Geomatics Engineering Department

Research Priority Areas

• Intelligent transportation systems

• Spatiotemporal data mining

• Real-time geographic information systems and applications

• Remote sensing, LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging), terrestrial laser scanning

• Photogrammetry

• Climate change, disaster management, and risk reduction

• Precision navigation

• Space geodesy

Subfields of Study

• Artificial intelligence applications in remote sensing

• High-precision positioning and information extraction using remote sensing methods

• Identification and monitoring of natural hazards using remote sensing and geographic information systems (GIS)

• Natural disaster management using remote sensing and GIS

• Developing methods for agricultural product mapping and yield estimation using satellite imagery

• Object, land cover, and land use detection with deep learning on satellite imagery

• Information extraction from satellite images using machine learning algorithms

• Object extraction and method development from airborne LiDAR data

• Image processing, artificial intelligence, deep learning, pattern recognition, laser scanning, LiDAR

• Microwave sensing systems, agricultural monitoring, deformation analysis

• Volunteered geographic information in GIS

• Geographic data analysis with open science and open technologies

• Smart campus

• Real-time navigation, augmented reality, virtual reality, intelligent agents, streaming data analysis, and artificial intelligence applications

• Satellite gravimetry, physical geodesy, artificial intelligence applications in geodesy, sensor technologies

• Multidisciplinary geoscience research

• Earth observation technologies

• Climate change prediction, adaptation, and action plans

• Indoor positioning systems

• Autonomous navigation

• Precision agriculture applications

• Navigation using mobile phones

• Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS)

• Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI)

• Space-based gravity missions (CHAMP, GRACE, GOCE)

• Earth rotation parameters and celestial-terrestrial reference coordinate systems (EOP, ITRF, ICRF)

• Inertial Navigation Systems (INS)

• Troposphere and ionosphere modeling

Keywords

Remote Sensing, Satellite Images, Satellite Image Processing, Deep Learning, Machine Learning, Land Cover and Land Use, Image Classification, Object Detection; Photogrammetry, Geographic Information Systems, Artificial Intelligence, Volunteered Data, Spatial Data Science, Natural Disasters, Radar, Image Processing; Land Cover, Temporal Monitoring; Data Mining, Open Science; Intelligent Transportation Systems, Augmented Reality, Intelligent Agents, Autonomous Navigation Systems, Real-Time Decision Making, Sensor Networks and Sensor Fusion, GRACE/GRACE-FO Gravity Satellite Missions, Geoid, Satellite Gravimetry, Total Water Storage, Drought Analysis, Time Series Forecasting, Geodesy, Space Geodetic Observation Technologies, GNSS, INS, IPS, VLBI, DORIS, SLR, GOCE, Earth Rotation Parameters, Troposphere, Ionosphere.

Significance and Justification

Remote Sensing, Photogrammetry, and Geographic Information Systems: Geomatics Engineering is a constantly evolving, self-renewing, and continuously expanding field of engineering. In today’s world, its importance is rapidly increasing in areas such as designing smart cities, monitoring the Earth and other planets via satellites, producing topographic and thematic maps at any desired scale, and determining and modeling continental movements. In the digital age, it is almost impossible to find someone with a smartphone who does not use mapping software.

Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are fundamental scientific disciplines within Geomatics Engineering, closely related to photogrammetry. In recent years, photogrammetry and remote sensing have become increasingly important subfields of Geomatics Engineering. The ability to perform rapid, precise, and high-density spatial measurements through remote methods is crucial for applications requiring frequent and widespread data collection, such as smart cities. The study of agricultural areas through satellite images, identification of crops, and yield estimation is vital for sustainable agricultural policies. Remote sensing systems enable the monitoring of agricultural products and facilitate studies such as yield estimation, drought assessment, and soil moisture determination. The Geomatics Engineering Department trains experts in GIS, photogrammetry, and remote sensing to meet the growing needs of the newly established Space Agency in our country.

Intelligent Transportation Systems and Spatiotemporal Data Mining: With the widespread use of sensors, spatiotemporal data related to moving objects (vehicles, ships, etc.) and living beings (animals and humans) can be collected. This allows for various research applications, from dynamically adjusting traffic lights based on traffic density to analyzing human mobility patterns. The proposed priority and subfields of study focus on collecting data using open technologies and conducting subsequent analyses.

Precision Navigation: The demand for high-accuracy positioning is increasing. While advancements in satellite technologies such as Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) have improved, the accuracy of inertial systems has also increased while costs have decreased. Moreover, numerous global studies are being conducted on sensor fusion for high-precision navigation. Monitoring the precise temporal positioning of objects on Earth and in space is essential for mapping, military applications, geosciences, and space sciences.

Real-Time Navigation, Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, Intelligent Agents, Streaming Data Analysis, and Artificial Intelligence Applications: With the rapid advancement of data transmission technologies, different types of sensors and their networks are enabling autonomous decision-making and planning from strategic to tactical levels. Augmented reality applications, such as personalized projection glasses and mobile phones, seek new ways for individuals to become more aware of their surroundings in virtual or augmented reality environments. Geographic data fusion and real-time analysis of spatially distributed sensor networks are expected to play a significant role in decision-making processes in the near future, even allowing for autonomous decision-making through intelligent agents.

Geodesy, Artificial Intelligence, and Sensor Applications in Geodesy: Due to increasing information technologies and data volume, the use of both sensor technologies and artificial intelligence has become a necessity across disciplines. The integration of these tools provides numerous opportunities for solving geoscience problems, disaster management, predictive modeling, and continuous monitoring.

Climate Change Prediction, Adaptation, and Action Plans: Climate change, disasters, and risk reduction are among the most critical challenges affecting civilization today and in the near future due to human-environment interactions. Sustainable environmental management and development require understanding natural and human-induced hazards, taking preventive measures, and ensuring adaptation.