AAM, a global provider of geospatial technologies, has been modelling the built and natural environment in 3-D since 1995, and is the largest private holder of geographic information system (GIS) data in Australia. AAM has been at the forefront of aerial 3-D data capture for many years and has compiled a comprehensive temporal library of 3-D data and derivative products.

AAM provides state-of-the-art access to its valuable data through various channels, including its GEOCIRRUS cloud-based GIS solution via a ‘Data as a Service’ (DaaS) model and the GEOCIRRUS Discovery Portal (the AAM shopfront for data/content).

As part of expanding and improving its GEOCIRRUS strategy, AAM has agreed to licence, under a commercial agreement, Pointerra’s 3-D geospatial technology. Both parties are currently working to integrate Pointerra’s technology into GEOCIRRUS, enabling AAM to more effectively sell access to its 3-D data library.

Under the MOU, Pointerra will also be licenced by AAM to sell access to AAM’s 3-D data (and derivative products) through its own 3-D data marketplace.

The full commercial terms of the relationship will be documented in a formal technology licence and partnership agreement, to be concluded by no later than July 2017; however, AAM and Pointerra have agreed that:

1. AAM will pay Pointerra a one-off licence fee for the use of Pointerra’s technology in GEOCIRRUS; 
2. AAM will pay Pointerra a royalty based on data usage through the GEOCIRRUS Discovery Portal; and
3. Pointerra will pay AAM a royalty based on data sales made through Pointerra’s 3-D data marketplace.

Ian Olson, managing director at Pointerra, commented: “We are delighted to have secured an important data partner in AAM, who are the pre-eminent geospatial and GIS business in our region. The MOU and subsequent licence and partnership agreement represent another milestone in Pointerra’s vision to lead the global market for 3-D data. We are working on similar software licence, partnership and data licensing relationships with other leading regional and global enterprise partners and data owners.

“The common theme of these relationships and agreements is to monetise Pointerra’s technology through a mix of licence fees and royalty payments and to add to Pointerra’s world-first 3-D data library as part of our global 3-D data marketplace.”

Mark Freeburn, CEO of AAM, added: “When we launched GEOCIRRUS in 2015, AAM was one of the first geospatial organisations in the world to provide a cloud-based delivery solution and DaaS marketplace. By partnering with Pointerra we have added a step-change in dimension and scale by being able to visualise and promote access for our customers to our considerable library of 3-D datasets. Pointerra’s technology will help us leverage this data to grow our GEOCIRRUS marketplace. We are also excited to be part of Pointerra’s global marketplace for 3-D data and see the relationship as a win for both organisations.”