Our History

It all started with a group of enthusiasts – undergraduate and post-graduate students from the Moscow State University of Geodesy and Cartography who decided to join their efforts and make a private geodetic laboratory. Sergey Melnikov headed the group. The team aimed to put into practice their ideas in the field of satellite-based geodesy, satellite-based navigation systems and precise positioning. At that time the development of satellite-based geodesy was at its starting point Their initial efforts were aimed at investigations of the first prototypes of satellite receivers that were designed in the USSR for experimental determination of ground surface coordinates.

Development of technical base and technologies for determination of coordinates in practical projects of the Research and Production Enterprise “Geokosmos” had laid ground for successful performance of large-scale digital surveys in Real Time Kinematic mode with post-processing (RTK) combined with survey by electronic tacheometers and non-reflective range finders.

Innovation is a key feature of our company. Our history is closely associated with implementation and active application of the latest geodetic and topographic technologies in all performed projects.

History milestones

2008 

• Geokosmos celebrates its Jubilee in April 2008.15 years of successful work in Russia and abroad

2007 

• This year is marked by the Company’s pool expansion. Geokosmos becomes one of the first companies in the world equipped with an airborne laser scanner ALTM Gemini II (Optech Inc., Canada) and a large-format digital aerial camera Ultra Cam-X (Vexcel Imaging, Austria) 
• Successful completion of the first large governmental contract – aerial survey of the Northern part of Kaluga Region at the request of the Federal Agency for cadastre of real estate objects (Rosnedvizhimost)
• Unprecedented act during INTERGEO-2007. On the stage of Leipziger Messe – Geokosmos Band

2006 

• Geokosmos first in Russia acquired UltraCAM-D large format digital aerial topographic camera manufactured by Vexcel Imaging, a Microsoft Company (Austria) 
• Geokosmos is nominated for The Golden Jupiter Award – the most distinguished national public award – for efficient introduction and application of innovations and high technologies, ass well as for development of external economic relations. It was named “the fastest growing and socially oriented company”

2005 

• For the first time in European history Geokosmos becomes the first Russian company to win the bid for geodetic survey in a West European country 
• Large-scale project in Kazakhstan – survey of the country’s railroad system on request of Kazakhstan Railroads National Company is performed 
• In recognition of his high managerial skills apt to the highest European standards, Mr. Sergey Melnikov, CEO of Geokosmos receives membership in the European League of Entrepreneurs of XXI Century – the elite European business club
• Development of a new software product for processing of laser location data known as Geokosmos 3DModeller 
• First Russia-based company to perform a LiDAR project in the Western Hemisphere (Smaller Antillean Islands, Martinique and Guadalupe)

2004

• Gokosmos becomes the authorized Russian master-distributor of GPS satellite equipment and optical products designed and manufactured by Trimble Company 
• Geokosmos is officially certified by Russia’s State Committee on Standards as an authorized user of new laser scanners ALTM-2050 and ALTM 30/70 by Optech (Canada) and ground laser scanners series LMS-Z210, LMS-Z360 and LMS-Z420i by Riegl LMS (Austria) 
• Geokosmos openes its first Overseas Representative Office (Germany)

2003

• Sergey Melnikov, CEO of Geokosmos is officially awarded the honorary title “Leader of Russian Economy” for outstanding performance and management skills in the period of the Russia’s transition to market economy 
• Geokosmos wins the tender for deployment of corporate management system for monitoring of spatially distributed resources of FSK EES 
• Successful development and implementation of proprietary technology of combined utilization of GPS/GLONASSS data for navigational support in laser-location survey

2002 

• The most advanced airborne laser scanner ALTM-2050 (Optech, Canada) is introduced into practice and the first LiDAR project projects are carried out
• Development of the electronic library of conventional signs for topographic planning and mapping scales.1:500, 1:1000, 1:2000 and 1:5000 in AutoCAD environment

2001

• Development – in partnership with Ingosstrah-Rossia Insurance Company (now OSAO Rossia) – of the first unprecedented insurance policy covering leased equipment and offering extended warranty
• First in Russia a large-scale topographic survey with the introduction into practice of a terrestrial laser scanner
• First public seminar “Laser Scanning: Technologies for the XX1 Century” supported by the Federal Mining and Industrial Authority of Russia (Gosgortechnadzor) and GIS-Association is organised. This event is followed by field demonstrations of 3D laser scanner RIEGL LMS-Z210 and presentation of its first application results

2000 

• Development and implementation of the first distance-learning program of advanced education and state certification of specialists in satellite geodesy. This project is performed in cooperation with the Moscow State University of Geodesy and Cartography

1999

• Starting first operations with GIS/GPS equipment for surveying and data collection for mapping of automobile roads, commissioned by the territorial road authorities
• A unique project aimed at diagnostics of the upper way of the ore direction at the Mikhailovskiy Mining and Concentration Complex (Mikhailovskiy GOK) is carried out and the defects are identified with high accuracy

1997-1998 

• Research and Production Enterprise Geokosmos was the first private geodetic company in Russia to obtain a governmental license on satellite equipment exploitation to create high precision geodetic network
• The first large-scale survey (1:500) with exploitation of RTK GPS is carried out. To be at the forefront of innovative technologies promotion has become the Company’s credo 
• Geokosmos is the pioneer in launching the first Russian language Internet site (www.geokosmos.com) for GNNS users

1995-1996

• The first automated monitoring and deformations forecasting system is introduced at the territory of ex-USSR. For the first time the system was applied at the Chernobyl Nuclear power plant site (Ukraine) for situational control after the catastrophic disaster
• First in Russia large-scale survey (1:1500) is carried out involving satellite geodetic technologies
• Geokosmos put into practice a new technology of digital surveying; distribution of geodetic equipment with digital dataflow started

1993-1994

• Geokosmos Company is officially registered in April 1993
• True coordinates of the ground-based stations are identified in WGS-84 and 72 coordinate systems
• The first study course with the focus on Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) is introduced into the curriculum of Higher Education Institutions at the territory of ex-USSR