Modern technologies of Geomatics applied to engineering geology. Editorial in Advanced Geosciences

Geomatics, also known as geospatial technology or geomatics engineering, refers to the set of disciplines that deal with gathering, interpreting, processing, modelling, storing and delivering spatial information. Geomatics, among the others, includes tools and techniques referable to land surveying and positioning (i.e. topography, Global Navigation Satellite Systems - GNSS), satellite, aerial and ground-based remote sensing (i.e. digital photogrammetry, LIght Detection And Ranging - LIDAR, Remotely Piloted Aircraft System - RPAS), Geographic Information Systems (GIS), digital mapping and geostatistics. In recent decades, thanks to technological advances, these methods have been increasingly spread and used for the study and management of geological hazard and risk.1-5 This is because they provide innovative tools in supporting cartographic products and in the analysis and the quantitative measurement of geological processes located in inaccessible areas at different scales.6-7 Additionally, Geomatics provides spatial data for informing decision making processes and ensuring compliance with regulations. Recent advances in the information technology industry have provided the capability to obtain accurate, fully geo-referenced, three-dimensional datasets that can be used to characterize in detail the structural and geological setting and the geomorphology of a study area.