In our second interview with Dr Karen Joyce from She Maps we discuss:

• Emerging technologies in the spatial field
• Research in the spatial industry
• Drones for Mapping

Karen's career began with a research project on Heron Reef studying reef impacts using satellite data.

One of the challenges during that time was the need for technology that could fly over the reef close enough to capture detailed information not available via satellite.

Drones are now used to map live coral and count sea cucumbers (among numerous other applications) and bridge the gap in detailed data capture.

"Drones are getting smaller and cheaper and we can take this technology into schools which means everybody can now get involved in drones," says Karen.

The biggest industries using drones are humanitarian then followed by the film industry, defence, mining and agriculture. Science is a smaller segment being driven by other industries.

Karen is also involved in guest editing the Remote Sensing Journal and the Drones Journal to encourage more women to publish in open-access, scientific publications.

She is actively involved in promoting equality for women in spatial sciences and is involved in Homeward Bound for women in STEM leadership roles. This is a 10 year program that includes a voyage to Antarctica with 80 other women in science leadership.

Karen is also involved in Drones for Mapping through her research and teaching. It teaches people in industry how to get into mapping using drones through online training.

For more information, visit www.shemaps.com.