geoinformatics 2010 vol05

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Intergraph Aquired by Hexagon Managing the Port of Rotterdam RADARSAT -2 data WeoGeo Magazine for Surveying, Mapping & GIS Professionals July/Aug. 2010 Volume 13 5

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Page 1: geoinformatics 2010 vol05

� Intergraph Aquired by Hexagon � Managing the Port of Rotterdam

� RADARSAT-2 data � WeoGeo

M a g a z i n e f o r S u r v e y i n g , M a p p i n g & G I S P r o f e s s i o n a l sJuly/Aug. 2010

Volume 13

5

Page 2: geoinformatics 2010 vol05

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Page 3: geoinformatics 2010 vol05

Ask the Geospatial Technician

‘If I were young now and would you have to choose a study, I’d know what to do’ someone

told me two years ago. He would choose radar technology. He added that there are no

universities who teach in this field it right now. Knowing he’d suggested me an interesting

theme to explore further for this magazine, I’m very happy to announce the article in this

issue on radar. This highly specialized market will grow for sure in the coming years and the

possibilities are quite extraordinary, which becomes clear of the contribution in this issue.

The same thing can be said about the possibilities of cloud computing. Two articles on this

topic can be found in this issue, both written from two different angles to make things more

interesting.

The first one is an extensive and informative article on how ESRI is dealing with the cloud.

It takes away a lot of possible misconceptions that may exist on what in fact cloud comput-

ing is or not is. The second contribtion is about WeoGeo, an US based company that counts

as an interesting example of offering Software as as Service, and their approach on provid-

ing services for data management and sharing is indeed interesting. Getting the data out of

the systems where they are locked is indeed something that is surely needed. It is the same

philosophy behind something like INSPIRE, but of course seen from a different perspective.

As you can read in the interview with WeoGeo’s CEO Paul Bissett, he defends the geospatial

profession by saying that data created by professionals has a price because it is created by

professionals. And guess what happens if the data comes out and is recognized as soft-

ware. Yes, this sounds bizarre, but it is the truth, as a recent ruling in the US proved (read

more on it on James Fee’s Spatially Adjusted Blog).

Enjoy your reading!

Eric van Rees

[email protected]

July/August 2010

GeoInformatics is the leading publication for GeospatialProfessionals worldwide. Published in both hardcopyand digital, GeoInformatics provides coverage, analysisand commentary with respect to the international surveying, mapping and GIS industry.GeoInformatics is published 8 times a year.

Editor-in-chiefEric van Rees [email protected]

Copy EditorFrank Artés [email protected]

EditorsFlorian [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]

Financial DirectorYvonne [email protected]

AdvertisingRuud [email protected]

SubscriptionsGeoInformatics is available against a yearly subscription rate (8 issues) of € 89,00.To subscribe, fill in and return the electronic replycard on our website www.geoinformatics.com or contact the subscription department at [email protected]

Webstitewww.geoinformatics.com

Graphic DesignSander van der [email protected]

ISSN 13870858

© Copyright 2010. GeoInformatics: no material maybe reproduced without written permission.

P.O. Box 2318300 AEEmmeloordThe NetherlandsTel.: +31 (0) 527 619 000 Fax: +31 (0) 527 620 989 E-mail: [email protected]

Corporate

Member

Sustaining

Member

3

Page 4: geoinformatics 2010 vol05

RADARSAT-2 dataImagine a fully automated system used to produce accurate high

resolution radar ortho-images and -mosaics all over the world with excel-

lent reliability! Emergency management teams could then have access

to highly-accurate radar data as soon as it becomes available for their

time-sensitive needs. This was a difficult task in the past,

mainly due to the arduous process of collecting ground control points

(GCPs). It is now possible with the successful operation of the

RADARSAT-2 satellite and a new 3D hybrid satellite model that process

this data without user-collected GCPs.

C o n t e n t

July/August 2010

ArticlesIntergraph to be Acquired by Hexagon AB 6

New Large-Format Airborne Digital Frame CamerasThe Intergraph DMC II Camera Range 8

Using Radar Coherent Change DetectionMonitoring Oil Production Facilities 14

Assesment of Historic SitesIn Post-Katrina New Orleans 18

Automated High Accuracy Geometric Correction andMosaicking without Ground Control Pointsradarsat-2 data 22

Easily share vast amounts of data internally and externally 28

”iTunes for Maps”WeoGeo 36

Building Open Source SoftwareGeomajas 38

Open Source SolutionsNorwegian Mapping Authority 40

Spatial Information ManagementManaging the Port of Rotterdam 44

ColumnThe Climate Change Challenge 12

InterviewsAn Interview with Ken Spratlin 32

Event‘Are We There Yet?’The Location Business Summit 30

Page 22

WeoGeoAs an early adopter the cloud, WeoGeo offers storing, sharing, buying and

selling of GIS Data Maps and CAD files for users worldwide. The company

has been mentioned as ‘a best example for applying cloud computing in

Software as a Service model’. Paul Bissett, CEO & Co-Founder of WeoGeo,

explains the concept behind the company, how it works, and explains why

sharing geospatial data is a good thing.

4

Page 36

Page 5: geoinformatics 2010 vol05

Latest News? Visit www.geoinformatics.com5

July/August 2010

On the Cover:

During April 2010, FEMA and NPS collaborated on a field assessment

methodology in post-Katrina New Orleans to meet the requirements of

the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA). More than 40,000

structures were assessed in a fraction of the time required by

traditional data collection methods. Trimble GPS hardware and

software integrated with ESRI ArcGIS were used for the collection and

management of cultural resource data. See article at page 18.

Norwegian Mapping AuthorityThe Norwegian Mapping Authority (Statens Kartverk) is the central

organisation for the provision of mapping images to most public bodies

and organisations in Norway. After experiencing a vast increase in requests

for their services in 2006 and 2007, the Mapping Authority also had to

deal with an increasingly overstrained IT infrastructure. The Mapping

Authority chose to employ an IT infrastructure based on open source

software solutions, which were free of licensing costs and which proved

to be much better, performance wise.

Managing the Port of RotterdamDirectly situated on the North Sea and stretching forty kilometers in length,

the Port of Rotterdam, NL (PoR) is the largest seaport in Europe and one

of the busiest ports in the world. A 24/7 global gateway and massive

transshipment point, it serves to swiftly and efficiently distribute goods to

hundreds of millions of European consumers. The port’s massive industrial

complex provides an intermediate destination for storage, cargo handling,

processing and also distribution via various other forms of transport

including road, rail, ship, river barge and pipeline..

Page 44

Calendar 50

Advertisers Index 50

Page 40

Page 44

Page 6: geoinformatics 2010 vol05

Intergraph to be Acquiredby Hexagon AB

Intergraph announced that it will be acquired by Hexagon AB for an enterprise value of $2.125 billion.

Hexagon is a leading global provider of precision measurement technology systems. Hexagon was founded in 1992,

is headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden and is publicly traded on the Nordic exchange with a

secondary listing on the Swiss Exchange.

By the editors

The transaction combines a leading global

measurement hardware company with a

leading global process engineering and

geospatial software company to cre-

ate a unique and differentiated

technology business in the mar-

ketplace.

Intergraph provides expertise

and leadership for Hexagon’s

growing software portfolio.

Upon the closing of the

transaction, Intergraph will

become a wholly-owned

subsidiary of Hexagon. We

expect our business will

continue to operate under

the Intergraph name/bran -

ding and will become the

core software growth plat-

form for the Hexagon busi-

ness.

What is the nature ofHexagon’s business? Hexagon is a leading global provider

of precision measurement technology

systems for objects in one, two or three

dimensions. The measurement systems mea-

sure with great precision and rapidly provide

access to large amounts of measurement

data. For the customer, this means greater

efficiency and productivity, improved quality

and significant material and cost savings in

the production process. From global mapping

to precision measurements with nanometer

accuracy, measurement technologies are used

in application areas ranging from infrastruc-

ture and agriculture, to raw material extrac-

tion, manufacturing industries and medical

technologies.

How will Intergraph fit within theHexagon portfolio? Hexagon is a leading global provider of preci-

sion measurement technology systems with

two primary core businesses (Geosystems and

Metrology). The transaction combines a

leading global measurement hardware com-

pany with a leading global process engineer-

ing and geospatial software company to cre-

ate a unique and differentiated technology

6

Art ic le

July/August 2010

"We are very pleased that Hexagon has selected

Intergraph to play a key role in their software expansion

strategy", says R. Halsey Wise, Chairman, President, and

CEO of Intergraph. "Hexagon’s commitment to being

number one in the market is very much in line with our

existing goals. We believe Hexagon’s significant global

resources and technologies will allow further investments

in our customers, software solutions, people and future."

Page 7: geoinformatics 2010 vol05

business in the marketplace. Hexagon ope -

rates through a number of strong brand port-

folios that are well known within their respec-

tive industries. Each brand represents a strong

tradition in its geographical region and/or

industry, which is why Hexagon uses different

brands for different customer groups or in

different markets. Intergraph has brand aware-

ness and brand equity around the world and

Hexagon plans to continue to invest in

Intergraph as a marquee brand and unit.

Intergraph provides leading technical exper-

tise and domain leadership for Hexagon’s

growing software portfolio. Upon the closing

of the transaction, Intergraph will become a

wholly-owned subsidiary of Hexagon. We

believe our business will continue to operate

under the Intergraph name/branding and will

become the core software growth platform for

the Hexagon business.

Hexagon provides leading technology mea-

surement systems that produce a tremendous

the United States, Hexagon plans to comply

with US regulations and establish an inde-

pendent subsidiary for Intergraph’s federal

and classified business, controlled by a U.S.

approved special proxy board of outside

directors controlling all operations of the busi-

ness. The appointed directors are required to

be independent of Intergraph and Hexagon

with no prior affiliation to either party and

must be approved by the Defense Security

Service (DSS). These directors are all well

known, very experienced people who have

deep experience and relationships with the

US Defense Department. We view these rela-

tionships will be helpful as we grow our busi-

ness in the years ahead.

For more information, have a look at

www.intergraph.com

amount of precise data (data inputs) in the

form of digital sensors, etc. Intergraph’s

unique and differentiated software can act as

the “presentation layer” to visualize this

immense amount of critical and complex data

to help create actionable intelligence for both

organizations’ customers.

When will the deal be finalized? We anticipate that the transaction will close

before the end of 2010. This timing is sub-

ject/dependent on certain regulatory

approvals and satisfaction of other custom-

ary conditions to closing. Prior to closing,

there will be no material changes to our daily

operations/business. It will be business as

usual.

Over the next several months, we will be

working through certain regulatory reviews

and other customary conditions to closing.

Since Hexagon is headquartered outside of

Latest News? Visit www.geoinformatics.com

Art ic le

7July/August 2010

Page 8: geoinformatics 2010 vol05

New Large-Format Airborne Digital Frame Cameras

The Intergraph DMC II Camera Range

At the recent ASPRS Annual Conference held in San Diego at the end of April, Intergraph announced a major new

development with the introduction of three new large-format airborne digital cameras under its Z/I Imaging brand.

The incorporation of a single large-format monolithic pan imaging sensor in each of these new cameras represents

a major advance in digital airborne imaging technology

By Gordon Petrie

BackgroundThe [Fig. 1(a)] was the

first large-format airborne digital frame

camera to appear on the market, having

been introduced in its original prototype

form at the ISPRS Congress held in

Amsterdam in 2000. The first produc-

tion versions of the DMC were delivered

in 2003. Since then, it has proven to be

a very successful product, with over 100

units having been sold world-wide since

its introduction. The basic design com-

prised four oblique-pointing medium-

format cameras [Fig. 1(b)] arranged in a

block configuration that produced

slightly overlapping

. The resulting photos were then

rectified and stitched together to pro-

duce a single “near-vertical” composite

image in a rectangular format that

could be delivered to users [Fig. 1(c)]. This final

composite black-and-white pan image gave

the required coverage of the ground from a

single exposure station in a large format size

– 13.5k x 8k = 108 Megapixels - as required

for photogrammetric mapping purposes.

The final DMC composite panchromatic images

could also be colourized to form

using the

image data from four additional small-format

(2k x 3k = 6 Megapixels) multi-spectral cam-

eras that formed part of the overall DMC cam-

era system [Fig. 1(d)]. These four additional

cameras were all pointing in parallel in the

near-vertical (nadir) direction and did not need

to be rectified in the manner of the larger for-

mat pan images. With their large format and

perspective geometry, the final composite pan

or colour photos could readily be utilized in

the existing digital photogrammetric worksta-

tions (DPWs) and software packages

such as Intergraph’s own ImageStation

products that are designed for use with

any type of aerial frame photography.

In 2008, Intergraph introduced a new

airborne multi-spectral digital camera,

called the , which started to be

delivered to customers during the sec-

ond half of 2009. This unit [Fig. 2(a)]

comprises four individual medium-for-

mat nadir-pointing cameras that gen-

erate simultaneous images in the blue,

green, red and near infra-red (NIR)

parts of the spectrum respectively.

Each camera produces an image that

is 6k x 6.8k = 42 Megapixels in size

using a DALSA CCD array having a pixel

size of 7.2 µm [Fig. 2(b)]. The RMK D

camera also features electronic FMC

(forward motion compensation) and TDI (time

delay & integration) technologies. The result-

ing framing rate is one image per second. The

acquired images can either be utilized sepa-

rately as individual multi-spectral images or

they can be used in combination (merged) to

form full-resolution colour or false-colour

images. A further feature of the RMK D camera

is its use of an f = 45 mm lens for each of the

four channels. This provides the large

base:height ratio of 0.42 for good stereo-view-

ing and accurate measurement. The medium-

format RMK D camera costs approximately 50%

of the price of the larger-format DMC camera.

Thus it is intended for use by those mapping

companies and government agencies that have

not yet adopted airborne digital imaging tech-

nology because of the very high level of invest-

ment that is required to purchase a large-for-

mat airborne digital imager. The RMK D

camera’s multi-spectral capabilities are also

8

Art ic le

July/August 2010

Figure 1 – (a) This DMC large-format digital camera is being operated

on a T-AS gyro-controlled mount in conjunction with a Z/I InFlight FMS

(flight management system), which is located to the left of the camera

and its mount. A Solid State Disk (SSD) is shown being inserted into the

front of the camera to record and store the exposed images.

Figure 1 – (b) Showing the four oblique pointing cam-

eras built by Carl Zeiss that are used to acquire the

four overlapping medium-format pan images of the

DMC camera simultaneously in a single synchronized

exposure. Each set of four images is rectified and

stitched together post-flight to form the final DMC

large-format panchromatic image.

Page 9: geoinformatics 2010 vol05

attractive to those agencies that are concerned with the imaging and

mapping of limited areas for forestry and agricultural applications or

for environmental monitoring and disaster response.

The new range of DMC II cameras that have just been introduced by

Intergraph combine many of the features of the previous DMC and RMK

D series, but they now offer much larger formats which eliminate the

need for the rectification and stitching of the panchromatic images dur-

ing their initial post-flight processing.

Imaging SensorsThe CCD imaging sensors that have been utilized in both the older and

the new series of Intergraph DMC and RMK cameras have all been sup-

plied by the Canadian company which has its headquarters in

Bromont, Quebec. Its subsidiary, DALSA Semiconductor, is located in

Waterloo, Ontario, while its main Image Sensor Solutions facility and

offices are located within the High Tech Campus in Eindhoven in the

Netherlands. The DALSA company has been a pioneer in the develop-

ment of large-format imaging sensors. In 2006, it produced the first

imaging sensor with a format of over 100 Megapixels. This CCD array

[Fig. 3] was developed for an

astronomical application on

behalf of the Astrometry

Department of the U.S. Naval

Observatory (USNO) and had

a format size of 10.5k x 10.5k pixels = 111 Megapixels, with each pixel

being 9 µm in size over an active area of 4 x 4 inches (10 x 10 cm).

The new family of CCD imaging sensors that have been developed by

DALSA on an exclusive basis for Intergraph have still larger formats and

smaller pixel sizes. They also exhibit a number of quite different char-

acteristics such as fast framing rates and forward motion compensation

(FMC) that are designed to meet the specific requirements of airborne

imaging rather than astronomical applications.

The new DALSA CCD imaging sensors are still larger in size in terms of

the number of pixels that they feature. In the case of the pan sensors

that are being fitted to the new cameras, their format size is

11.2k x 12k = 140 Megapixels, with each pixel being 7.2 µm in size.

The physical size of the new sensors is 3.5 x 3.2 inches (8.8 x 8.2 cm).

Their customized packaging [Fig. 4] is designed specifically for use in

the aerial imaging role in that they are hermetically sealed with a spe-

cial cover glass to ensure that their geometric accuracy is maintained

irrespective of the environmental conditions under which they are being

used. Special holders mounted within the housing ensure the long-term

thermal and mechanical stability of the sensor.

The DALSA CCD imaging

sensors that will be used in

the new and

cameras will feature a

still smaller pixel size (of 5.6

µm) and a still greater num-

ber of pixels in the area

array. In the case of the

DMC II230 model, the arrays

will have 15k x 14.4k pixels

= 230 Megapixels; while, in

Latest News? Visit www.geoinformatics.com

Art ic le

9July/August 2010

Figure 1 – (c) Showing the coverage

and overlaps of the four medium-

format pan images that are

acquired by the DMC camera (in

red and yellow) and the ground

coverage of the rectified and

stitched final large-format

“near-vertical” image (in blue).

Figure 1 – (d) The

original DMC camera

as seen from below,

showing its eight

lenses – four used for

its large-format pan

imaging channel

and four for its

small-format multi-

spectral imaging

channels.

Figure 2 - (a) The Intergraph RMK

D medium-format airborne

digital camera showing the

handles of two of the solid-state

disk (SSD) units on its left side

and one of its carrying handles

on its right side.

(b) The DALSA FT53 CCD frame-type image sensor that

is used to record the 6k x 6.8k (= 42 Megapixels) images

on each of the camera’s four multi-spectral channels.

[a]

[b]

Figure 3 – The first 100+ Megapixel CCD imaging

sensor that was built by DALSA SemiConductor in

2006 for use in an astronomical application by the

U.S. Naval Observatory (USNO).

Page 10: geoinformatics 2010 vol05

the case of the DMC II250 model, the number of pixels will be 17.2k x

14.7k = 250 Megapixels. DALSA claims that the imaging arrays exhibit

a high sensitivity and a high dynamic range (of around 70 dB), that

allows them to capture detail in shadow areas - while, at the same

time, they possess anti-blooming characteristics that enable them to

deal with bright highlight objects and areas.

DMC II140 CameraThe camera is derived directly from the previous RMK D model,

the main change being the addition of the new large-format pan came -

ra to the existing four channel medium-format multi-spectral arrange-

ment of the RMK D [Fig. 5(a)]. Indeed it is possible for existing exam-

ples of the RMK-D camera to be upgraded to the DMC II140 specification

[Fig. 5(b)]. For this upgrade, the DMC II140 model utilizes a new single

lens for the additional panchromatic channel that has been designed

and built by specifically for photogrammetric applications

and is exclusive to Intergraph for use in the DMC II cameras. The lens

has been designed by Zeiss to produce a very high level of image qual-

ity and temperature stability. The focal length (f ) of the new lens is

92mm which, in combination with the larger size of the CCD area array,

gives an angular coverage of the terrain that approaches 50 degrees

and provides a base:height ratio of 0.35. The new panchromatic cam-

era lens has an infra-red cut-off filter that is designed to block radia-

tion beyond 710 nm wavelength. Each camera head uses a piezo-elec-

tric driven shutter that ensures the maximum degree of synchronization

of the five camera heads during the simultaneous exposure of their

images over the terrain.

The DMC II140 camera also features the image

storage technology that has been used in the existing DMC and RMK

D cameras [Fig. 6]. This provides an on-board storage capacity of 1.5

Terabytes, allowing 2,000 separate images to be stored in-flight. The

post-flight image processing is carried out using the basic software

that has already been developed for the processing of the existing

DMC and RMK D digital image data and has been upgraded to accom-

modate the new camera models.

The new DMC II models have also been designed to be compatible

with all the from Intergraph that are being utilized

with the existing RMK TOP (film), DMC and RMK D (digital) airborne

cameras. These include the Z/I Mission planning software; the Z/I

InFlight flight management system; the Readout Station; and the T-AS

and Z/I gyro-stabilized camera mounts. The wide range of GNSS/IMU

systems from third-party suppliers such as Applanix and IGI - which

are used for the measurement of the camera position and orientation

during flight operations - can all be employed with the DMC II

cameras.

Art ic le

July/August 2010

Figure 4 – The new DALSA 140 Megapixel CCD

imaging sensor as packaged for use in the Intergraph

DMC II140 large-format airborne digital camera.

Figure 5 – (a) The four

lens cones of the

Intergraph RMK D medi-

um-format camera

surround the lens of a

small-format video cam-

era at the centre of the

supporting face plate.

These four lens cones

with their respective Red,

Green, Blue (RGB) & NIR

filters generate the indi-

vidual images that pro-

vide the multi-spectral

capability of the RMK D

camera. The vacant space

at the foot of the face plate will be occupied by the additional lens cone of the

large-format panchromatic channel if the camera is to be upgraded to the DMC

II140 standard.

Figure 5 - (b) The five

lens cones of an upgrad-

ed Intergraph RMK D

camera (to the DMC II

specification) surround

that of the video camera

at the central position.

At the left side is the

lens of the additional

large-format imaging

panchromatic channel;

the remaining four lenses are those required to generate the four

multi-spectral images as before.

Figure 6 – A DMC II140 camera

with its two solid state disk

(SSD) storage devices placed in

front of it.

Figure 5 - (c) A CAD draw-

ing showing the relation-

ship of the single large-

format panchromatic

lens cone (at top); the

four medium-format

multi-spectral lens cones;

and the video camera (at

the centre) that are

utilized in the DMC II

cameras.

10

Page 11: geoinformatics 2010 vol05

DMC II230 and DMC II250 CamerasAs noted above, the new and cameras [Fig. 7] fea-

ture the still smaller pixel size of 5.6 µm and a substantially larger num-

ber of pixels in their CCD frame imaging arrays to generate pan images

of 230 and 250 Megapixels respectively. In the case of the DMC II250

model, it also features a new longer focal length lens with f =112 mm

instead of the f = 92 mm lens that is used in the other two models.

This produces images having an improved ground resolution (GSD

value) from a given flying height, while the base: height ratio with the

images acquired by the DMC II250 model (with this longer focal length

lens) is reduced slightly to 0.29.

The detailed performance characteristics and parameters of each of the

three new camera models are summarized in Table I given below.

Initial CustomersIn parallel with its announcement of the new camera models, Intergraph

also released details of four companies that have already ordered DMC

II cameras for their airborne imaging operations. In the case of the

www.bjgdjw.com/EngLish/News/gsjj.asp the company has purchased two

of the new cameras for use in its aerial mapping operations. Another

order for a DMC II camera from the Far East has been placed by the

www.kyo-soku.co.jp/ index.php, which is

based in Nagano, Japan. A third order has come from

, which is based in Galloway, Ohio in the United States,

located just to the west of the city of Columbus. The company, whose

Web site is www.midwestaerialphoto.com, is already an operator of Z/I

RMK TOP film cameras and plans to utilize its new DMC II camera to

acquire data for use in the USDA’s National Resources Inventory (NRI)

programme and other government and commercial imaging and map-

ping projects. Finally a German company – – which

is based in Marbach, near Stuttgart has also acquired a DMC II camera

[Fig. 8]. The company’s Web site - www.geoplana.de - gives

details of its photogrammetric, GIS and cartographic activi-

ties.

Summary & ConclusionUndoubtedly the introduction of the new single-chip large-for-

mat imaging sensor to generate panchromatic images in the

new Intergraph DMC II cameras represents a major advance

in the design of airborne digital frame cameras. At a stroke,

the new sensor allows a much simplified system design and

it removes the previous requirement with the original DMC

camera to provide multiple lenses, synchronized shutters and

CCD arrays in order to generate the large-format panchromat-

ic images. Besides which, the introduction of the new ima -

ging sensor removes the necessity to calibrate each panchro-

matic channel individually and collectively in favour of a much

simplified single calibration procedure. Furthermore it also

removes the need to carry out a preliminary rectification and

stitching of multiple medium-format pan images that was a

feature of the original DMC design. Finally with its modular

design and construction, the new DMC II camera offers a fair-

ly simple path for users to upgrade their system through the purchase

of an alternative lens or a denser CCD array to generate pan images.

Gordon Petrie is Emeritus Professor of Topographic Science in the Dept. of

Geographical & Earth Sciences of the University of Glasgow, Scotland, U.K. E-

mail - [email protected]; Web Site - web2.ges.gla.ac.uk/~gpetrie

Latest News? Visit www.geoinformatics.com

Art ic le

11July/August 2010

Figure 7 – (a) An Intergraph DMC II camera placed on a gyro-stabilized Z/I

Mount that can be operated either in stand-alone mode or controlled using

signals from an external IMU.

(b) A complete DMC camera with its five imaging lenses in the foreground

and the two handles of its SSD storage units protruding from the upper (top)

part of the camera.

[a][b]

Tabel 1.

Figure 8 – A multi-spectral image of the Mercedes Benz Arena football stadium

in Stuttgart, Germany that has been acquired by a DMC II camera being operat-

ed by the Geoplana company.

Page 12: geoinformatics 2010 vol05

“Surveyors are the custodians of an enabling technology that is critically important to our future.

Surveyors should take a leading role, not only in monitoring climate change,

but in explaining it to the broader public”.

I welcome and agree on this appeal stated by Tim Flannery, global expert

on climate change, when giving the keynote address at the recent FIG

Congress in Sydney 11-16 April 2010.

Surveyors are experts in measuring and mapping systems for monitoring

environmental change. They should use this expertise to explain about

the purpose and need for monitoring even minor climate related changes

and thereby take a leading role in explaining to the wider public what

climate change is all about.

Surveyors are also experts in land administration and management - they

are Land Professionals. So next to explaining climate change the survey-

ors should also take a leading role in addressing the climate change chal-

lenge in the wider context of sustainable land governance. .

The key challenges of the new millennium are clearly listed already. They

relate to climate change; food shortage; urban growth; environmental

degradation; and natural disasters. Importantly, these issues all relate to

governance and management of land.

The challenges of food shortage, environmental degradation and natural

disasters are to a large extent caused by the overarching challenge of

climate change, while the rapid urbanisation is a general trend that in

itself has a significant impact on climate change. Measures for adaptation

to climate change must be integrated into strategies for poverty reduction

to ensure sustainable development and for meeting the Millennium devel-

opment Goals (MDGs).

Adaptation to climate change can be achieved to a large extent through

building sustainable and spatially enabled land administration systems.

This should enable control of access to land the use of land. The systems

should identify all prone areas subject to sea-level rise, drought, flooding,

fires, etc. as well as measures and regulations to prevent the impact of

predicted climate change.

Key policy issues to be addressed should relate to protecting the citizens

by avoiding concentration of population in vulnerable areas and improv-

ing resilience of existing ecosystems to cope with the impact of future

climate change. Measures such as building codes may be essential in some

areas to avoid damage e.g. in relation to flooding and earthquakes. Issues

may also relate to plans for replacement existing settlements as an answer

to climate change impacts.

Urbanisation is another major change that is taking place globally. The

urban global tipping point was reached in 2007 when over half of the

world’s population was living in urban areas; around 3.3 billion people.

Urbanisation is also having a very significant impact on climate change.

Cities are where climate change measures will either succeed or fail. Rapid

urbanisation is setting the greatest test for Land Professionals in the

application of land governance to support and achieve the MDGs.

The linkage between climate change adaptation and sustainable develop-

ment should be self evident but is not well understood by the public in

general. My key message therefore is that Land Professionals should take

a leading role in explaining this linkage to the wider public. This should

also ensure that the land management perspective attracts high-level

political support and recognition.

Column

Prof. Stig Enemark [email protected], is President of FIG

and Professor in Land Management at Aalborg University, Denmark

1212July/August 2010

Page 13: geoinformatics 2010 vol05

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Page 14: geoinformatics 2010 vol05

Using Radar Coherent Change Detection

Monitoring Oil Production Facilities

The use of radar imagery is transitioning from research to operational. An example of this is a pilot project for monitoring

oil production areas in the Middle East, using Radar Coherent Change Detection. Its technical basis and background are

discussed here. The underlying phenomenology and technology of this particular project are applicable to a wide range

of infrastructure or vehicle traffic monitoring scenarios.

By Derrold W. Holcomb

As evidenced by the number and variety of radar satellites recently

launched or currently planned, the use of radar imagery is transitioning

from research to operational. One field of particular interest and appli-

cability is monitoring human activity and

infrastructure for Security and Surveillance.

In this realm, radar image processing offers

some unique and powerful capabilities.

Radar imagery is particularly suited to

infrastructure monitoring for several rea-

sons. For one, the strength of the return

radar signal is greatly determined by the

dielectric constant of the target material;

and steel gives a very strong return. So

strong, that even a small percentage of

steel pixel-fill can result in a bright pixel.

For example, an analyst can frequently

locate rail tracks or pipelines of a couple

10’s of centimeters width in moderate reso-

lution (10-30 meter) radar imagery. This is

a clear example of the “resolution vs. detec-

tion” dichotomy that is so important in

understanding radar imagery.

Secondly, the strength of the radar return is greatly impacted by the

geometry of the target-signal interaction. These interactions are charac-

terized by models such as “single-bounce,” “double-bounce” or “corner

reflector.” Needless to say, human constructions are rich in structure

offering these geometries. This is readily observed by looking at a radar

image containing a city. The radar signal will bounce off a paved sur-

face, then off a building wall and back to the sensor; a classic double-

bounce yielding a strong return signal.

A third, less appreciated, factor is that the interaction of electromag-

netic waves with target materials tends to be most sensitive to materi-

als on the scale of the observation wavelength. Radar waves, ranging

from 3cm (X-band) to 70 cm (P-Band), are near the scale of objects

humans make.

All of the above considerations determine the strength, or Magnitude,

of the return radar signal; analogous to the intensity of a visible image.

But the basic radar return contains a second component not available

with conventional EO imaging. This is the Phase of the return signal as

it touches the receive antenna. As an active sensor, the radar emits a

coherent, in-phase pulse. But each discrete wave travels a different

path length on its roundtrip journey and arrives back at the sensor

at a slightly different time and position on the wave. We can not

14

Art ic le

July/August 2010

Figure 1. By controlling advanced radar image processing with a user-friendly

software interface, IMAGINE SAR Interferometry makes sophisticated analysis

available to the non-expert.

Figure 2. (a) The CCD output shapefile of a full 110 sq km. InSAR-pair. An Analyst would quickly identify the series

of lines in the NW quadrant as suggestive of human activity. (b) A quick zoom-in leaves no doubt that this is a

man-made feature.

[a] [b]

Page 15: geoinformatics 2010 vol05

determine exact number of wavelengths in the journey, but we can

record the final fraction of a wavelength that comprises the complete

roundtrip. The amount of information that can be extracted from this

fractional-wavelength component is extraordinary.

The amount, complexity and sophistication of image processing required

to extract useful information from this fraction-of-a-wavelength informa-

tion is significant. Developing the phenomenological understanding of

the radar return and then designing algorithms to create useful prod-

ucts has taken decades, utilizing the dramatic increase in computing

power. To create radar image processing tools that produce the desired

information products, and shield the analyst from phenomenological

theory, ERDAS has partnered with the Remote Sensing Technology

Institute (RSTI) of the German Space Agency (DLR). The advanced pro-

cessing algorithms of the RSTI team were incorporated into ERDAS’s user-

friendly, operational software paradigm to create IMAGINE SAR

Interferometry. This suite includes DEM creation (InSAR), Coherent

Change Detection (CCD) and Surface Displacement (Subsidence)

Mapping (D-InSAR). One of these components, CCD will be highlighted

below. Figure 1 shows the intuitive Wizard Workflow interface that con-

trols this advanced image processing functionality.

Requirements and BackgroundBelow is an outline of a pilot project for monitoring oil production areas

in the Middle East. We sought to develop estimates of medium-term

production increases or decreases and long-term stability of the fields.

To develop estimates of production changes, we wanted routine esti-

mates of human activity in the oil production areas. This needed to be

done remotely, without in-country support or ancillary information. To

do this, we found that Coherence Change Detection (CCD) could be

used to map vehicle traffic on the sand roads in the area. As this tech-

nology is sensitive to change at the cm level (i.e., at the sub-wave-

length level) and the maintenance vehicle tires were displacing the sand

several centimeters, we found that we could detect, map and quantify

vehicular activity in the oil production fields. Also, as the infrastructure

is metal, radar assisted in mapping the pipelines and correlating vehi-

cle traffic with specific infrastructure.

The long-term stability of the fields can be monitored by mapping sub-

sidence. If the oil-bearing layers are allowed to collapse, oil production

will decrease. At the extreme, the oil field can be permanently dam-

aged. Such centimeter-scale subsidence can be mapped using

Differential Interferometry (D-InSAR).

Technical BasisRadar interferometry requires that the analyst have an InSAR-pair of

images. The collection requirements of this image-pair are quite strin-

gent. In general, the two scenes must be from the same sensor and

processed identically. They must be in complex format, that is, have

both magnitude and phase layers. Critically, the orbital location of the

two image collects must be separated by a few tens of meters, and

this value must be known to meter or better precision. Modern GPS

and sensor control capabilities can, amazingly, achieve this level of

accuracy.

For CCD, the two images are then processed to produce a coherence

image. Functionally, coherence is a moving window estimate of phase

similarity between the two images. For example, if there was no change

Latest News? Visit www.geoinformatics.com

Art ic le

15July/August 2010

Figure 3. Detailed look at co-registered Magnitude (L) and Coherence (R) images. A system of oil pipelines is mapped by the radar magnitude.

The loss of coherence along-side the pipelines suggests vehicle traffic in the time period between the two images.

Page 16: geoinformatics 2010 vol05

in a particular pixel, the

roundtrip distance for the radar

wave would be the same in

both images and the phase dif-

ference between the two

images would be 0. This would

be perfect coherence, mathe-

matically assigned a value of 1.

Path length differences of some

fraction of a wavelength would

result in lower coherence. In

practice, sensor noise and

atmospheric variation limit the

accuracy of this phase differ-

ence measurement to roughly

1/6 of a wavelength under ideal

conditions.

In IMAGINE SAR Interferometry, the

coherence image can then be

filtered to suppress noise, con-

verted to a change detection

layer and geocoded. This

geocoded product can then be

refined via a sequence of GIS

operations, reduced to a

shapefile of detected changes and an associated listing of the attributes

of each change feature. In addition, a magnitude change detection layer

is simultaneously computed to produce a multi-color change map. These

products are then available to the Analyst for interpretation and evalu-

ation. The results of such a change detection processing regimen are

seen below.

ProjectIn Figure 2, an example product shapefile is shown. An analyst’s atten-

tion is quickly drawn to the series of lines in the NW quadrant. The

two scenes analyzed here were taken 174 days apart. We can conclude

that between the two dates there was significant activity at this loca-

tion, causing a loss of inter-scene coherence.

In Figure 2, there are also changes detected that are probably not man-

made. Because this technique is sensitive to centimeter-level change,

natural phenomena are also detected, particularly in the six month

time-span monitored here. Wind, rain and vegetation changes are all

contributing to the features detected by the software.

For routine monitoring, once the project is in place, this may be suffi-

cient information to develop a timeline and estimate of human activity

at this facility. A more detailed understanding of the feature in Figure

2b can be developed by looking at the image-maps created as inter-

mediate layers during the processing sequence. Close-ups of the

Average Magnitude and (Phase) Coherence are seen in Figure 3.

As discussed earlier, steel pipes will give a strong radar return signal

(magnitude). Thus, it is suggested that the left image in Figure 3 is

mapping the oil transmission network. The interpretation is that a set

of parallel pipes is carrying oil from the wellheads, off the bottom of

the image, to a collection tank-farm near the center-right of the image.

From there, a single pipe carries the oil to the NW where it intersects

the E-W road. The pipeline then turns W and parallels the road.

A little appreciated phenomenon that also contributes to the opera-

tional monitoring discussed here is the sub-surface imaging capability

of radar sensors. Depending on a variety of factors including the radar

wavelength, soil material, moisture etc, it is possible to detect strong

reflectors buried by a couple of meters of dry sand. Thus, the infras-

tructure seen in Figure 3a could

be underground. This is not

uncommon as shallow burial is

safer for oil pipes.

The right image in Figure 3

shows a loss of coherence

(dark pixels) mimicking the

pipelines mapped by the mag-

nitude image. This suggests

human activity, presumably

vehicles, alongside the pipe

network. The area of the

proposed tank farm shows sig-

nificant activity (loss of coher-

ence), which would be reason-

able if the infrastructure is

being maintained or upgraded.

In Figure 4, these intermediate

images are combined into a

color composite that allows an

analyst to interpret the sce-

nario based on this under-

standing of the various layers.

Note that while the area

around the tank farm shows

low coherence (activity), the tanks show high coherence and high mag-

nitude. This is consistent with steel tanks that have not been altered

between the two image acquisition dates. There are indications of a

similar metal structure in the center of the pipeline system.

Conclusion and OutlookAs analysis of this InSAR-pair has shown, this technique can be used

to monitor and map activity and infrastructure at remote oilfields.

Operationally, a regional map of existing oil production infrastructure

would be developed. The level of activity, or lack thereof, at all sites

could be routinely determined.Note that the later image of one InSAR-

pair would become the earlier image in the next InSAR-pair of that

scene. In addition, installation of new infrastructure would be mapped

to allow an understanding of site development. Obviously, this infor-

mation would be one set of the contributions required to understand

the evolution of the field. Local subsidence, from D-InSAR, has been

mentioned as another potential input. In addition, the knowledge of

the Analyst would be required to interpret the whole picture.

While this brief discussion has focused on oil production in an arid

region, the underlying phenomenology and technology is applicable to

a wide range of infrastructure or vehicle traffic monitoring scenarios.

Expect to see this application blossom over the next few years.

A part of the Engineering team at ERDAS for over two decades, Derrold

Holcomb is currently the Technical Director for Business Development

at ERDAS Inc. Since joining ERDAS in 1991, he initiated the development

of radar processing software and has been instrumental in

developing the hyperspectral software capabilities of ERDAS IMAGINE. A

current focus is defining and developing operation applications for radar

imagery. Mr. Holcomb has degrees in Chemistry (B.S.) and Geophysical

Sciences (M.S.) from Georgia Institute of Technology.

For more information, have a look at www.erdas.com.

16

Art ic le

July/August 2010

Figure 4. Color composite showing the oil pipeline system, tank farm and roads that have

been used to maintain this infrastructure. This entire scenario is deduced only from the

imagery and an understanding of the radar imaging phenomenology.

Page 17: geoinformatics 2010 vol05

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Page 18: geoinformatics 2010 vol05

A s s e s m e n t o f H i s t o r i c S i t e s

During April 2010, FEMA and NPS collaborated on a field assessment methodology in post-Katrina New Orleans to meet

the requirements of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA). More than 40,000 structures were assessed in a

fraction of the time required by traditional data collection methods. Trimble GPS hardware and software integrated

with ESRI ArcGIS were used for the collection and management of cultural resource data.

By Felicity Boag

IntroductionThe people and culture of New Orleans,

Louisiana have made the city unique among

and distinct from other cities in the United

States. Approximately one-fifth of New

Orleans’ urban area is in a historic district list-

ed on the National Register of Historic Places.

In 2005, Hurricane Katrina damaged tens of

thousands of historic homes throughout the

city, resulting in the single largest disaster for

cultural resources in the United States since

the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966

(NHPA) was enacted.

In response to the enormity of the disaster

and the need to resolve immediate threats to

human health and safety, one of the many

programs the Federal Emergency Management

Agency (FEMA) funded was the removal of

damaged homes in support of the City of New

Orleans. However, FEMA’s Historic Preser va -

tion department immediately recognized that

this effort could have potentially affected

many historic properties, and under NHPA

were required to consider the effects of the

removal on historic resources, despite the

potential health and safety issues. As a result,

FEMA faced the difficult challenge of assisting

in rebuilding New Orleans as quickly as pos-

sible while fulfilling its obligations to consid-

er the effects of its projects on the country’s

historic resources.

Meeting NHPA RequirementsThe NHPA established a national historic

preservation program and is the major law

defining historic preservation policy, establish-

ing State/Tribal Historic Preservation offices

and determining the independent roles of all

parties involved in historic preservation

efforts. Section 106 of the Act stipulates that

a federal agency must consider the effects of

projects on historic properties when taxpayer

dollars are spent on activities such as build-

ing a new highway or rebuilding a neighbor-

hood following a disaster. It mandates a

review process ensuring that the federal agen-

cy, in consultation with applicable state, trib-

al, and local parties, is aware of any adverse

effects on historic resources and mitigates

against such effects. Meeting Section 106

requirements entails identifying and review-

ing all cultural resources eligible for inclusion

on the National Register of Historic Places,

which is often an extremely time-consuming

process.

“A formal survey or cultural resource assess-

ment is a requirement in so many construc-

tion projects because Section 106 applies to

any place, site or structure whether it is actu-

ally listed on the Register or simply qualifies

for listing,” said Deidre McCarthy, Historian for

National Park Service (NPS) Heritage

Documentation Programs, Cultural Resource

Geographic Information System (GIS) Facility.

The site assessments are often called Section

106 surveys. A city rich in history and culture,

New Orleans had thousands of houses, mon-

uments, and neighborhoods listed on or eli-

gible for the National Register of Historic

Places. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina,

there simply was not time for standard

Section 106 surveys. FEMA had to develop a

methodology for assessing all of the damaged

resources quickly in order to improve the safe-

ty of New Orleans’ citizens.

Developing an AssessmentMethodologyTo accelerate the Section 106 assessment pro-

cess in support of their disaster response,

FEMA turned to the NPS Cultural Resource GIS

Facility for help in taking advantage of the

18

Art ic le

July/August 2010

In 2005, Hurricane Katrina damaged tens of thousands of historic homes throughout the city, resulting in

the single largest disaster for cultural resources in the United States since the National Historic Preservation

Act of 1966 (NHPA) was enacted.

In Post-Katrina New Orleans

Page 19: geoinformatics 2010 vol05

capabilities of GIS and Global Positioning

Systems (GPS) to speed up the Section 106

process. The NPS was tasked with designing

a digital Section 106 process, and they took

the opportunity to field test their draft cultur-

al resource data transfer standards in storing,

managing, and sharing GIS data for the New

Orleans project.

The NPS had developed the cultural resource

data transfer standards to help facilitate data

sharing between organizations. The NPS-

designed methodology assisted FEMA in tak-

ing advantage of GPS for data collection to

speed the survey and evaluation process. In

addition, it allowed FEMA to use GIS to

consolidate and share data and speed the

concurrence process between FEMA and

State/Tri bal Historic Preservation offices.

With time considered a scarce commodity,

post-Katrina New Orleans was an ideal test

bed for applying the data transfer standards.

Working together, the NPS and FEMA devel-

oped a methodology that implemented the

draft standards for the first time in New

Orleans. The result was the successful utiliza-

tion of GPS and GIS technologies to assess

more than 40,000 structures in a fraction of

the time that might have been required had

traditional data collection methods been

used.

McCarthy explained that the need for devel-

oping data transfer standards for cultural

resource assessments arose from the desire

to utilize geospatial technology to a greater

extent as part of the overall preservation pro-

cess. “GIS holds the key to integrating our

cultural resource data sources and allowing

cultural resource managers to explore new

approaches to using the data, resulting in bet-

ter resource protection,” she said.

The methodology developed by NPS focused

on gathering locational data to establish a

baseline of inventory information, and ulti-

would be used in the field data collection

devices as well as the basis of the structure

of the GIS repository. The NPS and FEMA, in

consultation with the Louisiana State Historic

Preservation Office (SHPO), which plays a key

role in administering the national historic

preservation program at the state level, devel-

oped the data dictionary to reflect the stan-

dard paper survey forms already in use by the

Louisiana SHPO.

The NPS assisted the local New Orleans FEMA

office in obtaining 20 Trimble GeoExplorer

2005 series GeoXM GPS handhelds with built-

in GIS data collection capabilities. The data

dictionary was created in the Trimble GPS

Pathfinder Office software on a desktop com-

puter, and then downloaded onto the Trimble

GeoXM handhelds to serve as the form-driv-

en application within the Trimble TerraSync

software. An Environmental Systems Research

Institute (ESRI) ArcGIS Geodatabase was also

built around this structure, giving every orga-

nization access to the data required to make

an accurate assessment via the GIS of a

resource’s historic integrity and potential

National Register eligibility.

Development of the data dictionary was the

key factor in streamlining the cultural resource

data collection process, according to Lazaras,

stressing that considerable time had to be

dedicated up front to ensure the dictionary

was precisely tailored to the task at hand. In

the case of post-Katrina New Orleans, that

meant creating a menu that allowed data col-

lectors to describe the structure’s architectural

style using local terms while also assessing

its structural integrity relating to flood dam-

age.

“We worked with all consulting parties,

including SHPO and the City’s Historic District

Landmarks Commission, to ensure the correct

architectural terms specific to New Orleans

were used in the data dictionary,” said

Lazaras. “If FEMA had been surveying fire-

mately to utilize that data within a GIS to

speed the assessment and concurrence pro-

cesses involved in Section 106 compliance.

The NPS methodology called for each

resource that might be eligible to receive

FEMA funding (and thus part of the FEMA

Section 106 requirements) to be mapped as

a point, line, or polygon. This form of data

collection enabled various expert historians

to record features and attribute data in a GIS

with geospatial location as the common ele-

ment, making it possible to share the data

among many different systems.

“These are data transfer standards that relate

to documenting through feature-level meta-

data how the information was collected and

what is known about it,” said McCarthy.

“When that cultural data is shared, [the user]

knows exactly what they can do with it,

whether it can be used in a legal context or

whether more information is needed.”

Preparing for Field Data CollectionWhile the City of New Orleans created a list

of condemned structures that had to be

demolished to remove safety hazards, the

FEMA Historic Preservation group met with

representatives of the NPS to develop a sys-

tematic methodology for conducting the

required assessments.

At the time Katrina struck, New Orleans had

a significant database of local surveys, but

there was little detail on individual buildings,

and most of the data were paper based.

Moreover, the neighborhoods hardest hit by

Katrina/Rita tended to be those with the least

existing documentation. “[Historic preserva-

tion] data tended to be fragmented, paper-

based and not in a format that was easily

shareable,” said Gail Lazaras, FEMA Historic

Preservation Specialist.

An important step in developing the method-

ology was creating the data dictionary that

Latest News? Visit www.geoinformatics.com

Art ic le

19July/August 2010

Page 20: geoinformatics 2010 vol05

damaged buildings in another part of the

country, the data dictionary would have been

different.”

After working through the process of creating

a data dictionary structure Lazaras believes

that a similar process built around a field

tested data dictionary and corresponding

geodatabase can be rescaled to fit a wide

variety of disaster situations.

Creating an Efficient WorkflowWithin months after Katrina hit the Gulf Coast,

the City of New Orleans and other applicants

had submitted to FEMA the first of many lists

of buildings slated for demolition-all needing

Section 106 surveys and subsequent evalua-

tion. By the time the FEMA-funded demolition

was completed in spring 2009, FEMA crews

had visited more than 40,000 properties in

six parishes in and around the city.

In order to achieve this level of efficiency,

FEMA managed up to 20 crews at a time, and

each crew included a Secretary of Interior-

qualified architectural historian and a photog-

rapher in order to meet the requirements of

NHPA’s Section 106. Each team typically

required less than a day’s training to learn

how to use the Trimble GeoXM handhelds for

GPS location and feature attribute collection.

In a normal day of data collection, each team

set out on foot with a list of specific proper-

ties to assess in a given neighborhood.

Because FEMA personnel did not have the

right to enter private properties without per-

mission (as well as the potentially dangerous

conditions in most of the buildings), each

crew performed its assessment standing on

the sidewalk outside the front door. As the

integrated Trimble GPS handheld device col-

lected a location point, the onscreen menu

guided the assessor through a predominantly

point-and-click process of describing more

than 40 architectural details of the roof, exte-

rior, windows and foundation. In addition, the

crews assessed the building on five aspects

of structural integrity.

As the survey menu was filled out, the data

dictionary script attached relevant metadata

to the data fields as required by the NPS data

transfer standards. Relating to the location

point, the metadata recorded the type of GPS

equipment used, accuracy range, and user

name so that others using that data in the

future would know precisely how accurate and

trustworthy it is.

While the surveyor filled out the data collec-

tion menu, the photographer used a digital

camera to snap photos looking head-on at

the building and obliquely at each side from

the front sidewalk. One other picture was usu-

ally taken from a perspective chosen by the

photographer. Photo identification numbers

were assigned to each image and entered into

the data collection menu as attributes perma-

nently attached to that property.

At the end of each day, the field crews either

hand delivered or emailed their data and

photo files to the New Orleans FEMA office.

The data was first transferred into the Trimble

GPS Pathfinder Office software where it was

quality checked and converted into shapefiles

before being uploaded directly into the pro-

ject GIS. The data collection script created

paths to the digital photos so they could be

easily linked to the property in the GIS, which

was integral to both the actual assessment

and the development of the inventory of

historic places.

Speaking to the efficiency provided by the

methodology implemented by FEMA and NPS,

FEMA’s Lazaras said, “We definitely had

economies of scale. FEMA could conduct on

screen assessment with SHPO for hundreds

of individual properties in a day, which put

less stress on the agencies involved and

allowed our personnel resources to be used

more effectively.”

A Methodology for Future NHPAAssessmentsLooking back on the New Orleans experience,

Lazaras believes that FEMA and NPS have put

in place a methodology that can easily be

used as a framework for other organizations

to efficiently assess cultural resources and

meet Section 106 requirements. At the heart

of this methodology is a focus on field data

collection of geospatial data that is easily

shared through GIS technology, resulting in

an asset for future response and recovery

efforts at the local, state, and federal levels.

The development of this methodology also

provides a template for other organizations

to proactively develop their inventory of his-

toric places. The NPS is already thinking along

those lines, encouraging state and local

preservation offices to accurately map their

cultural resource inventory sites with GPS

technology and capture the information in a

GIS as soon as possible, using cultural

resource data transfer standards as a guide.

For more information, have a look at

www.trimble.com.

20

Art ic le

July/August 2010

GPS and GIS Technologies Speed Workflow Chart

Page 21: geoinformatics 2010 vol05

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Germanywww.esri-germany.de

Austriawww.synergis.co.at

Belgium and Luxembourgwww.esribelux.com

Bosnia and Herzegovinawww.gisdata.hr

Bulgariawww.esribulgaria.com

Georgiawww.geographic.ge

Greece and Cypruswww.marathondata.gr

Hungarywww.esrihu.hu

Icelandwww.samsyn.is

Israelwww.systematics.co.il

Italywww.esriitalia.it

Maltawww.geosys.com.mt

Moldovawww.trimetrica.com

The Netherlandswww.esrinl.com

Norwaywww.geodata.no

Polandwww.esripolska.com.pl

Portugalwww.esri-portugal.pt

Romaniawww.esriro.ro

Russiawww.dataplus.ru

Slovak Republicwww.arcgeo.sk

Sloveniawww.gisdata.hr

Spainwww.esri-es.com

Swedenwww.esri-sgroup.se

Switzerlandwww.esri-suisse.ch

Turkeywww.esriturkey.com.tr

Ukrainewww.ecomm.kiev.ua

UK/Irelandwww.esriuk.com

Page 22: geoinformatics 2010 vol05

Automated High Accuracy Geometric Correction and Mosaicking

without Ground Control Points

RADARSAT-2 dataImagine a fully automated system used to produce accurate high resolution radar ortho-images and -mosaics all over the

world with excellent reliability! Emergency management teams could then have access to highly-accurate radar data as

soon as it becomes available for their time-sensitive needs. This was a difficult task in the past, mainly due to the arduous

process of collecting ground control points (GCPs). It is now possible with the successful operation of the RADARSAT-2

satellite and a new 3D hybrid satellite model that process this data without user-collected GCPs.

Philip Cheng and Thierry Toutin

RADARSAT-2 satelliteRADARSAT-2 is Canada’s second-generation com-

mercial Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satel-

lite and was designed with powerful technical

advancements that provide enhanced informa-

tion for applications such as environmental

monitoring, ice mapping, resource mapping,

disaster management, and marine surveillance.

Following the highly successful predecessor

RADARSAT-1 program (satellite launched in 1995),

RADARSAT-2 was launched in December 14, 2007.

RADARSAT-2 is the world’s most advanced

22

Art ic le

July/August 2010

Figure 1a: Orthorectified RADARSAT-2 U2 data using RFM/RPC without post-processing overlaid with Google Earth

Page 23: geoinformatics 2010 vol05

commercial C-band SAR satellite and heralds a

new era in satellite performance, imaging flexi-

bility and product selection and service offer-

ings. In addition to the RADARSAT-1 heritage

modes (Fine, Standard, Wide, ScanSAR Narrow,

ScanSAR Wide, Extended Low and Extended

High), RADARSAT-2 also offers Ultra-Fine, Multi-

Look Fine, Fine Quad-Pol, and Standard Quad-

Pol modes.

RADARSAT-2 has been designed with significant

and powerful technical advancements: (1) three

to one hundred meters resolution to accom-

modate a wide range of applications. The ultra-

fine mode improves 3D object detection and

classification. (2) Flexibility in polarization

selection (HH, HV, VV, and VH) to better dis-

criminate various surface types and improve

object detection and recognition. (3) Left and

right-looking imaging options to decrease

revisit time for greater monitoring efficiencies.

(4) Solid-state recorders to guarantee image

acquisition anywhere in the world for subse-

quent downlinking with high-capacity (300 Gb)

random access storage. (5) GPS receivers on

board the satellite – provides real-time posi-

tion information to obtain GPS-derived geo-

metric accuracy and greater positional control.

Since the RADARSAT-2 satellite has multiple GPS

receivers on board with accurate real-time

positioning, this information could potentially

be used in the accurate geometric processing

and reprojection of RADARSAT-2 data replacing

the need for users to collect GCPs. This would

be a big benefit to a lot of applications where

accurate geometrically-corrected SAR images

are needed as soon as possible for time sen-

sitive applications. In this article, we will

explore the geometric correction accuracy of

different RADARSAT-2 data without user-collect-

ed GCPs using two geometric modeling, i.e.,

the empirical Rational Function Model (RFM)

with their rational polynomial coefficients

(RPC) and the deterministic 3D Toutin’s mod-

els (original and new hybrid).

RFM/RPCRADARSAT-2 data are provided with 3rd-

orderRFM and the numerical values of 80

RPCs. The RFM/RPC, using an empirical/sta -

tistical algorithm developed by MacDonald

Dettwiler and Associates (MDA), approxi-

mates their 3D SAR model of RADARSAT-2. Even

if MDA mentioned that RADARSAT-2 RFM are

extremely accurate in the ability to match a

rigorous zero-Doppler SAR model, because of

Geometric Correction of RADARSAT-2DataFor most SAR applications, it is required to

correct the data to a map projection before

it becomes useful. Orthorectification is a com-

mon geometric correction process that

requires the use of a 3D rigorous geometric

model computed from GCPs collected by the

user and a digital elevation model (DEM) to

correct for elevation distortions. However, the

collection of GCPs can be a significant

problem in various situations, such as study

regions with no available cartographic data,

no site accessibility, remote areas, feature-

less terrain (glaciers, desert), timing problem

etc. In these situations, it would be too

expensive to collect new cartographic data

and GCPs in such situations. In addition, the

collection of GCPs is almost impossible for

time sensitive applications, such as flood,

fire, volcanic eruptions or earthquakes, and

oil spill monitoring. Furthermore, the GCP

identification and collection process on SAR

images can be much more difficult than on

optical images; a problem exacerbated in

mountainous areas due to SAR-specific geo-

metric effects (foreshortening, layover and

shadow).

Latest News? Visit www.geoinformatics.com

Art ic le

23July/August 2010

Figure 1b: Orthorectified RADARSAT-2 U2 data using RFM/RPC without post-processing overlaid with Google Earth

Page 24: geoinformatics 2010 vol05

its stability (no issues on attitude variations),

RFM accuracy is still limited by the orbit and

calibration timing uncertainties, which thus

requires these RFM issues with high resolu-

tion SAR data to be addressed. Occasionally

used in the eighties, this RFM/RPC method

received a great deal of renewed attention

with the launch of Space Imaging’s IKONOS

satellite, because its sensor and orbit param-

eters are not included in the image metada-

ta. The RFM/RPC method could thus be an

alternative method to 3D physical models

and it enables users, having little familiarity

with satellite data, to theoretically perform

the geometric correction without GCPs; only

a DEM is required to correct for elevation

distortions in the orthorectification. However,

systematic and random errors still exist after

applying the RPCs and the results have to

be post-processed with 2D polynomial func-

tions (zero to second orders) and several (3-

9) accurate GCPs. The order of the 2D poly-

nomial functions to be used in RPC

post-processing is a function of the type of

data, the viewing angle, the study site and

its relief. Alternatively, the original RPC can

be refined with linear equations and accu-

rate GCPs. Articles in the 2000’s addressing

IKONOS, QuickBird and WorldView data

showed good results using post-processed

RPCs together with one or more GCPs. More

details about RFM/RPC can be found in the

paper of Grodecki and Dial (PE &RS January,

2003).

Original Toutin’s 3D physical modelThe original Toutin’s model is a 3D rigorous

model developed by Dr.-Ing.Thierry Toutin at

Canada Centre for Remote Sensing (CCRS),

Natural Resources Canada, based on princi-

ples related to orbitography, photogramme-

try, geodesy and cartography. It further reflects

the physical reality of the complete viewing

geometry and corrects all geometric distor-

tions due to platform, sensor and Earth that

occur during the imaging process, as well as

the geometric deformations of the carto-

graphic projection. This model has been

recently adapted to the specificity of RADARSAT-

2 with a decimeter precision. The model is

user-friendly and robust and has been suc-

cessfully applied with few (3-8) GCPs to visi-

ble infrared (VIR) and SAR data, all around

the world for the past 20 years. Based upon

good-quality GCPs, the accuracy of the results

was proven to be within one-third of a pixel

for medium-resolution VIR images, one to two

pixels for high-resolution VIR images, and

within one resolution cell for SAR images. The

only constraint of Toutin’s model is a mini-

mum of 8 pixel-accurate GCPs are required for

processing SAR data. More details about the

original Toutin’s model for RADARSAT-2 can be

found in the paper of IEEE-GRSL, April & July

2009.

24

Art ic le

July/August 2010

Table 1: Systematic (bias) and random errors (Std) over 58 DGPS ICPs of RFM/RPC without post-processing

and new Toutin’s hybrid model

Figure 2a: Orthorectified RADARSAT-2 F6 data using RFM/RPC without post-processing overlaid with Google Earth

Page 25: geoinformatics 2010 vol05

New Toutin’s hybrid modelThe new Toutin’s hybrid model, being the

most recent improvement of the original

Toutin’s model in 2010 for RADARSAT-2, uses the

synergy of both Toutin’s model and the RFM.

The metadata, including RFM and RPC, are

used to provide information on the satellite,

the sensor as well as on the ground. Since

this information is accurate enough, it is the

only required input into the original Toutin’s

model to accurately compute all the parame-

ters of the model. In addition to obtaining an

equivalent accuracy to the existing Toutin’s

model, an additional advantage of the new

hybrid model is its capacity to be applied

without collecting GCPs, which increases the

applicability of RADARSAT-2 data in the previ-

ously-mentioned situations. The user, who is

no longer required to collect any GCPs when

using this new hybrid model, will

now be able to generate accurate

RADARSAT-2 ortho-images anywhere

in the world with an accurate DEM.

RADARSAT-2 Test Data andSoftwareTo confirm the previous scientific

tests performed at CCRS on the new

Toutin’s hybrid model, additional

e.g., without GCPs. PCI Geomatics’ Ortho -

Engine (OE) V10.3.2 software was used for

performing these tests. This software supports

reading of different satellite data, manual or

automatic GCP/tie (TP) collection, geometric

modeling of different satellites using original

Toutin’s rigorous model, new Toutin’s hybrid

model and RFM/RPC, automatic DEM ge ne ra -

tion and editing, orthorectification, and

either manual or automatic mosaicking

(www.pcigeomatics.com).

Beauport, CanadaBeauport is located north of Quebec City,

Quebec, Canada. The elevation ranges almost

from 10m at the southeast in the city to

around 1000m in the Canadian Shield, locat-

ed to the north. Two RADARSAT-2 ultra-fine

mode, single look complex (SLC) (1 by 1 look;

1.64-2.4 by 3m resolution; 1.3 by

2.1m spacing) in VV polarization

from descending orbits, with inci-

dence angles of 30.8º - 32º (U2) and

47.5º - 48.3º (U25) at the near-far

edges, were acquired on Sept 10

and 14, 2008, respectively. Fifty-

eight DGPS survey points with 3-D

ground accuracy of 10-20 cm were

collected on both images and used

tests in PCI Geomatics’ operational environ-

ment were performed with different modes,

beams, geometry and processing parameters

of RADARSAT-2, acquired over four study sites

with various types of terrain, such as

urban/rural areas with flat-to-mountainous

reliefs: Beauport, Quebec and Toronto,

Ontario in Canada, Morrison, Colorado in USA,

and Yunnan in China. The authors would like

to thank Canada Space Agency and MDA for

providing the data and support for this

research. Results and accuracy of these tests

were validated on accurate differential GPS

(DGPS) independent check points (ICPs).

These results and the ortho-images are now

presented. While RFM/RPC needs to be post-

processed with several GCPs, the article will

compare this new hybrid model with the

empirical RFM/RPC, but on the same level,

Latest News? Visit www.geoinformatics.com

Art ic le

25July/August 2010

Table 3: RPC Systematic (bias) and random errors (Std) over 4 DGPS ICPs of

RFM/RPC without post-processing and new Toutin’s hybrid model

Figure 2b: Orthorectified RADARSAT-2 F6 data using Toutin’s hybrid method overlaid with Google Earth

Page 26: geoinformatics 2010 vol05

as ICPs for validation. Table 1 shows the sta-

tistical results of RFM/RPC without post-pro-

cessing and new Toutin’s hybrid model for U2

and U25. It shows that RPC without post-pro-

cessing generated 2D large bias (systematic

errors) of tens of meters and 1-2 meters stan-

dard deviation (random errors) both are pre-

dominant in the X-axis, corresponding rough-

ly to the range direction where the largest

elevation error occurred. In addition, the

errors are dependent of the beams (incidence

angle): the steeper the beam, the larger the

error. The new Toutin’s hybrid model correct-

ed most of the RPC biases: half-resolution

biases (1-2 m), which are acceptable for most

cartographic applications. The advantages of

the new hybrid model are more obvious with

large geometric distortions, such as U2.

Figures 1a and 1b show the orthorectified U2

data using RFM/RPC and Toutin’s hybrid mod-

els overlaid with Google Earth, respectively. It

can be observed from figure 1a that the roads

in adjacent images are misaligned. This can

be clearly identified in the upper right portion

of the image when using the RFM/RPC

methodology. However, in figure 1b, this mis-

alignment has been eliminated by utilizing the

Toutin Hybrid Model.

Toronto, CanadaToronto is an urban area with elevation ranges

from 80m to 200m. Three data set acquired in

August and Septem ber of 2008 were tested, i.e.,

(1) standard mode (S1), HH and VV polarization,

ground range at 12.5m image spacing with near-

far incidence angles of 20.0º to 27.2º; (2) fine

mode (F6) HH polarization, ground range at

6.25m image spacing with near-far incidence

angles of 47.0º to 49.3º, and (3) ultra fine mode

(U7), HH polarization, ground range at 1.56m

image spacing with near-far incidence angles of

34.8º to 36.1º. Nine DGPS survey points with 3-

D ground accuracy within 1m were collected from

the images and used as ICPs for validation. Table

2 shows the statistical results of RFM/RPC with-

out post-processing and the new Toutin’s hybrid

model for the three modes and beams. The bias

were largely improved using the new Toutin’s

hybrid model while the standard deviation dif-

ferences are non-significant, except better stan-

dard deviation is obtained with the new hybrid

model for U7, certainly because of larger geo-

metric distortions with the combination of steep

incidence angle, smaller SAR resolution and

image spacing. The same is apparent with U2

in Beauport (Table 1). While the number of 9

ICPs is not statistically enough to insure an accu-

rate comparison for the random errors, it con-

firms Beauport results and the advantages of a

rigorous model with large-distortion images.

Figures 2a and 2b show the orthorectified

RADARSAT-2 F6 data overlaid with Google Earth

using RFM/RPC and new hybrid model, respec-

tively. It can be seen from figure 2a the roads

are misaligned when using RFM/RPC.

Morrison, USAMorrison is mainly a mountainous area with ele-

vation ranges from 1600m to 2800m. A RADARSAT-

2 multi-look fine beam (MF3) with HH polariza-

tion, ground range at 6.25m image spacing was

acquired on April 10, 2009. The incidence angles

vary from 42.0º at the near-range to 44.7º at

the far-range. Due to mountainous terrain, only

4 DGPS survey points with 3-D accuracy within

1m were accurately collected from the image.

Table 3 shows the statistical results of RFM/RPC

without post-processing and new Toutin’s

hybrid model: again bias improvement and

non-significant standard deviation difference

with the new hybrid model. The shallow inci-

dence angles do not generate too many distor-

tions, which reduced the advantages of a rigor-

ous model. Figure 3 shows the orthorectified

data using Toutin’s hybrid model overlaid with

Google Earth.

Yunnan, ChinaYunnan is located west of China consists of

mainly mountains with elevation ranges from

2000m to 7000m. A RADARSAT-2 multi-look fine

(MF1) with HH polarization, ground range at

6.25m resolution was acquired on May 7, 2009.

The incidence angles vary from 37.6º at the

near range to 40.7º at the far range. Survey

points were not available for this data for vali-

dation. Figure 4 shows the orthorectified image

overlaid with Google Earth.

26

Art ic le

July/August 2010

Figure 3 shows the orthorectified RADARSAT-2 MF3 data using the new Toutin’s hybrid on Google Earth.

Figure 4: Orthorectified RADARSAT-2 MF1 data using Toutin’s hybrid model overlaid with Google Earth.

Page 27: geoinformatics 2010 vol05

Automatic Mosaicking of RADARSAT-2imagesThe successful generation of high accuracy

RADARSAT-2 ortho SAR means that it is now pos-

sible to create seamless mosaics of RADARSAT-2

data of a large area or a country without GCPs

using an accurate DEM. How ever, mosaicking

and color balancing are usually an extremely

time consuming process. The PCI automatic cut-

line searching, mosaicking and color balance

tools could be used to perform the entire pro-

cess automatically. No human intervention is

required during the process.

The automatic process should only be used

with the new Toutin’s hybrid model for the

best accuracy. The RFM/RPC will generate dif-

ferent biases (10-50 m) for each image of the

future mosaic. Consequently, these differen-

tial RFM biases will not only cause misalign-

ments (local bias due to the absence of block

adjustment) between the ortho-images but

will generate supplemental random errors in

the entire mosaic, which will be combined

with the random errors of each image.

Four RADARSAT-2 multi-look HH polariazation

fine beams at 6.25m spacing of Yunnan,

China, were also used to test the mosaicking

using the new Toutin’s hybrid model and

SRTM 90m DEM. The data were MF1F with

near-range incidence angle of 37.6º and far-

range incidence angles 40.6º acquired on May

7, 2009, MF22 with near-range incidence

angle of 32.3º and far-range incidence angle

of 35.6º acquired on May 13, 2009, MF6F with

near-range incidence angle of 47.5º and far-

range incidence angle of 49.9º acquired on

May 21, 2009, and MF4 with near-range inci-

dence angle of 43.3º and far-range incidence

angle of 45.9º acquired on May 23, 2009.

Figure 5 shows the mosaicked images of the

4 data separated with red lines.

Conclusions:This article has demonstrated the superiority

of the new hybrid Toutin’s model without user-

collected GCPs on various critical issues for

operational applications: robustness, consis-

new hybrid Toutin’s model. The new Toutin’s

hybrid model, presented in this article, will

enable automatic mosaicking of accurate

ortho-images over a large area or an entire

country without any user-collected GCPs. Its

main advantage in operational environments

was its capacity to be applied without collect-

ing GCPs, which increases the applicability of

RADARSAT-2 data in remote and inaccessible

areas, such as northern/southern glaciers and

ice-covered sites, desert, mountains, and

more.

Dr. Philip Cheng [email protected] is a

senior scientist at PCI Geomatics.

Dr.-Ing. Thierry Toutin [email protected] is

a principal research scientist at the Canada Centre

Remote Sensing, Natural Resources Canada

tency, independent of modes and beams,

block adjustment process to reduce relative

errors, less systematic errors, less random

errors with images having large geometric dis-

tortions due the combination of incidence

angles, terrain relief, sensor resolution and

image spacing. On the other hand, RFM/RPC

from the RADARSAT-2 data without post-pro-

cessing could not generate accurate ortho-

images and mosaics, due mainly to the sys-

tematic/random errors dependent of modes

and beams but also larger random errors in

the large-distortion images (steep incidence

angles, high mode resolution, small image

spacing, and high relief ). Post-processing

RFM/RPC with several (3-9) accurate GCPs are

thus necessary to achieve the higher carto-

graphic standard and the same results as the

Latest News? Visit www.geoinformatics.com

Art ic le

27July/August 2010

Figure 5: Mosaicked RADARSAT-2 image of four multi-look fine beam of Yunnan, China.

Table 2: Systematic (bias) and random errors (Std) over 9 DGPS ICPs of RFM/RPC without post-processing

and new Toutin’s hybrid model

Page 28: geoinformatics 2010 vol05

28

Art ic le

July/August 2010

Easily share vast amounts of daGovernments at the local, regional, and national levels require current, accurate geographic information to make better

decisions in multiple areas. Geospatial technology can help government organizations better share

vast amounts of data internally and externally.

By Robert Widz

Intergraph, a leading, global provider of

geospatially powered solutions to the

defense and intelligence, public safety and

security, government, transportation, photo -

grammetry, utilities, and communications

industries, offers governments an effective

solution for data sharing called the Intergraph

GeoMedia ResPublica Intranet. It is a geospa-

tial solution based on Intergraph’s GeoMedia

WebMap application.

GeoMedia WebMap maximizes the value of

organizations’ geographic information by pub-

lishing it on the Web – providing employees,

customers, and the public fast and easy access

to geospatial data and functionality. The

GeoMedia ResPublica Intranet makes high-

quality GIS data available within an organiza-

tion to a large number of users, via an Intranet

and/or the Internet, with an unlimited number

of workstations. It offers a comprehensive

range of usage from a simple address search

to integrating and using cadastral and survey

data, developing and using land plans, aerial

photographs, main network plans and carrying

out complex spatial analyses.

Innovative Processes for BetterEfficiencyUsing an intelligent caching process for

geospatial data offers the opportunity to

cache selected graphical data including

aerial photos and land use plans, either on

the server, on the LAN or on the client. These

data are then no longer produced by the map

server and can be used directly from the

cache, resulting in higher performance in

terms of real-time access to data and the

reduction of the volume of data to be trans-

ferred from the server. The process of updat-

ing the cached data on the client takes place

completely automatically via a timestamp,

and offers the option to run the web client

in offline mode without any contact with the

server. For example, this makes it possible

for mobile staff to operate the application

and also assure security in case of system

failures or other network problems.

Page 29: geoinformatics 2010 vol05

Depending on the requirement or format of the

primary data, vector data can be transferred in

Computer Graphics Metafile - (CGM) or

Geography Markup Language - (GML) formats,

or raster data in Joint Photographics Experts

Group - (JPEG) or Portable Network Graphics -

(PNG) formats to the client, or published as a

server cache.

The general dataset is split according to object

class into appropriate “squares”. This tiling pro-

cess offers additional benefits for geo caching:

• Only the data that can be properly viewed

on the current scale will be transferred via

the network and displayed on the client.

• Rapid image refresh rate and low RAM

requirement.

• Can be configured according to the available

environment (client equipment, server per-

formance, bandwidth, etc).

• Only modified tiles need to be updated in

the cache.

• Tile size is appropriately defined by the

administrator according to the visible scale

range and the data density.

Of course, GeoMedia ResPublica Intranet can

also be used without tiling and with permanent

live access.

Smart ClientGeoMedia ResPublica Intranet can run with-

out a browser as a standalone Java applica-

tion. In addition, GIS data can be offered to

workstations that do not have a web brows-

er installed. To start the solution, a hyperlink

from the browser or standard Java WebStart

can be used. Furthermore, the communication

between the client and application servers is

completely based on state-of-the-art web ser-

vices via Simple Object Access Protocol

(SOAP).

Modules for More Security andOptimized ProcessesThe ResPublica Administrator administration

tool is fully web based and can be used in a

uniform GUI to manage all the rights needed

to operate the system securely. User identifi-

cation is based on a login and password, and

organized via groups. There is also the oppor-

tunity to use already available user directo-

ries like Active Directory or LDAP to integrate

access control for the GIS into the available

IT rights concept. Some restrictions can be

made by assigning corresponding rights to

boxes are also defined for each edit control.

While making each entry, the map at the

source is configured automatically with each

working step. This guarantees receiving a log-

ical view in each case (scale, extract, visible

layer, etc). Additional functions, such as for-

warding map extracts during the course of a

working step by email, or displaying hierar-

chical levels in a form, can be implemented

depending on the requirement.

ResPublica Automate provides numerous

options (text files, DDE, Java applet or XML)

for interfacing external desktop and/or web

applications. It lets users control the

ResPublica client in a variety of ways and it

forms the basis for all interfaces and special-

ist applications. Detail about the XML

Automate interface is that the communication

is based on the exchange of XML files and on

the use of so-called “File-Watchers” that

define files in the administrator user interface

and inform ResPublica Intranet about newly

created files. The export is then realized with

the command to inform the ResPublica

Intranet user via a button, which is specially

defined for the external application. Therefore

the export XML will be transferred to the soft-

ware of the third party manufacturer by stor-

ing in the export folder.

Robert Widz is Country Manager Poland and

Managing Director EMEA Government at

Intergraph. He may be reached at

[email protected]

the various users and user groups (according

to spatial criteria, functional criteria, topical

criteria, or to the pre-defined analyze option).

Also, any chosen number of functionalities

can be integrated into the user interface by

defining function groups in the administration

tool of ResPublica Intranet. The administrator

can define the groups according to his own

precepts, except for standard function groups

like Querying and Measurement. Corre spon -

dingly, the administrator uses this to define

and shape the user-specific desktop for users.

Attribute queries of any chosen complexity

can be created, tested and made accessible

to all or just one user using standard SQL over

the administrator user interface. When it

comes to monitoring purposes, the adminis-

trator can access on-the-fly the login statis-

tics and other stats on queries/analyses per-

formed over the administration tool of

ResPublica Intranet. Quick and easy access to

this information empowers the administrator

to assist users at all times.

ResPublica Workflow Manager helps to prede-

fine and control complex operations. Users

can also document and log the procedures

performed. ResPublica Workflow Manager is

XML-based and guides users through an oper-

ation sequence automatically. To date, the

sequence of procedures required a planning

application by the person responsible by call-

ing up the correct functions, en ab ling/dis -

abling the requisite feature classes, calling up

the queries, etc. With Workflow Manager,

these steps are predefined and users are sim-

ply offered the function required for the cur-

rent working step. Also, the map is controlled

automatically in the background. Users can

define additional tests and conditions with

each step (node in the workflow tree). Taking

the processing of planning permissions as an

example, users need to complete or perform

pre-defined steps correctly like automatically

verifying the land parcel number for the build-

ing plot, before being able to move on to the

next step. After making each entry, users are

only presented with those continuing steps in

the operation that are feasible and logical.

This eliminates the possibility of making

incorrect entries almost completely.

With the Form Generator, users can define

which user-specific attributes they can com-

pile and edit, and in which form. The control

element, which comes into use (e.g. text,

check, combo, and list boxes) and mandatory

Latest News? Visit www.geoinformatics.com

Art ic le

29July/August 2010

ta internally and externally

Page 30: geoinformatics 2010 vol05

The Location Business Summit‘Location based services: are we there yet?’ and ‘how is there(more) money to be made with location business systems?’ were

questions central at the Location Business Summit in Amsterdam. With an expected further growth of smart phones equipped

with a GPS, there sure is room for more location based systems and thus money to be made. The question is by whom, and

how. Also, what lessons are there to be learned from the geospatial web for driving profits? During two days, more than 50

speakers from the industry gathered to share their thoughts on these matters.

By Eric van Rees

Location based services have come a long way. Part of its success has

to do with technology, part of it with data providers and companies that

use location as a way of displaying data. And also, that the data is free

for everyone to use wherever they want. But what is the next step? Who

will lead the way in location based systems and decide what others will

do? What are the challenges ahead and how to tackle them? What lessons

are there to be learned from geospatial parties that deal with location

every day? These questions and more were addressed during the Location

Business Summit in Amsterdam.

As to be expected, this was not a technological conference, but one where

different groups of people met, discussing their thoughts and learning

from each other. Familiar parties as Google, Yahoo, Layar, Open Street Map

and TeleAtlas were present, but also marketing agencies, telecom compa-

nies as well as major hardware and software companies as Microsoft and

Dell Computers.

Where is the Money?The main questions of the

conference were addressed by

David Gordon, Director of

Strategic Planning at Intel. One

of the main questions is

‘Where is the money? ‘, mean-

ing ‘how is there money to be

made with the location based

services (meaning advertising)?’. This question came up during almost every

presentation. It’s easy to see why: after Google and Nokia offering free map

services on mobile devices, mobile system providers are asking themselves

the question of how to respond to this move and how to make money

with mobile and location enabled advertising. Considering the diversity of

players in this market and the fact that the sales of GPS smart phones are

still increasing, all parties eager to take their part of the cake.

Google’s Geospatial Technologist Ed Parsons followed Gordon’s short open-

ing presentation with a talk that focused on data rather than the services

around the data. Parsons argued that without context, data itself is irrele-

vant, because place equals points of interests and people. He made this

clear with an example that showed that the location where information is

shown is just as important as the information itself. Context defines if a

message comes through. This message was repeated in other presenta-

tions: everybody seemed to agree that there’s a need to personalize

location based information for the user. The question is how and by what

means.

Of course there are a lot of barriers that may slow down the spread of

location based services, such as privacy of users and their location, their

behavior, but also the lack of a killer application that everyone uses and

technological barriers such as screen size of mobile devices and the lack

of indoor location. Some talks addressed the juridical aspects that come

with sharing information about location information or even browser

cookies that reveal information about consumer behavior.

About personalizing location based information, Parsons argued that be

able to personalize content to the individual user, the service should have

information about the user so it can give better search results. Google is

already doing this, and some speakers agreed that Google is in the driv-

er’s seat in the location business market. Everyone was eager to hear

Google’s presentation during the second conference day on mobile local

advertising. One of Google’s new initiatives in this field is Google Local

Shopping, where inventories of shops are searchable for mobile users

through Google. The other way around is also possible: take for instance

geofencing, where mobile users receive text messages about discounts

about the shop where they are at the moment. Although research has

shown that geofencing can be quite effective as a marketing tool, it

remains to be seen if people are in favor of these marketing tools, as

they may not be personalized

and could be considered

intrusive.

VerdictThe target audience of the

conference was not clearly dif-

ferent than your normal

geospatial event. This was not

a technical conference, which

had its strengths and weak-

nesses. I for one learned a lot more on how business use location based

services and make a profit with it, but honestly there was not much new

to be learnt. There were no big announcements or exciting new products.

Augmented reality was only mentioned in one presentation, but this topic

certainly deserved wider attention, also from Layer themselves as they

wanted to keep their new product announcements for themselves and

announced a Layer event in June.

From a geospatial perspective, I was surprised how non-geospatial peo-

ple like the majority of this conference take maps for granted. Or map-

ping, for that matter, or data quality. The big discussions between crowd

sourcing (OSM) or a blend of traditional mapping and crowd sourcing

(used by Navteq) seemed to go over the heads of most attendees. Ed

Parsons remarked that ‘people have problems with maps, mapping is not

that easy’, and gave an example that perfect circles on a map with a

Mercator projection that should be read with suspicion, showing that

there’s something wrong.

But the attendees noticed other barriers for location based systems to

take off fully. Roaming costs but also battery power are still big obstacles

for mobile users using location based systems. To answer the question

‘are we there yet?’, I think the answer should be: ‘no, not yet’.

For more information, have a look at

www.thewherebusiness.com/locationsummit

Event

July/August 201030

‘Are We There Yet?’

Page 31: geoinformatics 2010 vol05

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Page 32: geoinformatics 2010 vol05

An Interview with Ken SpratlinThe full range of mobile mapping systems, airborne systems, and photogrammetry & digital surface modeling

solutions can be found in Trimble’s GeoSpatial product line.

Trimble’s GeoSpatial product line has its roots in the industry’s leading spatial imaging companies:

Joc Triglav, Editor

Q: Trimble’s GeoSpatial Division was created in the middle of

2009 with merging the previously acquired well known INPHO,

Geo-3D, RolleiMetric and TopoSys companies. How does the

mixture of German and Canadian business background work

together? What were your business and technological priorities

in this first year of operation and how successful were you in

meeting them?

Background Information: It is difficult to point to an actual creation

date, but we think of it as being at Intergeo 2008 just after we

announced the acquisition of Rollei Metric and TopoSys, adding to our

prior acquisitions of INPHO and Geo-3D. We met in a Starbucks (very

American sounding isn’t it) in Bremen Germany for introductions of the

respective management teams.

Since 2000, Trimble has grown to be a truly international company

in both development sites and sales regions. So working shoulder-to-

shoulder with a variety of cultures is part of our daily reality–and a skill

that we must continually strive to improve. Trimble’s GeoSpatial Division

is largely staffed by Germans, French Canadians, and Americans, but

we have staff in other regions as well. The groups have come together

well and are actively involved in cross-site product development.

Certainly there is a language barrier, but more challenging are time zone

differences and not being able to meet face-to-face often enough–hence

why I referred to it as a skill.

Each group was focused on different but related technologies, and had

successful products, with little overlap. So our initial priorities were

simple–(1) don’t break it, and (2) leverage Trimble’s global distribution

strength to offer the complete product line world-wide. We are now

operating an integrated sales team. An engineering council coordinates

the 4 development sites, and they are actively working on joint devel-

opment projects. The first major fruits of these joint development

projects will be public by the time this interview is published.

32

Interv iew

July/August 2010

• Applanix, an innovator in GNSS+Inertial technology and its applications to mapping;

• Geo-3D, an innovator of georeferenced mobile mapping technologies;

• RolleiMetric, an innovator of aerial metric cameras;

• TopoSys, an integrator of multiple technologies into complete aerial data capture systems;

• INPHO, a developer of end-to-end photogrammetric and terrain-modeling software

• And recently Definiens, a Germany-based company specializing in image analysis solutions

Page 33: geoinformatics 2010 vol05

Q: Your company’s product portfolio is covering solutions for

various airborne and ground based data acquisition systems as

well as the subsequent data processing modules and solutions.

Please, outline the main products of your portfolio, especially

in the four main areas of mobile data capture, aerial mapping,

aerial photogrammetry & laser scanning software and

applications.

Most broadly, the products are focused on mobile mapping from

aerial and land vehicles. The sensor technologies include metric cam-

eras, laser scanning, as well as integration of other sensors as appro-

priate for the specific application. Georeferencing is based on Trimble’s

GNSS technologies as well as GNSS+Inertial from Trimble’s Applanix

subsidiary. The products range from individual sensors to fully integrat-

ed, turnkey data capture systems, to the processing software to turn

data into answers.

The Land Mobile Data Capture systems are used for a variety of appli-

cations including roadway planning and monitoring, roadway right-of-

way asset management, and mobile survey–the applications are end-

less. Our Trimble Trident-3D software provides high levels of automation

for detection and identification of some asset types like road signs.

Automation is key to making these type systems productive and pro -

fitable–feature extraction is therefore one of our highest priorities.

The Aerial Mapping systems include the Trimble Aerial Camera, the

Trimble DSS (developed by Applanix), and the Trimble Harrier. The

Trimble Aerial Camera is a ruggedized, metric, medium format camera

for aerial mapping. The Trimble DSS is a fully integrated, turnkey aerial

mapping system including camera, direct georeferencing, flight

management system, azimuth mount, data storage, computer system,

and power distribution. The Trimble DSS RapidOrtho combines this

system with a rapid orthophoto generation workflow for applications

such as emergency response.

The Trimble INPHO software provides a complete solution for aerial

digital photogrammetric and laser scanning processing.

Q: What is the relationship between Trimble’s GeoSpatial

product line and Applanix?

Applanix operates as a separate division of Trimble. Their industry

leading GNSS+Inertial technology is applied to many different applica-

tions in many different industry segments–hence the reason to operate

as a separate division. We then work together specifically on mobile

mapping, and incorporate the Applanix POS systems into the Trimble

Mobile Data Capture and Aerial Mapping products. And they developed

the Trimble DSS system. Our sales forces work together as one for the

Aerial Mapping products.

Q: Trimble’s GeoSpatial Division offers data collection and

information processing productivity solutions for several key

areas like Roads, Highways and Rail; Utilities and Energy

Transmission & Distribution; etc. Which are the crucial

advantages for the customers using your solutions?

First and foremost, Trimble has been involved in these industries,

successfully providing location-based solutions and geomatics

solutions for an extended period of time. As a result, Trimble and its

business partners have gained deep domain expertise. This allows us

to better support our customers, and also hopefully be in a better

position to gain key insights about problems and translate that know -

ledge into compelling new solutions. To understand where we are going

together with our customers, it is worthwhile to review our website to

appreciate the depth and breadth of the technologies and solutions

we now have across all of Trimble.

For the industries you specifically asked about, the customers all have

a common need: systems to collect very dense datasets with high accu-

racy and high precision, combined with workflows that turn data into

answers quickly and accurately. By integrating best-of-class technolo-

gies, we are able to provide turnkey data capture systems that are high-

ly accurate and productive, while being relatively easy-to-use. I say

“relatively easy-to-use” because we have to remember that mobile map-

ping is still an early adopter technology. Much work remains across the

industry including within Trimble before these solutions become as

easy-to-use as say a GNSS rover.

On the processing side, we have some of the best engineers in the

world focused on applying GNSS, GNSS+Inertial, photogrammetry, laser

scanning, and other related technologies to create 3D, 4D, and

ultimately 5D models. Our Trimble INPHO software is recognized as an

industry leading solution for orthophoto production and digital surface

modelling. It is used by many of the world’s leading geospatial compa-

nies involved in mapping of all scales–from small projects to national

mapping.

Our Trimble Trident-3D Analyst software provides high levels of automa-

tion for extracting roadway assets and geometry from data produced

by our Land Mobile Data Capture systems. Companies that have

purchased systems from our competitors often tell us they use our soft-

ware to make these systems productive.

Q: In this decade an accelerated convergence and integration of

geospatial market segments’ technologies based on geospatial

imaging, like aerial mapping, land survey and GIS, seems

inevitable and Trimble as a whole is expected to be one of the

motors of these processes. How and with which activities is

your Division addressing these challenges?

This is certainly a trend Trimble expects will continue, and Trimble is

actively working to drive it. Each of these industry segments is large

and complex, with significant barriers to change. The required list of

activities is too large for any one division or any one company to exe-

cute. The activities range from product development, to interoperability

standards, to at its most fundamental level business model, both for

suppliers like Trimble as well service providers and end users. Trimble’s

GeoSpatial Division spends a significant amount of time listening to

customers and exchanging ideas, particularly around which new

business models could accelerate this convergence. And we spend sig-

nificant time working with other Trimble divisions to understand how

our technology can be applied to tough problems in engineering,

construction, and other activities related to infrastructure.

Q: Please, describe in detail the idea of Trimble’s Connected

Site solution and its functional contribution in creating seamless

workflow environment among the Trimble products and

technologies?

Organizations face major challenges to increase labor and machine

productivity, reduce rework, optimize processes, increase quality, and

reduce input costs (materials, fuel, etc.). The larger the scale of a

project, the more difficult it becomes for all the stakeholders to work

as a team to plan, execute, monitor, and modify those activities as

needed. With projects involving multiple locations and organizations

Latest News? Visit www.geoinformatics.com

Interv iew

33July/August 2010

Page 34: geoinformatics 2010 vol05

(e.g. architect, engineering, construction, operator; office, field), gaining

access to current, accurate information about the project status is diffi-

cult. The key word is “Connected.” Trimble is developing connected

products and connected communities to speed the dissemination of

timely information accessible to all stakeholders. Visit

www.myconnectedsite.com to see what this looks like today. Within

Trimble’s GeoSpatial Division, we are focused on making timely and

accurate geospatial data available to these connected communities. We

then focus on converting this data into answers within specific areas of

our expertise. The data has value to multiple project stakeholders across

multiple lifecycle phases.

Q: What is your opinion on the existing complexity and variety

of geospatial data standards and metadata? Do you see this

variety as an obstacle or as a necessity? How is Trimble’s

GeoSpatial Division addressing this matter in its daily practice?

Geospatial or geomatics are such broad terms. For example, we often

refer to Trimble’s Mapping & GIS solutions as addressing industry seg-

ments from archaeology to zoology. Across such wide and disparate

fields of expertise and activity, variety is required. “Survival of the

fittest” will take care of the standards that become obstacles to sol -

ving problems. Our customers continuously provide feedback about the

standards they need for interoperability. We address those within our

product roadmaps.

Q: How are geospatial data quality issues addressed in the

Trimble GeoSpatial product line? Which options do your

customers have in selecting and combining various kinds of

geospatial data acquisition methods for a certain spatio-tempo-

ral data quality and accuracy levels?

That is an excellent question. Data quality (and related attributes of

how the data was collected) or perhaps more specifically lack of know -

ledge of data quality is a barrier to convergence of geospatial market

segments. It is also a barrier to the use of data portals and other forms

of data aggregation. Differences in terminology, processes, regulations

or lack of regulations, and resulting data quality are significant between

different market segments. Within Trimble’s GeoSpatial Division, sys-

tems cover two quite different segments–aerial and land mobile. These

two are also quite different from land survey. For example, terrestrial

laser scanning data (those famous “point clouds”) typically does not

provide the accuracy of each point. However, the land survey segment

operating with GNSS and total stations uses instruments and work-

flows designed to provide accuracy of each individual measurement.

Increasingly our customers, both service providers and end users, want

to integrate data from aerial, land mobile, and survey into 3D and 4D

models. It is successfully done today, but certainly there is much room

for improvement. It will be at least academically interesting to see

whether this is ultimately solved through standardization processes, or

through technical solutions (more software!).

Q: What is your opinion on geospatial data privacy issues

raised by the public and media regarding the practical

implementation of possibilities of modern geospatial imaging,

measurement and positioning technologies? Where, if at all, are

the limits between public and private for geospatial data

acquisition and presentation? How does this problem affect

your business?

This is a legitimate issue and one that we all have to better address.

Ignoring it and then asking for forgiveness, as some have done,

creates additional barriers to adoption for the entire industry, delaying

the benefits of this technology to society. Trimble and Trimble’s

GeoSpatial Division supplies products to service providers and end

users, and therefore this issue most directly impacts them as they

decide what data to collect and how to use it. However, as products

become more and more connected the lines are blurred. With this in

mind, privacy issues will become an area that manufacturers, service

providers, and end users have to address.

Q: At the end, with your excellent knowledge and technology

education background of Georgia Tech and MIT, what do you

think about modern geospatial/geolocation technology in

general? Are we already close to the situation where accurate

geolocation information becomes as ubiquitous utility as time

is for centuries or is there still a long road to go? What lies

ahead, where will the future development of geospatial

technology take us?

Geospatial technology is ubiquitous in many industries today, regard-

less of region of the world. But it is always amazing to visit with some

other industries and see how little the technology is used. Paper and

pencil is often the biggest competitor to these technologies.

In my prior career in spacecraft guidance and navigation, large scale

simulation of complex systems that could not be flight tested under all

conditions was the primary tool for experimenting and asking “What

If?” So personally, I’m interested in the opportunities created by the

existence of large geospatial databases, aggregating data from many

different sensors, many different disciplines, and over time. Trimble has

begun to address this opportunity with activities in Road and Rail

Alignment, and Transmission Line Design & Optimization. The potential

for systems like these to provide better answers, at lower cost, and

with less project impact on the environment is compelling.

So the opportunities are still limitless. That’s what makes the geo spatial

industry both challenging and fun.

Joc Triglav is editor of GeoInformatics.

www.trimble.com

34

Interv iew

July/August 2010

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Page 36: geoinformatics 2010 vol05

As an early adopter the cloud, WeoGeo offers storing, sharing, buying and selling of GIS Data Maps and CAD files for users

worldwide. The company has been mentioned as ‘a best example for applying cloud computing in Software as a Service

model’. Paul Bissett, CEO & Co-Founder of WeoGeo, explains the concept behind the company, how it works, and explains

why sharing geospatial data is a good thing.

By Eric van Rees

WeoGeo is an American company that offers

managing and marketplace services for geospa-

tial and CAD content through a globally acces-

sible platform. Data management and sharing

occurs through distributed and shared compu -

ting services. This is a different approach than

that of a software vendor, who builds a system

for an organization to work with. WeoGeo focus-

es on data and what happens with data. Data

producers can get more value out of their data

once it is produced by making that data avail-

able for others and sharing it, rather than pro-

ducing it again or, how the company describes

it, to ‘do more with less’.

Paul Bissett, CEO and Co-Founder of WeoGeo

explains what WeoGeo is all about: “Our goal

is to provide organizations with the ability to

manage and serve their mapping products as

easily as one manages their iTunes song library.

We do this by providing content management

and monetization services that increase their

users efficiency and revenues in organizing their

mapping library.”

WeoGeo Library and MarketThe company offers two basic services to its

costumers: WeoGeo Library and WeoGeo

Market. First, there’s the WeoGeo Library, our

content management service. Bissett: “Think of

a “cloud”-based iTunes library service rather

than iTunes on your desktop computer. The

Library is a browser-interfaced cataloging

system for indexing, sharing, and delivering

customized geospatial content. Administrators

control User access to the Library’s content and

may optionally list datasets for sale on WeoGeo

Market.” Powerful server-side Spatial ETL

(Extract, Transform, Load) provides spatial and

spectral clipping, projecting to alternate

Coordinate Systems, and file-format translation.

“This ETL requirement is one of the primary rea-

sons we partnered with Safe Software” says

Bissett. “They have created the best tool that

we know of to provide ETL functions and are

embedded in both CAD and GIS software solu-

tions.”

Secondly, there’s WeoGeo Market, an “iTunes”

store for customers. This hosted ecommerce

site that gives any WeoGeo Library users the

ability to add a price to their mapping pro ducts.

With a simple “click” of a button, users can

expose these products to the world to derive

mapping sales.

Additionally, the Library is available as an app -

liance that delivers the same features as the

SaaS library product, but allows those

36

Art ic le

July/August 2010

WeoGeo Library Example

“A tremendous amount of geospatial content is recreated every

year because consumers of that content cannot find it.”

WeoGeo”iTunes for Maps”

Page 37: geoinformatics 2010 vol05

customers with sensitive or secure data to put

it behind their organizational firewall. “This

means it can be integrated into existing infra -

structures with little effort, but still offers a plug

in and go ease of use” says Bissett.

Client BaseWeoGeo’s customers are both large and small

enterprises that are focused on the business-

side of the mapping industry. These include util-

ities, GIS engineers, government services, and

private data vendors, who work with web-based

tools, but delivered by either the Internet or

behind-the-firewall implementations.

Bissett: “Our original client base was mostly

US-based imagery providers for raster-based

mapping products. This resulted from our expe-

rience as DoD (Distribution on Demand?, EvR)

imaging contractors. We have recently partnered

with Safe Software to provide more support for

mapping data users of vector-based mapping

products. We see the vector market becoming

increasingly important in our customer base.”

To support this segment of the client base, the

company released integration tools for ESRI

ArcGIS Desktop users to use WeoGeo Library

and Market services from within their ArcMap

environment at the ESRI FedUC earlier this year.

While WeoGeo’s origins are in the US, Bissett

notices an increasing demand from Europe and

Australia for the company’s products. He

explains why: “I think the governments of all

western countries have become increasingly

interested in sharing their data stores.

Businesses, too, are looking for new ways to

market and distribute their content and geospa-

tial capabilities. These enterprise organizations

are less interested in “sharing” per se, but

instead are more interested in increasing pro-

ductivity, margins and revenues.”

Licensing IssuesWhen asked how WeoGeo handles licensing

issues, Bissett refers to the WeoGeo Data

License. This license basically states that the

seller (Content Provider) gives the purchasers a

single use commercial license with the product.

Bissett: “This license includes a derivative

works license, which gives the seller full royalty

protection on any future sales of the derivative

work. We track all revenues flows of derivative

products within the WeoGeo Market, and make

royalty payments as derivative sales are made.

The original copyright holder maintains all copy-

rights with respect to their original content.”

This model allows WeoGeo’s Content Providers

to establish a network of re-sellers of their valu-

able mapping content; while at the same time,

it provides content buyers a consistent, license

model to consume, create, and hopefully,

recreated every year because consumers of that

content cannot find it.”

Here’s where WeoGeo comes in: “Our primary

goal is to first create the archive and indexes

that allow for easy search and consumption,

which includes licensing. From this point, the

market will decide the value of the content.

“Bissett believes that an active marketplace for

content raises the value of all content in the

marketplace, which creates an environment for

people to be paid for their expertise. “Our field

is a professional field, with people who have

spent many years in training to develop their

skills to provide valuable services to their cus-

tomers. I believe that we should work to find a

way to support these people in their effort to

create a livelihood from an endeavor such as

geospatial analysis that ultimately benefits the

sustainable use of our planet. I think that “Free”

and “Advertising-supported” are not consistent

with professional mapping services.”

The FutureAs for the future and possibilities of the cloud,

Bissett is critical of the high expectations

people have of the possibilities of these tools

and services, as well as the speed that things

will take place: “I believe that “cloud” comput-

ing, or rather distributed and shared comput-

ing services, will make it possible to create

better, faster, and cheaper computing tools for

our industry. Yet, I also suspect that these tools

and services are still in their infancy, and may

take longer than people expect to see a tremen-

dous surge in use and dramatic increase in ROI.

The roll out of cloud services is likely to be

more an evolutionary, than the currently hyped

revolutionary, movement.”

As for WeoGeo itself, Bissett expects a lot from

the partnership with Safe Software. Currently,

Safe Software is providing the ETL functions

behind the scenes at WeoGeo. “These functions

are currently limited to ETL on static files, things

like file transformation and conversions, re-

projections, etcetera. In the future, I would

expect that we would be exposing more dynam-

ic ETL functions to our customers. FME Server

2010 is a powerful platform, and we have just

begun to scratch the surface of its capabilities.”

Eric van Rees is editor in chief of GeoInformatics

Magazine. For more information on WeoGeo,

please have a look at www.weogeo.com and

http://blogs.weogeo.com

resell their value-added contributions.

WeoGeo also allows for custom licensing of

data products through its Commercial Library

products. This feature will soon be implement-

ed in the WeoGeo Market; however, the com-

pany will not be responsible for tracking use or

derivative royalties for these custom licensed

data products, states Bissett. “While we under-

stand the desire, and in some cases, the need

for a custom license agreement, we think that

custom licensing is part of the problem with

the mapping arena. We believe the use of

custom licensing agreements is holding our

industry back from achieving its full potential.”

Data SharingEven though people may agree that sharing

data is a good thing to do, it is not happening

as much as it could. Bissett explains why: “I

think geospatial content is a good thing,

whether it is internal enterprise sharing, free

public sharing, or for-pay public sharing. The

real issue is to get the content indexed and dis-

coverable in a manner that increases our abili-

ty to acquire and use the valuable content

locked within the silos of organizations. A

tremendous amount of geospatial content is

Latest News? Visit www.geoinformatics.com

Art ic le

37July/August 2010

Paul Bissett, CEO and Co-Founder of WeoGeo

“Our goal is to provide

organizations with the ability

to manage and serve their

mapping products as easily

as one manages their iTunes

song library.”

Page 38: geoinformatics 2010 vol05

Building Open Source Software

GeomajasBusinesses are adopting GIS applications at a fast pace. But to keep up with business needs and budget requirements,

the applications need to be easily deployable, scalable, very performing and, to top it all, very budget friendly. Geomajas

offers an open-source GIS framework for the development of thin client GIS web applications that meet all these needs.

By Jan Poté

GIS applications integrate with other ICT domains, such as ERP and

Business Intel ligence, adding to the growth of the GIS market. At the same

time, a growing number of existing solutions started embedding GIS in

OEM partnerships. As the adoption rate of GIS functionality increases, end

users of traditional fat client desktop GIS applications are confronted with

the limits of the applications’ technological approach. More and more pro-

fessional applications migrate to the cloud, offering the provider of the

web application a lot more flexibility in terms of deployment, availability,

scalability, and security. The end user benefits as well, as the use of a

web service allows working with a true thin client. It comes as no surprise

that organizations expect to move the GIS component of their applica-

tions to the cloud as well. This is the case, for example, with a growing

number of e-government web services.

The Flemish government took the initiative to develop a GIS platform that

would be ready to support the GIS needs of the future. This led to

Geomajas, a GIS software platform for the development of rich internet

applications based on open-source technology. While the GIS market is

expected to grow, the share for open-source technology is expected to

grow even faster, thanks to an increasing number of policies and regula-

tions that promote the use of open-source technology in both the

government and private sectors. The open-source license of Geomajas

allows integrators that are active in the GIS project business to get start-

ed at no cost. The choice for open-source also holds a lot of potential for

OEM companies, as integrating GIS technology will generate added value

for other application domains, such as ERP, CRM, and more.

The Benefits of Geomajas as Open-source Software Geomajas is developed under the GNU Affero General Public License (AGPL)

v3. The platform is based on an integrated client/server architecture, the

main point being the fact that business logic, security and data integra-

tion are completely handled at the server side. This offers considerable

advantages in terms of scalability, manageability and re-use. Other open-

source GIS architectures that are capable of editing spatial data in the

browser require a direct connection between the back-end data store and

the browser or desktop, to allow the processing of business logic and

spatial operations at client side. Geomajas runs all of this on the server,

sending only the results to the web client. Even when spatial data is being

edited in the browser, the amount of client/server traffic is kept to a mini-

mum.

On the front-end Geomajas has a thin web client that deals with the pre-

sentation, the event handling and limited spatial operations. The client

face runs in standard web browsers without the need for any plug-ins. On

the back-end Geomajas features a spatial application server. Comparable

integrated client/server architectures are only found with proprietary solu-

tions. Open-source, however, offers extra benefits. As security is one of

the main concerns in technology today, it is safe to say that open-source

technology offers more security guarantees than the proprietary world.

Open-source solutions are tested and tried by hackers just as much as

proprietary technology is, but at the end of the day the open-source com-

munity implements the feedback it gained to improve security levels.

The use of open standards and open-source technology – combined with

a scalable and open architecture – improves the interoperability between

open-source and proprietary solutions. Choosing a proprietary system

holds the risk of getting locked-in. High availability for proprietary sys-

tems generally needs tailored software solutions. The use of open stan-

dards avoids a solution becoming dependent on one single middleware

or hardware infrastructure. Open-source technology also facilitates the

easy deployment of GIS based web applications. At client side, no upfront

38

Art ic le

July/August 2010

Technology architecture of Geomajas

versus other GIS technologies

Page 39: geoinformatics 2010 vol05

investment is necessary, as the service is simply accessed using a web

browser. At server side, there is no upfront licence investment either.

Geomajas in Practice: A Web Application with a GISComponent.The Agriculture and Fisheries agency of the Flemish government is one of

the organizations that contributed to the development of Geomajas. The

agency hosts an application that allows Flemish farmers to file their yearly

reports on the use and division of farm lands over the internet. The web

application is made available through a virtual counter. They needed infor-

mation about the actual use and division of the agricultural lands: how

the lands were used, what crops were grown, and more. In 2009, the

Agricultural and Fisheries agency received about 17 percent of the

farmers’ reports through its virtual counter. The application was built using

.NET and Javascript. The GIS component is based on Geomajas and Oracle

database technology.

The Geomajas component of the web application adds practical GIS infor-

mation to the farmer’s report. The application offers an actual map of

the farmer’s lands, allowing him to indicate on the map what parts of

the lands were used for what types of activity. The virtual counter is

connected to the farmer’s history, offering the farmer information about

crop rotation and subventions. Using the virtual counter, the farmer can

also indicate which subventions he wishes to apply for, with the applica-

tion immediately running a check on the criteria. When the government

started thinking about the development of the virtual counter, it was clear

that they needed a web application whereas traditional client-server soft-

ware was not really an option here, as every installation on client side –

however small it might be – would be an obstacle for the farmer to actu-

ally get started with the application. The Agriculture and Fisheries agency

expects the use of the virtual counter to increase from 17 percent last

year to 40 percent this year. This rapid growth won’t cause great concern

as Geomajas’ client-server architecture based on server-side integration

on a stateless server guarantees endless scalability.

Geosparc: Supporting GeomajasGeosparc is the company that commercially supports Geomajas. Geosparc’s

goal is to complement the open-source offering with commercial services,

provided by a network of certified partners. “With the growing interest for

Geomajas, we realized their was a increasing demand for Geomajas sup-

port services”, says Jan Poté, co-founder of Geosparc. “With Geosparc, we

combine the innovative nature of the open-source technology with a

professional support organization.”

Geosparc’s offer includes proof of concept development, negotiating

Service Level Agreements, offering project support, consulting, training,

and development services. As the owner of the software’s intellectual

property rights, Geosparc also offers OEM licenses and internal use

software licenses.

Jan Poté, Marketing & Communication Manager.

For more information, have a look at www.geomajas.org and

www.geosparc.com

Latest News? Visit www.geoinformatics.com

Art ic le

39July/August 2010

Page 40: geoinformatics 2010 vol05

Open Source Solutions

Norwegian Mapping Authority

The Norwegian Mapping Authority (Statens Kartverk) is the central organisation for the provision of mapping images to

most public bodies and organisations in Norway. After experiencing a vast increase in requests for their services in 2006

and 2007, the Mapping Authority also had to deal with an increasingly overstrained IT infrastructure. The Mapping

Authority chose to employ an IT infrastructure based on open source software solutions, which were free of licensing

costs and which proved to be much better, performance wise.

By Gregor Bierhals

Organisation and BackgroundThe Norwegian National Mapping Authority is

Norway’s main organisation when it comes to

the collection and distribution of geographic

information and mapping material. About 50

percent of the work at the Mapping Authority

focuses on the operational and distributional

services and mechanisms, serving the Fishing

department and other official departments in

Norway. The other 50 percent of their work

relate mostly to standards, such as ISO, in

order to assure that the Mapping Authority’s

output complies with other organisations and

agreed standards.

In January 2005, about 600 organisations and

partners came together to form the ‘Noway

Digital’ initiative. “‘Norway Digital’ is a nation-

wide program for co-operation on establish-

ment, maintenance and distribution of digital

geographic data. The aim is to enhance the

availability and use of quality geographic

information among a broad range of users,

primarily in the public sector”. Erland Røed,

department manager at the Mapping

Authority, further elaborates: “[...] all the

municipal authorities, directorates, ministries,

the police, or the armed forces are collabo-

rating in the Norway Digital collaboration. The

principle there is that one signs an agreement

stating that ‘I will take part and offer all my

data to the collaboration’. And thus one gets

access to all the other partners’ data.” By

sharing all the information collected by the

various partners, the allocation of data has

become much more efficient and the data

range much more extensive. This also explains

the need of standard compliance, as all the

partners have to be able to access and use

the information that is being provided

amongst the partnership.

Through the participation in Norway Digital,

the amount of WMS (Web Map Services)

40

Art ic le

July/August 2010

The Norwegian Mapping Authority chose to employ an IT infrastructure based on open source software

solutions.

Page 41: geoinformatics 2010 vol05

requests has increased dramatically. Where in

2007 already about 50.000 map images were

requested on an average day, this has

increased to roughly 300.000 in 2009, ten-

dency rising.

Budget and FundingThe Norwegian Mapping Authority is funded

by the national government of Norway.

Although there is no dedicated budget for the

IT infrastructure, as the main priority is to have

an efficient and functioning system, the nation-

al government encourages publicly funded

bodies to reduce IT costs by using free and

open software, where this is possible.

In late 2007 the team started to implement an

infrastructure based on open source software

in parallel to the proprietary software based

one already in place. At first, this was not pub-

lic and just for internal testing purposes, but

after three month of testing the solution went

live and replaced the proprietary solution. After

a year of use, the team was more than happy

to see that they had a stable solution that was

not only much better performance-wise, but

also much more economic in financial terms.

Of course the Mapping Authority also had to

make some investments for the new infra -

structure. Especially the building up of in-

house expertise was essential for this project,

as there was no more any external service

provider who the team could contact if there

was a problem. The Mapping Authority there-

fore hired a new member of staff to fill this

skill gap. In addition, the team that has been

involved in the project was sent to conferences

and learning workshops, in order to strength-

en the knowledge within the whole team. Even

though this involved some financial invest-

ments as well, the amount of money spent on

this was considerably lower compared to the

software licenses that would have had to be

purchased if the team would have decided to

stay with their proprietary solution.

Technical IssuesThe main task of the Mapping Authority is to

provide maps whenever a partner organisa-

tion needs one. This process is largely auto-

mated, so all requests happen online through

the database system. The Mapping Authority

does not only have to provide the map, but

also complementary information requested by

the respective partners. Those complementary

information might be the location of ships,

weather circumstances, or national preserva-

tion areas, for example. At this point, the

Mapping Authority has around 300.000 map

images per day serving different users and

different applications that are run by the part-

ners. “For a small country like Norway that is

pretty much”, indicated Røed, with a hint of

standard compliance. “The open source soft-

ware gives the possibility to fulfil the stan-

dard 100%” says Røed. By using Web Map

Service, which complies with all these stan-

dards, the Mapping Authority makes sure that

all the other partners in the Norway Digital

co-operation can access the mapping images

without difficulties. With regard to the func-

tionality, it also brings several advantages, as

it entails many useful ways to display map-

ping images on the Internet. “You can put

more or less real time information on top of

[the maps], like the AIS [Automatic Iden ti fi -

cation System] – real time ship traffic, weath-

er information, and other information.”

Change ManagementAt the start of the project, the Mapping

Authority had only little knowledge of open

source software environments. Therefore they

had to find ways to get acquainted with the

new system, while they were still using the

old infrastructure. As Røed remembers this

process “We didn’t have any competence or

skills connected to open source software. But

we built it up quite fast and then we changed

the service, and ran a double operation by

having the official deliverance going from the

software, while we tested out the open source

software on the side.” Starting in the fall of

2007, the team ran the systems in parallel for

about three to four month until they felt that

the system was fit for the job, and they had

gained the necessary understanding of it.

At the Mapping Authority usually three people

dedicate their time to the evaluation and dis-

tribution of geographic information and anoth-

er three people to the technical aspects of the

work. For the introduction of the open source

environment, both groups “joined forces” and

together with a new member of staff who had

thorough knowledge of the operating system

and general open source working methods,

they tweaked the system according to their

needs. Røed explains that acquiring knowl-

edge on open source software was at the end

rather easy and fast: “We found a lot of mate-

rial on the internet. There are a large number

of communities that can help you a lot and

which have already implemented the respec-

tive solutions successfully.”

The three most importance improvements for

the Mapping Authority are: performance

improvement, cost savings, and the freedom

to change and adapt the software according

to their needs- independent from a software

vendor.

With the introduction of the open source solu-

tions, the team was free to adapt the soft-

ware to their needs, and they had to find

pride in his voice. On top of the WMS (Web

Map Service) that are being used most fre-

quently by the partners, the Mapping

Authority also enabled its partners to access

maps based on tiles, such as Google Maps,

which speeds up the process of accessing

information significantly.

To do all this, the Mapping Authority clearly

has to have an IT infrastructure that is effi-

cient with resources and reliable, as some of

the information may be of crucial importance

to some of the partners. The team chose to

employ Linux RedHat and several other open

source products, such as PostgreSQL, PostGIS,

and Mapserver. The BAAT in the following

chart stands for user (B), authorisation (A),

authentication (A), and counting (T). The sys-

tem allows the Mapping Authority to give the

right information to the right partner, and to

control system resources efficiently.

The system can only be accessed by the mem-

ber organisations of the Norway Digital

co-operation. To make sure that no one else

has access to the system, the gatekeepers,

which were developed on Tomcat, enable user

access control. In a case of an emergency,

they also allow the Mapping Authority to give

certain partners priority over others, i.e. when

a ship is missing and the port authorities have

to make full use of the system. The proxies,

which are all running on Apache, can be

understood as the frontier between the inter-

net and the local network at the Mapping

Authority.

On the right side of the chart at the image

below, the cache produces the tiles, which is a

fast way of presenting maps, as explained ear-

lier. On the left side of the chart, the intercep-

tors check if “you have your ticket”, explains

Røed. In other words, they control the user

rights one has for the accessing of data. Once

user rights have been established, the intercep-

tors allow one to the balancers, which make

sure that the Mapserver is not overburdened.

The Mapserver then lets one access the maps

requested from the database (DB).

With some few exceptions, the system is run-

ning almost entirely on open source software.

Contrary to many fears, the Mapping Authority

has hardly encountered any problems since

the infrastructure went live. Considering the

breakdowns that were occurring almost on a

daily basis with the previous system, this has

been a great success for the Mapping

Authority. The open source environment man-

ages to cope with the constant increasing of

requests seemingly without problems.

The new environment also has an effect on

Latest News? Visit www.geoinformatics.com

Art ic le

41July/August 2010

Page 42: geoinformatics 2010 vol05

other ways to solve problems. By not relying

on a support partner, one has to take respon-

sibility over the system oneself. Although this

last aspect may be fearful to some, for the

team at the Mapping Authority rather the

opposite was the case, as Røed explains:

“This sparks the technician’s interest. It is a

challenge to him; a possibility to have the

total responsibility. You can’t point to a com-

pany and say ‘I can’t do anything about it, I

need support.’” The new system has been an

interesting challenge for the people at the

Mapping Authority to take the responsibility

and to have the freedom to do what they

want. “Now we really have the possibility to

master the whole thing. And that has been a

trigger for our people to do things, to make

things work” Røed further adds.

Cooperation The Mapping Authority essentially co-operates

on two different levels: with regards to the

content (i.e. the information for maps) they

stand in close collaboration with the partners

from the Norway Digital initiative. This how-

ever had no impact on the development of

the new software environment, as the coop-

eration mainly aims at establishing a two-way

exchange of geographic information. Besides

the provision of WMS and other information,

the Mapping Authority has shared some of its

in-house developments with other partners

within the Norway Digital cooperation.

Although most of these in-house develop-

ments are rather specialized on the needs of

the Mapping Authority, other organisations

may find themselves in the need of similar

solutions. By employing open source solu-

tions, the Mapping Authority had the freedom

to share any solution they developed without

breaching any license agreements. The gov-

ernment even established the platform

www.Friprog.no for the exchange of informa-

tion, experience, and code amongst organisa-

tions and public bodies in Norway.

With regard to the development of the open

source system infrastructure, the Mapping

Authority sought the cooperation with the

online communities behind the software solu-

tions they employed. In order to gain exper-

tise and a clear understanding of the open

source software environments involved they

realized that the best way of doing so is by

referring to the online communities, such as

OpenGeo. Those collaborations were extreme-

ly helpful, and eventually became the most

important knowledge resource for the team.

Compared to the software vendor that in older

times would provided guaranteed support,

even if delayed, the team at the Mapping

Authority initially feared that it might be much

harder to rely on the volunteering support

provided through the open source software

communities on the web. However, contrary

to this assumption the Mapping Authority’s

experiences so far has been rather the oppo-

site. With the software vendor that they had

contracted “we had weeks of waiting, in the

worst case even a month”, remembers Røed.

Now, with the open source solutions, nobody

will give you a guarantee that you get an

answer, but their experience so far has shown

that “there’s always someone to ask, and

there has always been an answer from some-

body.” And, even better, this usually happens

within minutes. Consequently, the Mapping

Authority advices other institutions to take

the risk, as their worst fears of standing alone

with a problem have simply not come true.

Achievements and Lessons learned“We have had only positive experiences with

this. It might seem a bit boasting, but we

haven’t experienced a single setback”, states

Røed proudly. The project therefore has been

a great success for the Mapping Authority.

As stated before, the three main improve-

ments that the undertaking brought along

were: cost savings, improved stability, and

freedom to adapt the system to their needs.

Considering that the services the Mapping

Authority provides are still increasingly

requested, these three points gain in impor-

tance continuously. The stability plays an

equally important role, as more and more

partners relay on the services. By relaying on

open source solutions, the Mapping Authority

can ensure that system breakdowns do not

hinder the work of others.

One more positive aspect of open source

solutions is the ability to share developments

and expertise. Any developments that the

Mapping Authority has done themselves can

be shared with others, where this appears

useful. The Norwegian government is also

trying to promote the use and the sharing of

open source software through the portal

www.Friprog.no. Through this portal, the

government has released a kind of “cook

book”, as Røed explains this, where organi-

sations are guided on their way to imple-

menting open source software.

Gregor Bierhals, UNU-MERIT.

This case study is brought to you by the Open

Source Observatory and Repository (OSOR),

www.osor.eu a project of the European

Commission’s IDABC project

http://ec.europa.eu/idabc.

This study is based on an interview with Erland

Røed,department manager at the Norwegian

Mapping and Cadastre Authority, as well as email

exchange with Francky Callewaert from the

European Commission. Additional information has

been taken from the websites listed in the Links

section, as well as further information provided by

the Norwegian Mapping and Cadastre Authority.

42

Art ic le

July/August 2010

PostgreSQL screenshot

Page 43: geoinformatics 2010 vol05
Page 44: geoinformatics 2010 vol05

Directly situated on the North Sea and stretching forty kilometers in length, the Port of Rotterdam, NL (PoR) is the largest

seaport in Europe and one of the busiest ports in the world. A 24/7 global gateway and massive transshipment point, it

serves to swiftly and efficiently distribute goods to hundreds of millions of European consumers. The port’s massive

industrial complex provides an intermediate destination for storage, cargo handling, processing and also distribution

via various other forms of transport including road, rail, ship, river barge and pipeline.

By the editors

The Port of Rotterdam Authority strives to

develop and advance Europe’s leading sea-

port. The Authority facilitates and supports

businesses in the port area, and acts as the

manager of the port. Focusing on space and

infrastructure planning and logistics, the

Authority is responsible for creating optimum

conditions for onsite business locations and

accompanying residential environments.

In the past decade, the shipping industry

44

Art ic le

July/August 2010

S P A T I A L I N F O R M A T I O N M A N A G E M E N T

Page 45: geoinformatics 2010 vol05

entered the digital age, and information man-

agement has progressed immensely. The digi-

tization of data and ability to transfer infor-

mation more freely has led to the unification

of formerly independent systems. Systems

dards of performance and efficiency, PoR con-

tinues to investigate ways to improve the cur-

rent system. Because geo-information became

so easily accessible via the centralized solu-

tion, the demand grew tremendously. For

Information Management, this was a trigger

to begin using web services. “Web services

are no longer deemed a specialized area of

information,” said Mulder. “The end user’s

ability to interact with geospatial web services

has increased significantly over the years.”

Even though requested information continues

to reside in dedicated systems across the

organization, there is a significant demand for

a more integrated view of this information.

“Everybody needs access to these sources,

which calls for a service oriented information

architecture and policy,” adds Mulder.

PoR identified four ‘must have’ improvements

to the existing solution:

1. Web services for connecting to HAMIS

(Harbor Master Information System)

2. Multiple user interfaces for different appli-

cations

3. Ability to access externally hosted datasets

in office applications (without the need for

import)

4. More modular framework to carry out mod-

ifications to minimize expense and system

downtime

ERDAS SolutionAfter assessing of the Port of Rotterdam’s

requirements for updating their existing sys-

tem, Imagem, the authorized ERDAS reseller in

the Netherlands and Benelux, presented the

ERDAS APLOLLO solution to PoR. “The overall aim

of this implementation is to provide a gener-

al geographic information architecture for all

spatial assets and all other geographically-

significant items at the PoR,” said Patrick de

Groot, Sales Manager, Imagem.

integration and centralization has swept

across port operations, and even encouraged

cooperation beyond corporate borders.

Spatial Information ManagementPort of Rotterdam’s Spatial Information

Management handles the internal processes

at the port, including guidance of ship move-

ments, commercial processes, infrastructure

management and strategic planning. More

than a decade ago, PoR made the strategic

decision to implement one single, organiza-

tion-wide database, providing the entire ope -

ra tion with a comprehensive information pack-

age. This centralized approach seeks to make

newly published data and information imme-

diately available to all relevant departments.

Spatial Information Management also provides

PoR with correct and appropriate geospatial

information for its commercial processes. “As

part of the port’s centralized information solu-

tion, Spatial Information Mana gement delivers

spatial information systems for harbor traffic,

leased harbor parcels, asset management and

current projects in pro gress,” said Albert

Mulder, Spatial Information Manager at Port of

Rotterdam.

To date, the Spatial Information department

manages over two million spatial objects,

totaling over a hundred gigabytes. Much of the

data is self-collected by the Port, including

soundings of harbor floor, parcel boundaries

for lease contracts, environmental data and

radar data. Other data is derived from outside

sources, including a high detail general

Netherlands basemap, cadastral, aerial pho-

tography (at seven cm resolution for the entire

harbor area) and general topographic maps.

Data Management and DeliveryChallengesThe centralized information solution has been

very successful. However, to maintain stan-

Latest News? Visit www.geoinformatics.com

Art ic le

45July/August 2010

This massive development site at the Port of

Rotterdam is called ‘tweede Maasvlakte.’ The

meaning of ‘tweede’ is ‘second’, and this project is

an extension to the original ‘Maasvlakte,’ a main

part of the harbor that can accommodate the

world’s largest ships. It is being developed in stages

with final completion expected in 2013, and will

expand the Harbor’s territory by a whopping 20%.

Officers at the Port of Rotterdam monitor all ship movements on wall-size video screens.

Page 46: geoinformatics 2010 vol05

PoR’s Spatial Information Management recog-

nized the power of ERDAS APLOLLO Essentials-

SDI to fully meet PoR’s main requirements.

ERDAS APLOLLO Essentials- SDI is an entry level

APLOLLO product for cataloging and delivering

geospatial data over the web, via a user-

friendly interface.

“One of the strong elements of the ERDAS

APLOLLO framework is its ability to cover the

whole stack of preparing data, creating web

services and visualizing those in a client,”

said Mulder, “without extra effort to integrate

those stages; it’s all in the package.”

Geospatial Web ServicesIts adherence to OGC standards makes it easy

for PoR staff to access geospatial web ser-

vices into a variety of office applications.

“These include applications for maintenance

of infrastructure, the leasing of land parcels

and nautical applications, to name a few,”

said Mulder.

PoR also intends to use the ERDAS APLOLLO

Solution Toolkit to build custom client front-

ends for their various customers. This includes

adding OGC services discovery and visualiza-

tion in custom GIS applications. “Contrary to

our present client-server architecture, ERDAS

APLOLLO makes it possible to use different

viewers and update tools for each of the user

groups,” said Mulder. Plus the modular frame-

work of ERDAS APLOLLO enables modifications to

be carried out with minimal, if any, system

downtime. “The front end and back end

connections are very flexible,’ adds de Groot.

“If they change something on the back end,

it does not mean they have to also change

the front end immediately, because of the

service oriented architecture.”

Looking towards the future, Mulder adds,

“there is no doubt that this implementation

will yield benefits to the every day operation

at the Port of Rotterdam, both in terms of

insight and of speed of delivery, which will

become more apparent over the next months

as things develop.”

For more information, have a look at

www.erdas.com

The biggest challenge was combining the information from these different sources in a clear and easy way, so that both technical and also non-technical

(i.e. commercial) staff could have access to this information without specialized applications.

46

Art ic le

July/August 2010

Page 47: geoinformatics 2010 vol05

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Trimble www.trimble.com/geospatial 51

VEXCEL Imaging www.microsoft.com/ultracam 35

Advertisers Index

August

01-05 August +

San Diego, CA, San Diego Convention Center, U.S.A.

Internet: http://spie.org/x30491.xml

01-05 August Devices +

San Diego, CA, San Diego Convention Center, U.S.A.

Internet: http://spie.org/x13192.xml

01-05 August +

San Diego, CA, San Diego Convention Center, U.S.A.

Internet: http://spie.org/x13188.xml

03-06 August A -

Arequipa, Peru

E-mail: [email protected]

Internet: http://applied-geoinformatics.org

07-12 August

Ponta Delgada, Azores Islands, Portugal

E-mail: [email protected]

Internet: www.gislands.org

09-12 August

Kyoto, ICC Kyoto, Japan

Internet: www.isprscom8.org/index.html

16-18 August 2010 A

Charlotte, NC, U.S.A.

Internet: www.urisa.org/conferences/addressing/info

30 August-02 September

Las Vegas, NV, ARIA Resort at CityCenter, U.S.A.

Internet: www.intergraph2010.com

September

01-03 September

Cork, Ireland

E-mail: [email protected]

Internet: www.rspsoc2010.org

01-03 September A

A NA -

Paris, France

Internet: http://pcv2010.ign.fr

02-03 September -

Paris, France

E-mail: [email protected] or [email protected]

Internet: www.cobra2010.com

06-09 September

Barcelona, Spain

Internet: http://2010.foss4g.org/index.php

13-17 September

Alice Springs, Australia

Tel: +61 (414) 971 349

Internet: www.15.arpc.com

14-17 September AR

A

Freiburg, Germany

E-mail: [email protected]

Internet: www.silvilaser.de

15-17 September

Skopje, Republic of Macedonia

E-mail: [email protected]

Internet: http://sdi2010.agisee.org

19-21 September

Yokohama, Japan

E-mail: [email protected]

Internet: www.g-expo.jp

20-23 September

Toulouse, France

Internet: http://spie.org/x6262.xml

20-23 September

Gaeta, Italy

E-mail: [email protected]

Internet: www.racurs.ru

21-24 September GNSS

Portland, OR, Oregon Convention Center, U.S.A.

Tel: +1 (703) 383-9688

E-mail: [email protected]

Internet: www.ion.org/meetings

22-24 September

New Delhi Expo XXI, India

Internet: www.oesallworld.com

23-24 September

Skudai, Johor, Universiti Teknologi, Malaysia

Tel: +607 553 0806

Fax: +607 556 6163

E-mail: [email protected]

Internet: www.fksg.utm.my/Research_Group/3dgis/activities/

3DGIS%20Brochure.pdf

28-30 September A

Stratford-upon-Avon, Holiday Inn, U.K.

Internet: www.agigeocommunity.com

28 September-01 October A

A

Orlando, FL, U.S.A.

E-mail: [email protected]

Internet: www.urisa.org

October

04-08 October Week

Santiago, Chile

E-mail: [email protected]

Internet: www.lars.cl

05-07 October

Cologne, Cologne Exhibition Centre, Germany

Internet: www.intergeo2010.de

17-20 October &

Dearborn, MI, USA

Tel: +1 909-793-2853, ext. 4347

E-mail: [email protected]

Internet: www.esri.com/egugconference

18-20 October

Denver, CO, USA

Tel: +1 909-793-2853, ext. 3743

E-mail: [email protected]

Internet: www.esri.com/healthgis

19-21 October GNSS

Braunschweig, Germany

Tel: +49 (228) 20197 0

Fax: +49 (228) 20197 19

E-mail: [email protected]

Internet: www.enc-gnss2010.org

25-27 October HDS

San Ramon, CA, U.S.A.

Internet: http://hds.leica-geosys-

tems.com/en/Events_6441.htm?id=6896

26-28 October

Rome, Italy

E-mail: [email protected]

Internet: www.esriitalia.it

November

03-04 November

Berlin, Germany

Internet: www.igg.tu-berlin.de/3dgeoinfo

08-10 November

The Mirage, Las Vegas

Internet: www.trimblesurveyevents.com

15-18 November A

Orlando, FL, Doubletree Hotel,U.S.A.

Internet: www.asprs.org/orlando2010

29 November-03 December

Tunesia

Internet: www.geotunis.org

30 November-01 December AR

The Hague, The Netherlands

Tel: +44 (0)1453 836363

E-mail: [email protected]

Internet: www.lidarmap.org

February 2011

07-09 February AR

Astor Crowne Plaza, New Orleans,LA,U.S.A.

Internet: www.lidarmap.org

13-19 February

Obergurgl, Tirol, Austria

Info: Dr. Thomas Weinold

Tel.: +43 (0)512 507 6755 or 6757

Fax: +43 (0)512 507 2910

E-mail: [email protected]

Internet: http://geodaesie.uibk.ac.at/obergurg.html

April

05-07 April Ocean -

Southampton, U.K.

Internet: www.oceanbusiness.comg

06-07 April -

Southampton, U.K.

Internet: www.offshoresurvey.co.uk

Please feel free to e-mail your calendar notices to:[email protected]

50July/August 2010

Page 51: geoinformatics 2010 vol05

WideAngle

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© 2010 Trimble Navigation Limited. All rights reserved. PC-013 (06/10)

Trimble®

Trimble®

Page 52: geoinformatics 2010 vol05

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