Cartographers and Photogrammetrists collect, measure, and interpret geographic information in order to create and update maps and charts for regional planning, education, and other purposes. They create maps and perform aerial surveys for governments to aid in urban and regional planning, by gathering information from geodetic surveys (land surveys that account for the curvature of the Earth’s surface) and remote-sensing systems like aerial cameras, satellites, and light-imaging detection and ranging (LIDAR) technology. Cartographers are mapmakers who design user-friendly maps. Photogrammetrists are specialized mapmakers who use various technologies to build models of the Earth’s surface and its features for the purpose of creating maps.
Other responsibilities typically include:
- Create visual representations of data, such as annual precipitation patterns.
- Examine and compile data from ground surveys, reports, aerial photographs, and satellite images.
- Prepare maps in digital or graphic form for environmental and educational purposes.
- Plan aerial and satellite surveys to ensure complete coverage of the area in question.
- Collect and analyze geographic and spatial data, such as elevation and distance.
- Develop base maps that allow for GIS data to be layered on top.