Members of Esri South Africa gave a guest lecture to students of the third year course, GIS 310, on Wednesday 16 March. Students were exposed to the integration of drone technology in Esri software, as well as using machine learning to map land cover.

Verosha Naidoo, who is the University of Pretoria's contact person at Esri South Africa spoke to the students on how they can get in touch, keep up to date with latest developments, and the Esri Young Scholar Award. Sean Cullen, a Location Intelligence Specialist at Esri South Africa, spoke about drone technology, its use in various fields, and how it integrates with GIS. Mutakusi Ragimana, a Geospatial Consultant at Esri South Africa, showed the students how machine learning can be used to map land cover in rural Limpopo. This work is a continuation of his Honours studies, giving the students a unique insight on what they can expect after graduation. 

Covid-19 restrictions meant not all students were able to join us in person. Those that could not attend in person were able to join us online. The Department would like to thank the presenters and Esri South Africa for taking the time to speak to our students; it is always a privilege to have members of industry speak to our students.

A gallery of the visit can be accessed here.