History

Fugro EarthData was founded in 1955 as PhotoScience, Inc., a Maryland-based aerial photography and photogrammetric mapping business. In 1985, Bryan Logan purchased the company with plans to expand from a small regional operation into an international mapping organization that would develop and utilize advanced technologies to reveal more information about the earth, increase mapping accuracy, and accelerate production throughput.

Early on, Logan positioned the company to capitalize on government outsourcing and secured key contracts from the US Geological Survey and the US Army Corps of Engineers. He expanded its capacity and presence by establishing production offices nationwide while growing the organization's aerial data acquisition arm into one of the industry's most technologically advanced operations. Further broadening the organization's capabilities, Logan established a team of experts dedicated to the research, development, and commercialization of new spatial technologies, just as the organization changed its name to EarthData in 1998.

In April 2007, the company reached another milestone in its evolution as a worldwide geospatial services provider when it was acquired by Fugro, a global leader in geotechnical, surveying, and geoscience services. With Fugro's resources for continued technology investment, its presence in more than fifty countries, and an international reputation for excellence, EarthData has entered an exciting new era in the company's history. Together, EarthData and Fugro remain committed to the guiding strategic principles that have led the company to this point:

Technology Leadership

Throughout its history, Fugro EarthData has been at the forefront of geospatial technology. This commitment to technological innovation has transformed Fugro EarthData from a traditional photogrammetric company to a multi-faceted remote sensing, mapping, and GIS organization able to serve a growing number of customers with a steadily expanding variety of digital services.

Relentless Commitment to Quality and Efficiency

The principle of quality at Fugro EarthData goes beyond strict quality control prior to delivery. In the mapping and GIS business, particularly when a company is engaged in the continuous adoption of new technical approaches, quality and efficiency are matters not only of practice, but also of infrastructure. Fugro EarthData has built a structure over time that is focused completely on quality improvement and efficiency and is driven by the organization’s ISO 9001:2008-certified quality management system.