The Turks and Caicos Islands Government (TCIG), through the National Security Secretariat and the Attorney General’s Chambers Lands Division has partnered with PLACE, to capture new high-resolution aerial and street view images of Providenciales and Grand Turk.
For two weeks, which commenced on January 9, 2023, a field survey team from PLACE, a USA-based non-profit data trust that creates and stewards hyperlocal mapping data in the public interest, is in the Turks and Caicos Islands.
The team will, deliver training in the operation of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), including flight planning, flight repetitions and data processing training to technical officer with the Survey & Mapping Department, PWD and DDME as well also local surveyors.
The TCIG will acquire the tools and techniques to continue the acquisition of imagery in all the islands as part of a MOU between TCIG and PLACE.
Commissioner of Lands, Mrs. Tatum Clerveaux, stated that, “The project seeks to address the challenges faced by the Turks and Caicos Islands when it comes to data collection- especially on informal settlements. It focuses on incorporating drones to create detailed, real-time maps of islands to be used in the monitoring and control of in formal settlements.
The training and the collected data will improve local authorities’ technical capacity and will ensure that imagery is always available to facilitate change detection, site analysis, site monitoring, morphology analysis, and enabling/ informing enforcement mechanisms to address the reality of informal settlements. The imagery derived from this partnership will also facilitate the monitoring of urban development juxtaposed to physical planning policies and derive geospatial intelligence for the micro and macro-economic ambitions of the Turks and Caicos Islands”.
The Hon. Attorney General, Mrs. Rhondalee Knowles OBE KC, commented, “Land is undoubtedly a source of material wealth and is therefore inextricably linked to the developmental ambitions of the Turks and Caicos Islands. Land resources are finite and must be managed to ensure the nation's sustainability.
“Therefore, to deliver effective land administration, up-to-date detailed maps are essential. These new aerial images will, therefore, be a useful addition to the current Survey & Mapping Department and the Government as a whole”.