to resources, the guide also...
https://spatialists.ch/posts/2026/05/27-guidance-on-gis-accessibility/ #GIS #GISchat #geospatial #SwissGIS

GRASS on Windows via conda: #GRASS, the veteran open-source geospatial computing platform, can now be installed on Windows (and all other major platforms) via #conda with no manual setup. This streamlines access to the latest GRASS functionality.
https://spatialists.ch/posts/2026/05/24-grass-on-windows-via-conda/ #GIS #GISchat #geospatial #SwissGIS

GeoJSON innovation: OGC Features and Geometries JSON: The #OGC has released “JSON-FG”, a #GeoJSON superset that adds support for coordinate reference systems beyond WGS 1984, temporal feature properties, 3D geometry types, and more. Legacy tools remain fully compatible, while modern clients gain a...
https://spatialists.ch/posts/2026/05/23-geojson-innovation-ogc-features-and-geometries-json/ #GIS #GISchat #geospatial #SwissGIS

Fuzzifying PostGIS: Jesper Fjellin proposes extending #PostGIS with #fuzzy geometries as first-class data types, enabling locations to belong to a region to a degree rather than simply being part of it or not. This would offer opportunities for better dealing with...
https://spatialists.ch/posts/2026/05/05-fuzzifying-postgis/ #GIS #GISchat #geospatial #SwissGIS

Do LLMs understand coordinates?: ’A new #benchmark called #GPSBench evaluates 14 #LLM-s across 17 coordinate manipulation and reasoning tasks and finds that models handle real-world geographic reasoning better than raw geometric computations, with country-level knowledge stronger...
https://spatialists.ch/posts/2026/05/03-do-llms-understand-coordinates/ #GIS #GISchat #geospatial #SwissGIS

Raster-enabling Apache Hop: @edigonzales@mstdn.social continues his series on #geoenabling #ApacheHop, this time adding #raster support to his hop-gdal-plugin. Stefan walks through an #ETL pipeline that computes building heights from LiDAR and vector data using new raster transforms...
https://spatialists.ch/posts/2026/04/03-raster-enabling-apache-hop/ #GIS #GISchat #geospatial #SwissGIS

City2Graph: Easy graph generation in Python: #City2Graph is an open-source #Python package that turns geospatial data into #graph structures for #NetworkAnalysis and Graph Neural Networks, with seamless integration into tools like #GeoPandas, #NetworkX, and #PyTorch Geometric. It supports...
https://spatialists.ch/posts/2026/04/18-city2graph-easy-graph-generation-in-python/ #GIS #GISchat #geospatial #SwissGIS

But is it useful?: The Cloud-Native Geospatial Forum proposes #usefulness as a better measure than openness for #dataQuality, with a 5-dimension, 4-star framework that goes beyond familiar schemes like #FAIR and 5-star Open Data. It’s an interesting read and a good...
https://spatialists.ch/posts/2026/05/31-but-is-it-useful/ #GIS #GISchat #geospatial #SwissGIS

The legacy of Dijkstra: Edsger Dijkstra’s landmark shortest-path algorithm has shaped how we navigate the world, from early GIS to today’s wayfinding apps. A new Veritasium video traces that legacy and reveals how techniques like Nested Dissection and Contraction...
https://spatialists.ch/posts/2026/05/31-the-legacy-of-dijkstra/ #GIS #GISchat #geospatial #SwissGIS

AI vs. FME / geospatial tools?: Safe Software and the #FME community discusses whether #AI #agents are replacing tools like #FME for geospatial #ETL work. The community thread and blog post are worth reading for what they imply about the future of #low-code geospatial tools more...
https://spatialists.ch/posts/2026/05/28-ai-vs-fme-geospatial-tools/ #GIS #GISchat #geospatial #SwissGIS

GNSS explainer: Shri Khalpada offers a clear and engaging explainer of #GNSS technology, walking through how #GPS, #Galileo and similar #positioning systems pinpoint location using principles like travel time, trilateration, orbital mechanics, and clock...
https://spatialists.ch/posts/2026/04/14-gnss-explainer/ #GIS #GISchat #geospatial #SwissGIS

H3/PostGIS: Hands-on example: Darafei Praliaskouski, member of the #PostGIS PSC, walks through an interesting hands-on case study of modelling #LoRa radio tower range in the mountains of Georgia using #H3 and PostGIS. The example covers data preparation, #DGGS indexing, and...
https://spatialists.ch/posts/2026/02/27-h3-postgis-hands-on-example/ #GIS #GISchat #geospatial #SwissGIS

Terraink: Terraink is a free, open-source web app for creating artistic #cartographic posters from #OpenStreetMap data, with an impressive breadth of customisation options for themes, layouts, fonts, and layers. Recommended for anyone looking to create unique...
https://spatialists.ch/posts/2026/04/11-terraink/ #GIS #GISchat #geospatial #SwissGIS

geoparquet-io: Fast #GeoParquet tool: geoparquet-io is an open-source #CLI tool and #Python library for converting, inspecting, optimizing, and partitioning #GeoParquet files, automatically applying GeoParquet performance best practices along the way. Its extract command can pull geodata from sources such as #WFS, #Esri ArcGIS Feature Services, or #BigQuery into GeoParquet.
https://spatialists.ch/posts/2026/04/06-geoparquet-io-fast-geoparquet-tool/ #GIS #GISchat #geospatial #SwissGIS

Open Semantic Interchange: #OpenSemanticInterchange (#OSI) is a new vendor-neutral initiative aiming to standardise how semantic #metadata is shared across #analytics, #AI, and #BI platforms using #YAML — with #CARTO among its working group members. If adopted, it could...
https://spatialists.ch/posts/2026/05/21-open-semantic-interchange/ #GIS #GISchat #geospatial #SwissGIS

Geo-enabling Apache #Hop: @edigonzales@mstdn.social has been geo-enabling the open-source #ETL tool #ApacheHop, building #GDAL/#OGR reader and writer plug-ins and adding an interactive preview for geometries: Early days, but promising progress toward a fully geo-capable data integration pipeline tool.
https://spatialists.ch/posts/2026/03/10-geo-enabling-apache-hop/ #GIS #GISchat #geospatial #SwissGIS

OSM vector tiles in the Esri ecosystem: Riccardo Klinger demonstrates how to build an independent #basemap pipeline from #OpenStreetMap data using #GDAL/#OGR and integrate the resulting #vectorTiles into the #Esri ecosystem. Open-source and proprietary tools turn out to complement each...
https://spatialists.ch/posts/2026/04/03-osm-vector-tiles-in-the-esri-ecosystem/ #GIS #GISchat #geospatial #SwissGIS

Swiss Data Space community: The Swiss Data Space Forum invites experts across domains to help shape the future of trusted #DataSharing in Switzerland. With geodata emerging as the backbone for interoperable and trustworthy #DataSpaces, this initiative is one to watch for...
https://spatialists.ch/posts/2026/03/31-swiss-data-space-community/ #GIS #GISchat #geospatial #SwissGIS

City2Graph: Easy graph generation in Python: #City2Graph is an open-source #Python package that turns geospatial data into #graph structures for #NetworkAnalysis and Graph Neural Networks, with seamless integration into tools like #GeoPandas, #NetworkX, and #PyTorch Geometric. It supports...
https://spatialists.ch/posts/2026/04/18-city2graph-easy-graph-generation-in-python/ #GIS #GISchat #geospatial #SwissGIS

Geoinformation chatbot for the canton of Berne: The canton of Berne has launched a #chatbot on their geoinformation portal that lets users ask questions about available cantonal #geodata and its #metadata in natural language — in German, French, English, and more. It is not (yet?) a ‘talk to the...
https://spatialists.ch/posts/2026/05/08-geoinformation-chatbot-for-the-canton-of-berne/ #GIS #GISchat #geospatial #SwissGIS

“geo” beyond INSPIRE: The INSPIRE Directive for geodata interoperability and sharing is set to be simplified. And that might actually be a good thing! Javier de la Torre takes a good look at INSPIRE’s history, shortcomings, and the argument for embracing #analytics-native paradigms for the future of geospatial.
https://spatialists.ch/posts/2026/03/26-geo-beyond-inspire/ #GIS #GISchat #geospatial #SwissGIS

Cloud-native geo: Practical lessons: Lukas Merz shares practical lessons from real-world projects on the #cloudnativegeo paradigm: what it can do, what not, and when PostGIS (or similar technology) is simply enough. In a second article, he walks through a concrete implementation using...
https://spatialists.ch/posts/2026/04/27-cloud-native-geo-practical-lessons/ #GIS #GISchat #geospatial #SwissGIS

DuckDB 1.5 with spatial updates: DuckDB 1.5 arrives with significant updates for #geospatial: GEOMETRY becomes a built-in data type, storage switches to #WKB with shredding for better compression, #CRS awareness is now part of the type system, and more! Here is a rundown of the most relevant new features in #DuckDB 1.5.
https://spatialists.ch/posts/2026/03/22-duckdb-15-with-spatial-updates/ #GIS #GISchat #geospatial #SwissGIS

Zero declination, please: Fun explorations: David O'Sullivan gets nerd-sniped by an #xkcd comic into creating a #map #projection where magnetic north and true north are perfectly aligned everywhere.
https://spatialists.ch/posts/2026/03/18-zero-declination-please/ #GIS #GISchat #geospatial #SwissGIS

Make geospatial matter: “What must the #GIScience community do to matter?” An article by the Geographic Data Service reports from a roundtable discussion that has found the geospatial field “strategically undervalued” and institutionally isolated. @alexsingleton@mapstodon.space, director of the GeoDS, argues that spatial thinking should be treated as foundational, not as a specialism.
https://spatialists.ch/posts/2026/03/15-make-geospatial-matter/ #GIS #GISchat #geospatial #SwissGIS

Beyond the Buzz: Cloud-native geo: #CloudNativeGeo is everywhere, but does it live up to the hype? Lukas Merz takes a sharp look at formats like #COG, #FlatGeoBuf, #GeoParquet, and #PMTiles, and helps you decide when #cloudnative is the right tool for the job.
https://spatialists.ch/posts/2026/02/25-beyond-the-buzz-cloud-native-geo/ #GIS #GISchat #geospatial #SwissGIS

OGC GERS discussion: The #OGC seeking public comments on whether the #GERS (Global Entity Reference System) Framework and Model by the @overturemaps@bird.makeup should become an OGC Community Standard sparks a broader debate about global identifiers and governance...
https://spatialists.ch/posts/2026/03/05-ogc-gers-discussion/ #OSM @openstreetmap@en.osm.town #OSMF #OMF #GIS #GISchat #geospatial #SwissGIS

H3/PostGIS: Hands-on example: @komzpa@mas.to, member of the #PostGIS PSC, walks through an interesting hands-on case study of modelling #LoRa radio tower range in the mountains of Georgia using #H3 and PostGIS. The example covers data preparation, #DGGS indexing, and...
https://spatialists.ch/posts/2026/02/27-h3-postgis-hands-on-example/ #GIS #GISchat #geospatial #SwissGIS

Geoinformation chatbot for the canton of Berne: The canton of Berne has launched a #chatbot on their geoinformation portal that lets users ask questions about available cantonal #geodata and its #metadata in natural language — in German, French, English, and more. It is not (yet?) a ‘talk to the...
https://spatialists.ch/posts/2026/05/08-geoinformation-chatbot-for-the-canton-of-berne/ #GIS #GISchat #geospatial #SwissGIS

Joining 130 million points: Dewey Dunnington revisits his 2024 benchmark of #spatialjoin operations on 130 million points, now testing #SedonaDB and #DuckDB #Spatial in comparison to the original tools. The results are remarkable: 6 seconds on a laptop replacing 3-5 minutes...
https://spatialists.ch/posts/2026/05/07-joining-130-million-points/ #GIS #GISchat #geospatial #SwissGIS

Sh*pefile in Google Earth: #GoogleEarth just announced #Shapefile import support, and the reactions range from delight to bafflement. The move certainly reads as legacy, but … may be clever?
https://spatialists.ch/posts/2026/05/01-shapefile-in-google-earth/ #GIS #GISchat #geospatial #SwissGIS

Bridging ArcGIS Pro and AI: Danny McVey’s arcgispro-cli gives #ArcGISPro a #CLI bridge to #AI #codingAgents, exporting project structure including maps, layers, toolboxes, and geodatabases to a machine-readable format. The open-source tool enables working with real GIS...
https://spatialists.ch/posts/2026/04/19-bridging-arcgis-pro-and-ai/ #GIS #GISchat #geospatial #SwissGIS

Bridging ArcGIS Pro and AI: Danny McVey’s arcgispro-cli gives #ArcGISPro a #CLI bridge to #AI #codingAgents, exporting project structure including maps, layers, toolboxes, and geodatabases to a machine-readable format. The open-source tool enables working with real GIS...
https://spatialists.ch/posts/2026/04/19-bridging-arcgis-pro-and-ai/ #GIS #GISchat #geospatial #SwissGIS

Apple and Google Maps history: Marcin Wichary curates Justin O’Beirne’s series on the evolution of #Apple and #Google Maps’ style, content, and #POI coverage over the years. Justin’s articles are a few years old, but the insights on web #cartography and real-world use cases are...
https://spatialists.ch/posts/2026/04/12-apple-and-google-maps-history/ #GIS #GISchat #geospatial #SwissGIS

Cadastral data in IFC format: Swiss #CadastralSurveying data is now available in #IFC format via geodienste.ch by KGK-CGC, enabling seamless integration into #BIM workflows. Currently four cantons offer their data, including 3D terrain and building models from swisstopo, with...
https://spatialists.ch/posts/2026/03/23-cadastral-data-in-ifc-format/ #GIS #GISchat #geospatial #SwissGIS

Geoinformation circles in Geneva: Geneva’s #SITG is experimenting with an open community model: thematic #geoinformation circles that anyone can propose, join, and self-organize. Already, participants range from the WHO and France’s national mapping agency to university researchers...
https://spatialists.ch/posts/2026/03/21-geoinformation-circles-in-geneva/ #GIS #GISchat #geospatial #SwissGIS

Beyond the Buzz: Cloud-native geo: #CloudNativeGeo is everywhere, but does it live up to the hype? Lukas Merz takes a sharp look at formats like #COG, #FlatGeoBuf, #GeoParquet, and #PMTiles, and helps you decide when #cloudnative is the right tool for the job.
https://spatialists.ch/posts/2026/02/25-beyond-the-buzz-cloud-native-geo/ #GIS #GISchat #geospatial #SwissGIS

Mapping and analysing public health: #PublicHealth is a compelling but under-explored domain for #geospatial analysis. The ASIT is hosting a June meetup in Lausanne covering #geomedicine, environmental health influences, physical-activity-friendly #spatialPlanning, and #geostatistics...
https://spatialists.ch/posts/2026/04/28-mapping-and-analysing-public-health/ #GIS #GISchat #geospatial #SwissGIS

SOGI-OSIG communication: The SOGI-OSIG has started a survey on the organisation’s communication activities. The survey is available in German and in French. Administered by the BFH, the survey results will be used to inform SOGI-OSIG’s future communication strategy and...
https://spatialists.ch/posts/2026/03/23-sogi-osig-communication/ #GIS #GISchat #geospatial #SwissGIS

QGIS 4.0 Norrköping: QGIS 4.0 “Norrköping” has arrived – familiar on the surface, but rebuilt on Qt6 with over 100 new features, improved performance, and a stronger foundation for the future.
https://spatialists.ch/posts/2026/03/10-qgis-40-norrkoping/ #GIS #GISchat #geospatial #SwissGIS

New home for INTERLIS content: @edigonzales@mstdn.social’s blog has found a new home: After 12 years of blogging, this #INTERLIS community resource is now at blog.interlis.guru. Update your #RSS feed reader if you follow this essential resource for the Swiss geodata community (which...
https://spatialists.ch/posts/2026/05/08-new-home-for-interlis-content/ #GIS #GISchat #geospatial #SwissGIS

Joint colloquium on spatial and statistical data: At the joint colloquium by the Federal Statistical Office and swisstopo, speakers explored the intersection of spatial and statistical data, from the buildings and addresses register GWR/RegBL to using the topographic landscape model TLM for...
https://spatialists.ch/posts/2026/03/15-joint-colloquium-on-spatial-and-statistical-data/ #GIS #GISchat #geospatial #SwissGIS

Call for CNG mentors and mentees: The Cloud-Native Geospatial (#CNG) #Mentorship Program pairs geospatial professionals for six months of one-on-one career, technical, or project-focused guidance. With applications open until end of April and running from May to October, the...
https://spatialists.ch/posts/2026/04/12-call-for-cng-mentors-and-mentees/ #GIS #GISchat #geospatial #SwissGIS

New home for INTERLIS content: Stefan Ziegler’s blog has found a new home: After 12 years of blogging, this #INTERLIS community resource is now at blog.interlis.guru. Update your #RSS feed reader if you follow this essential resource for the Swiss geodata community (which...
https://spatialists.ch/posts/2026/05/08-new-home-for-interlis-content/ #GIS #GISchat #geospatial #SwissGIS