Join experts from artificial intelligence (AI) and data science, thematic applications, engineers and research scientists active in the field of foundation models (FMs) applied to climate, weather, Earth observation (EO), and Earth sciences from across the globe in this workshop hosted by NASA and ESA (European Space Agency).
The Second ESA-NASA International Workshop on AI Foundation Model for Earth Observation will focus on further strengthening cross-agency and cross-disciplinary collaboration between the EO and AI/FM communities to advance the transition of foundation models from research prototypes to operational, trustworthy, and impactful Earth science tools.
The key goal of the workshop is to foster meaningful exchange across science, applications, and operations, while creating space for emerging topics such as agentic AI, novel applications, benchmarking frameworks, and responsible AI use.
Image courtesy NASA
Registration is open for the 2026 GEO Symposium and GEO-21 Plenary, which will take place from 26 to 28 May 2026 in Geneva, Switzerland.
Held under the theme of ‘Investing in Earth Intelligence for a Resilient Future,’ the event will convene governments, space agencies, research organisations, private sector innovators, and development partners to explore how Earth intelligence (EI) can drive transformative, resilient solutions for people and the planet at a pivotal moment in the implementation of GEO’s Post-2025 Strategy.
The sessions will highlight user-driven solutions, open data and open knowledge practices, co-designed products and services, emerging partnerships, and investment opportunities that advance EI and GEO priorities.
The event will be livestreamed, for which registration is not required.
The Tasmanian State of GIS Conference 2026 will be held in Hobart on 3 June.
The Conference will bring together Tasmania’s geospatial community of practitioners, researchers, technologists and decision-makers to share ideas, showcase innovations, and chart the future of spatial thinking.
The theme for this year’s conference is ‘Island to Insight: AI, Analytics and the Digital Landscape,’ reflecting the ongoing convergence of the geospatial sector and the IT world.
Tasmanian geospatial endeavours cover a wide range of activities in sectors such as precision agriculture, forestry management, coastal monitoring, polar science and major infrastructure delivery.
Presentations will cover current and future advanced analytics and AI workflows and how they challenge, compliment or enhance traditional GIS and Earth observation practices.
Image credit: ©iStock.com/FrankRamspott
The International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing’s (ISPRS) XXV Congress will be held in Toronto, Canada, from 4 to 11 July 2026. This will be the first ISPRS Congress to held in Canada since the event in Ottawa in 1972, so it will be an historic occasion.
The event will bring together researchers, practitioners and industry leaders from around the globe to explore the latest advancements, trends and applications in photogrammetry and remote sensing.
The theme of the Congress, From Imagery to Understanding, captures the role of ISPRS and its scientific activities, and will culminate in a legacy project to create materials that can be used by the ISPRS community to better promote to funding agencies and others the important role that it plays in the world’s economic and environmental activities.
The Congress will run in parallel with the 47th Canadian Symposium on Remote Sensing (CSRS).
The abstract submission deadline has been extended to 17 November 2025, and early bird registration is now available.
The Geoscience Australia Distinguished Lecture, “Putting the ‘Geo’ into Geospatial: Shaping the future of Positioning Australia,” will cover future direction of the program, reflecting on its past achievements and how it will meet future positioning demands.
As it moves beyond the establishment phase, the Positioning Australia program will strengthen its capability for continued future relevance. The program builds on opportunities arising from Australia’s geographic location, its technological capabilities, strong partnerships and internationally significant positioning infrastructure.
The adoption of PNT-based technologies is changing requirements for the systems delivering it. There is increasing awareness that society’s increasing reliance on modern technologies brings potential risks from vulnerabilities in PNT systems. This lecture will highlight how Positioning Australia will address these issues, including an often invisible risk: the reliance of PNT systems on a global geodesy supply chain that is increasing vulnerable.
Presented by Dr Martine Woolf, (Branch Head Positioning Australia), Ryan Ruddick (Director GNSS Informatics and infrastructure), Dr Anna Riddell (Director GNSS Analysis), Dr Lisa Hall (Director National Geodesy) and Phil Shears (Director PMO), the lecture will outline how Geoscience Australia aims to continue maximising return on Commonwealth investment in reliable positioning, modernising infrastructure, enhancing access and efficiency, and supporting national resilience and economic growth.
Image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/Inna
South Australia’s Spatial Information Day (SID) will be held on Friday, 7 August at the Adelaide Convention Centre.
An annual highlight of the South Australian geospatial community’s calendar, SID brings together experts from the fields of surveying, GIS, remote sensing, photogrammetry and more, for wide-ranging discussions and networking.
The theme for 2026 is ‘Every future starts somewhere: From ground truth to space, shaping what comes next,’ and for 2026 the organisers are hoping to attract around 400 delegates and 40 speakers. This year will also see the introduction of the inaugural South Australian EISSI Awards Dinner.
The call for abstracts and papers is now open, with speakers invited to submit their ideas within a wide span of topics, such as:
- Various spatial disciplines, e.g. GIS, surveying and so on;
- Real-world case studies;
- Insights into innovation techniques and approaches;
- Smart cities and infrastructure;
- Emerging technologies.
A sponsorship prospectus is now available, while tickets for the event are expected to go on sale soon.
The Survey and Spatial New Zealand Conference 2026 aims to connect the surveying and spatial community to explore innovation, technology and the future of the profession.
The event will attract professionals from across land development, urban design, resource management, civil engineering, surveying (cadastral, hydrographic and engineering), positioning and measurement, and spatial/GIS for two days of insights.
Registrations are due to open in April 2026.
Image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/StudioProX
BIM World COPENHAGEN will be held in Copenhagen, Denmark, from 16 to 17 September 2026, bringing together a wide range of experts from across the fields of digitalisation in construction, real estate and urban development. This includes surveyors, mappers, architects, engineers, contractors, building owners and consultants.
Billing itself as ‘Fuelling the future of the building industry with data and digitalization’, the event will tackle the transformation facing the construction industry, including the pressure to reduce emissions, cut waste and design for circularity, by zooming in on data as the essential link between the green and digital transitions.
The 2026 Advancing Earth Observation Forum aims to bring together professionals from across Australia and beyond, to share, learn, connect and collaborate.
The four-day event promises to attract a diverse range of participants from the Earth observation community, including those in industry, government, research, defence, not-for-profits and educational institutions.
The 2026 Forum will build on the momentum generated at the 2024 event in Adelaide and the inaugural AEO Forum held in Brisbane in 2022.
LOCATE is Australia and New Zealand’s flagship geospatial event, where the region’s smartest minds meet to explore the technologies, ideas and innovations shaping our world.
Each year, leaders from government, industry, research, and emerging sectors come together to uncover the latest breakthroughs and real-world applications transforming infrastructure, environment, agriculture, energy, mining, emergency response, and urban planning.
If you want to stay ahead of spatial trends, connect with decision-makers, and be part of the conversations driving smarter, data-led futures, this is the place to be.
LOCATE26 will be held at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre from 24 to 26 November.
Organisers expect at least 1,000 people to attend, making it a not-to-be-missed opportunity for speakers to share their news and views, and for companies and organisations to promote their products and solutions to a prime audience.
Co-located with LOCATE26 will be the 2026 Digital Earth Summit, a major annual global conference of the International Society for Digital Earth (ISDE).
The ISDE has brought together global experts for more than two decades, delivering world-leading summits and symposia across 15 countries. In 2026, the combination of the Summit and LOCATE26 will bring a unique international gathering of scientists, industry innovators, educators and government leaders to Australia.
