What is the Future for Commercial Mapping Firms?

Historically, the traditional demarcation between government mapping and commercial mapping has been at the 1:24,000 scale topographic map. Larger scale mapping for commercial, city, county, and state purposes has traditionally been the responsibility of the commercial mapping firms. Recent advances in high altitude remote sensing and photography, together with the government mapping elements obtaining newer equipment with greater efficiencies and capabilities provides for a concern that the government will break from the traditional scale demarcation and provide urban mapping at scales from 1:1,000 to 1:10,000. This poses an even greater and more critical question of the future role of the commercial mapping firms. The writer foresees a rapidly growing demand for current and accurate mapping, and that budget and personnel limitations being placed on the government will result in increased use of commercial mapping firms to meet routine mapping requirements.