Brazilian Army Geographical Service: from analog to digital
From 1903 to Nowadays
According to Captain Tasso Fragoso, “With the advent of the Republic, in 1889, some symbols of the imperial period related to the constitution of nationality were rescued and incorporated by the new regime. One of them was the belief in the indispensability of a national map considered scientific, according to the precepts of the time. Thus, the knowledge of the territory and its mapping, as complete as possible, were assumed as great challenges for the republicans."
Brazil's General Chart Commission (1903-1932) was created to start the national mapping using topographic maps at the scale of 1/100,000, and implement geodetic networks of the country, starting with Rio Grande do Sul State, due to its military importance and geographical situation. It was only after the implementation of these networks that it was possible to build the charts. Such scientific knowledge was matured in Army Geographical Service and used in the following years and decades.
From 1968, the Geographical Service was summoned to work in the construction of the Presidente Costa e Silva Bridge (Rio-Niterói Bridge), being responsible for the location of the guideline in plan, geodetic survey, establishment of a reference coordinate system and location of pillars in the field. Due to its complexity, pioneering dimensions and importance, the construction of the bridge represented a milestone for Brazilian engineering, and also had the participation of the Geographical Service.