The government technology provider, in the midst of a notable acquisition streak, says it has a “new strategic integration” with geospatial company EagleView.
According to a statement, EagleView’s “orthogonal and oblique imagery” — that is, images at right angles and at wider slants, respectively — will now show up within Versaterm’s computer-aided dispatch and mobility systems.
That means dispatchers and first responders plugged into Versaterm can access top-down and side angles of structures, roads and other sites.
That can allow those workers and officials to, say, tell the difference between a one-story and 50-story building via the platform, gain topographic and sightline knowledge and generally improve overall situational awareness.
EagleView works from a data and imagery library “encompassing 94 percent of the U.S. population,” according to the statement. Its tech not only helps in public safety, but in planning, insurance, utility management and construction.
Geospatial intelligence is becoming ever more attractive to governments, especially as a means to predict and manage disasters. Data from satellites, ground stations and other sources offer detailed and real-time information that can better shape official responses, as well as guide zoning and other government decisions.
As geospatial tools gain ground, gov tech vendors also are partnering to sell tech that gives first responders quicker access to building information in the event of emergencies, while some public agencies increase investments in their own aerial data-gathering capabilities.
"Our partnership with EagleView continues to evolve in ways that benefit the public safety agencies and the communities they serve," said Sue Langlois, chief operating officer of Versaterm Public Safety, in the statement. "This integration is more than just a technical upgrade; it's the next step in our mission to empower better, faster and safer responses.”
