What GIS is – and why it matters
A Geographic Information System (GIS) stores, analyses and visualises data that has a location: customers, assets, parcels, routes, sensors, environmental measurements. A large share of business data has a location component – GIS makes it visible and answers where questions.
Typical questions GIS answers: Where should we open the next branch? Which pipes are due for maintenance? Which areas are at flood risk? How did land use change over ten years? Ravian Matrix's founder holds a Master's in Land Management and Geospatial Science from TU Munich – GIS is one of our core competencies.
GIS solution segments
Interactive web maps
Maps on your website or intranet that anyone can use.
- Layers, filters, search, pop-ups
- Store locators, project maps
- Embeddable in any website
- Mobile-friendly
Spatial analysis
Answer location-based questions with data.
- Site selection & catchment areas
- Hot-spot and cluster analysis
- Network & accessibility analysis
- Suitability modelling
Custom GIS applications
Software built around maps and spatial data.
- Asset & infrastructure registers
- Field data collection apps
- Planning & permitting tools
- Editing workflows
Remote sensing
Information from satellite, aerial and drone imagery.
- Land-cover classification
- Change detection over time
- Vegetation (NDVI) & crop monitoring
- Sentinel, Landsat, drone imagery
Geo dashboards
Live KPIs on a map for management.
- Real-time sensor and vehicle data
- Region comparisons
- Alerts and thresholds
- Shareable reports
Spatial data management
Clean, central and standardised geodata.
- PostGIS spatial databases
- Data conversion (CAD, SHP, KML)
- Coordinate systems (EPSG)
- Metadata & INSPIRE
Routing & logistics
Optimise movement of people and goods.
- Route optimisation
- Service areas & travel times
- Fleet tracking
- Geocoding of addresses
Environmental analysis
Environment, climate and land management.
- Flood & risk mapping
- Biodiversity & habitats
- Urban heat & green spaces
- Environmental reporting
Spatial data types and formats
| Data type | Formats | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Vector | Shapefile, GeoJSON, GeoPackage, KML, DXF/DWG | Parcels, roads, buildings, customer points |
| Raster | GeoTIFF, COG, JPEG2000 | Satellite images, elevation models, heat maps |
| Point clouds | LAS/LAZ | LiDAR scans, drone photogrammetry |
| Web services | WMS, WFS, WMTS, XYZ tiles, vector tiles | Basemaps, official geodata portals |
| Tabular with location | CSV with coordinates or addresses | Sales data, sensor readings, GPS logs |
| Open data | OpenStreetMap, Copernicus, state geoportals | Base data for Germany and Europe |
How a GIS project runs
- Question & use caseWe define the decision the map or analysis must support and who will use it.Deliverables: use-case definition
- Data inventoryCollect your data and suitable open data; check quality, coverage, coordinate systems and licences.Deliverables: data inventory & gap list
- Data preparationCleaning, conversion, georeferencing, geocoding and loading into a spatial database.Deliverables: clean, central geodata
- Analysis or modellingSpatial analysis, classification of imagery or modelling in QGIS, ArcGIS, Python (GeoPandas) or PostGIS.Deliverables: results, maps, method documentation
- Application or map developmentWeb map, dashboard or GIS app with the right tools, styling and interaction.Deliverables: working application
- ValidationChecking results with your experts and ground truth; accuracy assessment for remote sensing.Deliverables: validation report
- Delivery & trainingHand-over of maps, data and apps, training for your team and documentation.Deliverables: final deliverables, training
- Updates & operationHosting, data updates, new layers and maintenance.Deliverables: support plan
Industries using GIS
GIS tools and technologies
| Desktop GIS | QGISArcGIS Pro |
| Servers & databases | PostGISGeoServerArcGIS EnterpriseMapServer |
| Web mapping | LeafletOpenLayersMapLibreMapboxCesiumJSdeck.gl |
| Analysis & remote sensing | PythonGeoPandasRasterioGDALGoogle Earth EngineSNAP |
| Data sources | OpenStreetMapCopernicus SentinelLandsatGeoportals |
Frequently asked questions
Do we need expensive GIS licences?
Not necessarily. Open-source tools (QGIS, PostGIS, GeoServer, Leaflet) cover most needs without licence fees. We also work with ArcGIS if you already use Esri products.
Can you put our data on a map on our website?
Yes – interactive web maps can be embedded in any website, with your branding and data kept up to date automatically.
What satellite data do you use?
Mostly free Copernicus Sentinel and Landsat imagery; commercial high-resolution or drone data when the task requires it.
Is our location data secure?
Sensitive data stays in private databases with access control, hosted in Germany if required.