On December 2, 2025, the Survey and Mapping Office (SMO) of the Lands Department and the Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics (LSGI) at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) successfully concluded a collaborative meeting, following the signing of MOU on September 12, 2025, focused on modernizing land surveying and geospatial technologies through the integration of Artificial Intelligence.
Held at PolyU, the meeting brought together leading professionals and academics from both the Lands Department and LSGI. The session served as a platform for exploring innovative solutions to advance the field of land surveying and geospatial technology.
During the meeting, representatives from the SMO presented selected operational use cases, including 2D and 3D map updating, cadastral surveying, and address matching, outlining existing workflows and key technical challenges. Faculty members from LSGI subsequently engaged in discussions on these challenges and shared perspectives on the application of GeoAI to enhance related processes. The exchanges underscored the potential of AI-driven approaches to improve the reliability and efficiency of geospatial data production and management. In addition, the participants examined a preliminary framework of a proposed professional training program aimed at strengthening practitioners’ competencies in AI-enabled geospatial solutions.
Prof. Qihao Weng, Director of the JC STEM Lab of Earth Observations and the Research Centre for Artificial Intelligence in Geomatics (RCAIG), gave insightful ideas on leveraging AI and remote sensing technologies to address current challenges in land surveying. He emphasized the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration and continuous professional development to ensure that the industry remains at the forefront of technological innovation and meets technical compliance.
The meeting concluded with an open discussion on additional topics, reaffirming the commitment of both organizations to ongoing collaboration. Both PolyU and the Lands Department look forward to further partnership and the successful implementation of the initiatives discussed, paving the way for a smarter and more efficient future in land surveying and geospatial technologies.
Held at PolyU, the meeting brought together leading professionals and academics from both the Lands Department and LSGI. The session served as a platform for exploring innovative solutions to advance the field of land surveying and geospatial technology.
During the meeting, representatives from the SMO presented selected operational use cases, including 2D and 3D map updating, cadastral surveying, and address matching, outlining existing workflows and key technical challenges. Faculty members from LSGI subsequently engaged in discussions on these challenges and shared perspectives on the application of GeoAI to enhance related processes. The exchanges underscored the potential of AI-driven approaches to improve the reliability and efficiency of geospatial data production and management. In addition, the participants examined a preliminary framework of a proposed professional training program aimed at strengthening practitioners’ competencies in AI-enabled geospatial solutions.
Prof. Qihao Weng, Director of the JC STEM Lab of Earth Observations and the Research Centre for Artificial Intelligence in Geomatics (RCAIG), gave insightful ideas on leveraging AI and remote sensing technologies to address current challenges in land surveying. He emphasized the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration and continuous professional development to ensure that the industry remains at the forefront of technological innovation and meets technical compliance.
The meeting concluded with an open discussion on additional topics, reaffirming the commitment of both organizations to ongoing collaboration. Both PolyU and the Lands Department look forward to further partnership and the successful implementation of the initiatives discussed, paving the way for a smarter and more efficient future in land surveying and geospatial technologies.
