Lab #2: Learning ArcPro

                                 Figure 1: Lab 2 Tutorial Map

Introduction 

What makes data geospatial? 

Data that is geospatial is data with a geographical point to it. The data we worked with today were all coordinates on a map that displayed roads, forest data, and cities.

What makes data in a GIS different than a digital map?

A digital map will just show you your location and surrounding streets and places using letter, points, and lines. While a GIS map can show you multiple kinds of data in one.

 Why is understanding geospatial concepts and geospatial data so fundamental to working with UAS data?

Understanding geospatial concepts and geospatial data is crucial because it a huge industry in the UAS world and there is a large chance you will be working with this data if you plan on pursuing the business.

What are some of the key geospatial concepts and fundamentals that this lab addresses?

Some geospatial concepts this lab addresses are combining a lot of raster data together to make a large map that not only displays deforestation but the roads, cities, and proposed roads within Brazil.

Assignment and Method

In this assignment I delved into the basics of using ArcPro and how to make a detailed GIS map. I started by downloading some map data for brazil and uploading it to ArcPro. I then started added other forms of data to the map such as, a base map, roads, states, proposed roads, and deforestation data. After that I ended up spending about an hour learning the tools and settings to change and customize the map. This includes changing colors of roads, using the buffer tool, and adding databases. I then started messing with the attributes of the maps data by taking shape area and putting it in other equations in other map components. I followed that by tracing a proposed road they want to construct that goes through the amazon rain forest. Finally, I Finished up the map by changing up the colors, adding a legend and title, and adding a small world map that displays where Brazil is in South America.

Conclusion

Honestly, I have never used a GIS software, but ArcPro seems like a very superior GIS software. ArcPro has all the necessary tools you could ever need to make any GIS map with any data you can imagine. One important note to state is that ArcPro has a very large learning curve, it has so many different settings, tools, and properties that learning it will be frustrating and it will take time to perfect. The data we used for this tutorial was perfect, using UAS data could be a challenge if the data is not gathered correctly. A lot of the data I used could have been supplemented with data gathered by a UAS using Lidar sensors and thermal cameras.