A large part of political decisions are taken considering the spatial data, which are the basis for the knowledge of the land, of the built areas as well as support to the urban development planning and to the engineering design.
Human activities require then to know position and to be able to navigate to acquire 3D data in a kinematic way either to reach a location or to follow a route. Even in everyday life, products such as Google Earth are becoming increasingly popular and used as they allow to plan and organize activities.
The acquisition, processing and representation techniques for spatial data significantly evolved in the last two decades, thanks to the increased use of technologies coming from the ICT sector. Techniques of 3D data acquisition and instrumentation, have been improved thanks to the use of Global Navigation Satellite systems (GNSS) as the GPS, Laser Imaging Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) systems, digital images and inertial systems. Furthermore, novel processing techniques allow to optimally integrate sensors and led to improve the representation of the land and the management of data related to it through GIS (Geographic Information System) techniques.
The ICT field must then interface with skilled users who work on georeferencing, processing and plotting of spatial data. It is often necessary to develop software or firmware that meet the requirements of positioning, representation and the organization of databases of geo-referenced data, or at least to become skilled users of these technologies.
This course provides the basic principles of the techniques of acquisition, processing, plotting and representation of spatial data, to create ICT professionals that know how to interface with the operators in the Geomatics field, supporting the knowledge and control of the land and built areas.

The lectures aim at providing the theoretical principles of the different measurement and spatial data acquisition techniques, the knowledge of statistical data analysis, the applications of Geomatics techniques for the land surveying, buildings and civil engineering activities, mapping, monitoring and protection of the land.

The practical parts are focused to develop the operational skills on the basis of the theoretical knowledge. The student will be trained to perform spatial measurements by means of the most up-to-date surveying techniques and to manage the different techniques for acquisition of positioning data, while assessing the robustness in presence of intentional and unintentional disturbances.

In this course abilities of data processing of on-field measurements will be developed. Practical problems will be proposed: the student will be required to autonomously develop computational procedures for the implementation of Geomatics applications, in particular concerning the monitoring and representation of the land and of the built areas.

The student will have to achieve the ability to exploit the skills acquired in the ICT domain to the fields of navigation and mapping. He will develop the ability to implement calculation tools and procedures for positioning, representation and visualization of spatial data for land and built areas monitoring.

Signal processing, statistical data processing, software development

• Fundamental Principles of satellite-based and terrestrial positioning
• Description of the positioning systems, focusing on GNSS receivers. Analysis of the performance of these systems both under static and kinematic conditions, considering the operating scenario, both in nominal conditions and in the presence of external impairments or anomalies
• Georeferencing methods based on GNSS measurement, digital images, LiDAR, IMU and their integration.
• Data processing and representation of 3D data
• Data representation, surveying databases, digital terrain model and GIS.
• Practical sessions on measurement techniques, data processing and plotting both on the field and in the LAB.

The course will be based on lectures and practical exercises using on-field measurement and both static and kinematic acquisition, data processing, data plotting and 3D visualization and spatial data management. The exercises will both use Geomatics instruments in outdoor environments, as well as in the LAB, either with commercial and open source software or software ad-hoc developed by the students.

Suggested books:
• Hofmann-Wellenhof et al (2008) – GNSS Global Navigation Satellite system. Springer – New York.
• Leick (2003) - Gps Satellite Surveying - J. Wiley – Canada. III Edizione.
• Misra P., Enge P. Global Positioning System: Signals, Measurements, and Performance, Ganga-Jamuna press
• Dovis F., Mulassano P., Dominici F., Overview of Global Navigation Satellite Systems, In: Handbook of Position Location: Theory, Practice and Advances, pp. 923-974, Wiley-IEEE press (USA), 2011, ISBN: 978-0-470-94342-7, doi: 10.1002/9781118104750.ch28
• Fantino M., Lo Presti L., Pini M. Digital signal processing in GNSS receivers, In: Handbook of Position Location: Theory, Practice, and Advances / Zekavat S.A., Buehrer R.M. (ed.) Wiley - IEEE Press, pp 48, pagine 975-1022, ISBN: 9780470943427

• Lecture notes and slides provided during the course, available on the website of teaching

In-Depth - books
• Cina, A. (2014). Dal GPS al GNSS per la geomatica. CELID, Torino. ISBN 978-8867890200
• Cina, A. (2002). Trattamento delle misure topografiche. CELID, Torino. ISBN 88-7661-534-2
• Comoglio, G. (2008). Topografia e cartografia. CELID, Torino
• Global Navigation Satellite Systems: Signal, Theory and Applications, edited by Shuanggen Jin, ISBN 978-953-307-843-4, 438 pages, Publisher: InTech, (http://www.intechopen.com/books/global-navigation-satellite-systems-signal-theory-and-applications)
• Satellite Positioning - Methods, Models and Applications, Edited by Shuanggen Jin, ISBN 978-953-51-1738-4, 212 pages, Publisher: InTech, (http://www.intechopen.com/books/satellite-positioning-methods-models-and-applications
• Fabio Dovis (ed), "GNSS Interference Threats and Countermeasures", Artech House, 2014, ISBN: 978-1-60807-810-3

The exam is an oral discussion with the student about the topics which are explained in the course. In addition, a report about the practical part is required, and it will be prepared by the student both during the exercise classes and in an autonomous way.