Minutes of the 60th Quarterly Salt Lake GIS Users Group (SLUG) meeting, held on February 19, 2025 from 11:30 am to 1:00 at Sandy City Hall (10000 Centennial Pkwy, Sandy, UT 84070). There were about 85 people in attendance today.
Business
James Burton, SLUG Board
Welcome to SLUG’s 60th meeting! We would like to thank Sandy City for hosting this meeting and to Horrocks for sponsoring and providing lunch!
Stan McShinsky, UGIC Board
UGIC will be in Logan, Utah this year on May 12-16, 2025. Registration is open now and you can register here. This year's UGIC embraces a "for you, by you" philosophy, where the classes and presentations will be shaped by your contributions. The more you engage, the greater the experience will be for everyone. To find out more about UGIC, visit their website. Maps on the Hill is coming up on March 5 and more information on that can be found here.
Michael Cherry, Horrocks
Horrocks GIS specializes in turning data into actionable insights through innovative mapping solutions, efficient data management, and custom GIS tools. Key services include asset management, field data collection, and geodatabase design. Using advanced mobile LiDAR technology, AI-powered processing, and comprehensive ROW asset mapping, Horrocks offers 10x faster data collection, 360-degree imagery, and a 90% reduction in manual effort. Their solutions provide accelerated processing, cost-effective results, and improved decision-making through stronger, more reliable data.
Presentations
Tom Zumbado, Salt Lake City Engineering, UAS Program Overview
The SLC Engineering "drone working group" is a collaboration between the GEMs team and city survey section, with licensed aviators and ground support staff. They have flown over 100 UAV missions, primarily supporting local government functions like image/video collection, infrastructure inspections, construction progression, and 3D model building. Their fleet includes various drones like the DJI Phantom IV and Autel Robotics EVO II.
Challenges include gaining support from decision-makers, justifying the program’s benefits, and securing IT resources. Accomplishments include cost savings, assisting with large-scale projects, providing quick response documentation, and setting UAS operational standards.
Future plans focus on establishing centralized governance, training more city pilots, and expanding the fleet with a fixed-wing platform. Recommendations for UAS success include understanding UAV scope, FAA training, maintaining good records, and regular training.
Corey Unger, Utah Department of Transportation, GIS at UDOT: Keeping Utah Moving
Corey talked about how GIS is integral to UDOT’s mission of "Keep Utah Moving," supporting operations across its four regions, with over 1,800 employees and 49,000+ road miles. UDOT adopted ArcGIS Online in 2011, using the UPlan platform to visualize data, track assets, and enhance transportation planning. UPlan has grown to include 800+ members, 700+ groups, and over 13,500 items.
UDOT's GIS strategy focuses on engagement, systems, capacity, and governance. It integrates data, streamlines workflows, and modernizes applications to improve project delivery and asset management. The department is also developing a digital twin for unified project development and decision-making.
Key priorities include improving geospatial technology systems, growing workforce capacity through career ladders and training plans, and strengthening data governance. UDOT aims to foster organizational growth, connect workflows, and plan for GIS-driven innovations.
GIS Humor
James Burton - SLUG Board
Our next meeting will be April 9th at UGRC, keep an eye out for more information on that.
Thank you to our presenters and for joining us in person. If you have any ideas for a presentation or any other matter, please contact a SLUG board member. We welcome short or long presentations on any projects that you might be working on that might benefit others. If you have any contacts that would be willing to ‘sponsor’ a lunch by providing food/drinks in exchange for their advertising at the meeting, contact a SLUG Board member.
We appreciate your interest and support!
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