The Top 10 GIS Stories of 2013

Each year, key developments across the GIS and geospatial technology landscape reveal how the industry is evolving. In 2013, changes in commercial satellite imagery, online mapping platforms, education, and storytelling with maps reshaped how spatial data is produced, shared, and understood.

Below are the ten GIS-related stories that stood out most over the year, presented in no particular order.

1. One Dominant U.S. Commercial Satellite Imagery Provider

After years of competition among multiple U.S. commercial satellite imagery firms, 2013 marked the consolidation of the industry into a single dominant provider. This shift was largely influenced by government funding realities and highlighted the continued challenge of building strong private-sector revenue streams for high-resolution satellite imagery.

2. The Rise of Next-Generation Remote Sensing Startups

A new wave of small, venture-backed companies began redefining commercial remote sensing. Using lower-cost satellites and innovative business models, these newcomers emphasized rapid image refresh rates, video from space, and alternative delivery models that challenged traditional imagery providers.

3. The Continued Promise of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS)

Although regulatory uncertainty in the United States slowed widespread deployment, unmanned aerial systems remained a focal point of discussion in GIS, surveying, and mapping communities. Education and training emerged as the most immediate business opportunities while the industry awaited clearer rules.

4. 2013: The Year of the GIS MOOC

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) gained real traction in the geospatial world. Courses focused on online mapping, GIS fundamentals, STEM education, and professional development expanded access to GIS education and sparked debate about learning outcomes, certification, and long-term value.

5. Apple Maps Reaches “Good Enough” Status

After a rocky launch in previous years, Apple Maps steadily improved throughout 2013. While not perfect, it reached a level of reliability that satisfied most everyday users—demonstrating how default tools, convenience, and time can overcome early technical shortcomings.

6. Mapbox and CartoDB Emerge as Online Mapping Leaders

Modern APIs, attractive cartography, fast onboarding, and strong ties to open-source ecosystems made new online mapping platforms increasingly popular among journalists, developers, activists, and government users. These tools emphasized flexibility and visual storytelling over traditional GIS branding.

7. Storytelling with Maps Goes Mainstream

2013 marked a turning point in how maps were used to tell stories. Interactive “story maps” combining geography with narrative, imagery, and multimedia became widely adopted in education, journalism, and public communication—cementing maps as a storytelling medium, not just an analytical one.

8. The Industry Holds Steady on Key Trends

Several long-running trends maintained momentum without dramatic shifts. Open-source geospatial tools continued growing, location-based services expanded quietly, cloud computing became normalized, and augmented reality showed promise but limited large-scale adoption.

9. The Impact of the U.S. Government Shutdown

The 2013 government shutdown temporarily disrupted access to federal geospatial data and forced the postponement of major industry events. The situation raised broader questions about dependence on public data infrastructure and the resilience of geospatial workflows.

10. The Coolest Technical Moment of the Year

One small but powerful innovation stood out: GeoJSON files automatically rendering as maps on GitHub. This seemingly simple capability removed friction between data sharing and visualization, signaling a future where publishing geospatial data could instantly produce a usable map.

Final Thoughts

The top GIS stories of 2013 reflect an industry in transition—balancing consolidation with innovation, formal education with open learning, and traditional GIS workflows with modern web-based tools. Together, these developments helped shape the geospatial technologies and practices we rely on today.