Preparing for the Modernization of the National Spatial Reference System

The field of geospatial technology is on the cusp of significant developments that will affect every aspect of the industry. The U.S., for the first time in over forty years, including its territories, is planning to update its official reference and vertical datums. These revisions are being led by the National Geodetic Survey (NGS), which is a part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), under the National Ocean Service (NOS). NGS’s role is to establish, maintain, and allow public access to the National Spatial Reference System (NSRS), the framework that provides definitions of latitude, longitude, altitude, gravity, and orientation across the United States. As part of their mission to modernize the NSRS, the NGS plans to replace the existing North American Datum (NAD) 83 and vertical datums such as the North American Vertical Datum (NAVD) 88 with new terrestrial reference frames and a novel geopotential datum. In response to the upcoming changes, the ASPRS has created a working group dedicated to addressing this topic and informing the industry about the most effective ways to adapt to the shift toward these new standards. A special panel composed of industry experts will address the potential hurdles and strategies for this significant update.