G FIG Interview G Topcon GRS-1 Review

G FME User Conference G Developing Standards for 3D Imaging Systems

Magaz i ne f or Sur veyi ng, Mappi ng & GI S Pr of es s i onal s
September 2009
Volume 12
6
On the Move
Even in summertime, the field of geoinformatics is on the move . On paper, blogs and at
industry conferences I sense a shared optimism to make things work better and faster for
the end user. I hope the same optimism pervades through the articles in this magazine, that
should give an overview of whats happening in the industry at the moment.
And there IS a lot going on at this moment. With hindsight, I am proud of the inclusion of
several open source articles in the last six months, an idea that originated from Intergeo last
year. With so much media exposure on this topic at the moment, this seems as a wise deci-
sion now. The debate on open source versus closed source continues and we will keep on
informing you on new initiatives in this field.
Another discussion that was mentioned somewhere else focused on the lack of innovation
in the industry. It seems some people cannot overcome the idea that the revolution in geo
industry was merely an outcome of the Google revolution combined with hardware innova-
tions (server technology, more data storage capacities). Right now theres an interesting
debate going on about how data should be shared between governments and users. The
discussion focuses on what data should be shared, what it looks like and how to offer it to
users. Although I dont have the answers to these questions, I think that the conviction that
theres a need to share data is a breakthrough in the way of thinking about sharing data.
Data needs to be unlocked and shared, thats why its there in the first place. This conviction
is something new and major GIS vendors are now picking up on it because their costumers
ask for it.
Specially for the coming Intergeo event in Karlsruhe, Germany, we put together a number of
surveying related articles, ranging from product reviews, case studies and interviews with
captains of national and international surveying organizations. I am happy to announce that
GeoInformatics will be present with a large booth at Intergeo where you have a chance to
meet up in person and share your thoughts on this magazine, that also will be distributed
everywhere at the event.
Enjoy your reading and meet you at Intergeo!
Eric van Rees
evanrees@geoinformatics.com
September 2009
3
GeoInformatics provides coverage, analysis and
commentary with respect to the international surveying,
mapping and GIS industry.
Publisher
Ruud Groothuis
rgroothuis@geoinformatics.com
Editor-in-chief
Eric van Rees
evanrees@geoinformatics.com
Editors
Frank Arts
fartes@geoinformatics.com
Florian Fischer
ffischer@geoinformatics.com
Job van Haaften
jvanhaaften@geoinformatics.com
Huibert-Jan Lekkerkerk
hlekkerkerk@geoinformatics.com
Remco Takken
rtakken@geoinformatics.com
Joc Triglav
jtriglav@geoinformatics.com
Contributing Writers
Joc Triglav
Alan M. Aindow
Brett Black
Benjamin Sullivan
Huibert-Jan Lekkerkerk
Lon van der Poel
Raj Singh
Michael W. Dobson
Cori Keeton Pope
Account Manager
Wilfred Westerhof
wwesterhof@geoinformatics.com
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ISSN 13870858
Copyright 2009. GeoInformatics: no material may
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ESRI International User Conference 2009
The yearly international user conference of ESRI in San Diego is for many
people the most important GIS event in the world. From July 13 to 17,
ESRI users were welcomed in the San Diego Convention Center for every-
thing that has to do with GIS: workshops, an exhibition, user group
meetings and an update on the most recent developments on the ESRI
platform.
C o n t e n t
September 2009
Articles
Developing Standards for 3D Imaging Systems
ASTM E57 International Technical Committee 10
Everybody calls Larry for his RTK System
GPS in the City of Waterloo, Iowa 14
Interface Control
GNSS Update 22
Seeking a Global Path
BIM Standards Efforts 24
Creating Robust Functionalities
ADAS and 3D-Road Map Databases 28
A Space Asset for Non-Space Applications
GNSS-R 40
Government Group Uses Mapping and GIS
Managing German Agricultural Subsidy Applications 34
Fully Integrated Imaging Solutions
Leicas RCD Digital Frame Cameras 54
Modular Cameras; Multiple Configurations
The IGI DigiCAM Range 60
ADL Series
Pacific Crest New Product Line 68
Interviews
The Big Swing in Surveying explained
by FIG President Stig Enemark
From Measurement to Management 6
Providing National and International
Geodetic Services
Meeting The French Order of Licensed Surveyors 50
Reviews
Test GNSS Receiver
Topcon GRS-1 18
From Search Engine to Omnivore
Planet Google 70
Page 64
From Measurement to Management
GeoInformatics editor Joc Triglav interviews FIG President Stig Enemark
on the FIGs motto, upcoming activities, the modern art of measurement
and more. The combination of technical, natural and social science areas
place the surveyors in a unique position in society for contributing to
development and innovation towards social justice, economic growth,
and environmental sustainability.
4
Page 6
Latest News? Visit www.geoinformatics.com
5
September 2009
On the Cover:
Lon van der Poel is performing a user test with the Topcon GRS-1.
See article on page 18.
FME 2009 User Conference
The eleventh edition of the annual Global Spatial Data Infrastructure (GSDI)
conference was held in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, from June 15 to 19. At
this conference the GSDI Association, an inclusive body of organizations,
agencies, firms, and individuals from around the world, promotes interna-
tional co-operation and collaboration in support of local, national and
international spatial data infrastructure developments.
BIM Standards Efforts
Global market factors are forcing a revolution in the way professionals
share and use information throughout the lifecycles of buildings and capi-
tal projects such as airports, roads and subways. Building Information
Models (BIM) are a critical element in this information sharing revolution.
This article provides an overview of the current state of BIM standards and
what they will, hopefully, through international collaboration, become in a
Web-connected world.
Page 24
Events
Icon Awards, Smartplant 3D, SmartGrids and More
Intergraph Annual Users Conference 2009 38
Transforming the Inconceivable into Reality
FME 2009 User Conference 50
Further Integration of Components
of the ESRI Platform
ESRI International User Conference 2009 64
Combined GIS Event and Symposium in Salzburg
Computer Oriented Geology & GI Forum @
AGIT 2009 66
Calendar 74
Advertisers Index 74
Page 50
Page 18
The Big Swing in Surveying explained
by FIG President Stig Enemark
From Measurement to Management
GeoInformatics editor Joc Triglav interviews FIG President Stig Enemark on the FIGs motto, upcoming activities,
the modern art of measurement and more. The combination of technical, natural and social science areas place
the surveyors in a unique position in society for contributing to development and innovation towards social justice,
economic growth, and environmental sustainability.
By Joc Triglav
Question: We started our first interview
at the beginning of your term as the FIG
President with a discussion about your
motto. How successfully have the sur-
veyors embraced it? How high does the
surveying profession manage to fly
today and how successfully does it keep
its feet on the ground?
Answer: The motto of flying high and keeping
the feet on the ground emphasises the need
of having a big vision in relation to the global
agenda and, at the same time, supporting the
member associations and the individual survey-
ors in their everyday tasks. The big vision is
about contributing to solving the global chal-
lenges such as poverty eradication, climate
change, and disaster risk management. FIG has
made good progress with the flying high tar-
gets. I would like to mention only two exam-
ples on these activities: the joint FIG/UN-HABI-
TAT seminar on "Improving Slum Conditions
through Innovative Financing in Stockholm in
June 2008 and the joint FIG/World Bank confer-
ence on Land Governance in Support of the
Millennium Development Goals: Responding to
New Challenges in Washington in March this
year.
Keeping the feet on the ground means that
FIG must be able to interact with politicians at
national level to promote and improve the basic
conditions for surveyors and their role in soci-
ety. And FIG should of course interact in a dia-
logue with the member associations and the
individual surveyors. This interaction has
worked well even in the current situation of
financial crisis. Indicators such as membership
figures and attendance to our conferences look
6
I nt er vi ew
September 2009
FIG President Stig Enemark
good and the response from the member associations has also been very
positive. But there is always room for improvement and we will still work
hard to ensure that that FIG remains a proud icon for our profession.
Q: How and in which ways is the theme Building the Capacity
of the current FIG Council for 2007-2010 taking shape in the
daily reality of the global surveyors community?
A: FIG is providing an international forum for professional development
and innovation in all aspects of surveying. FIG is building the capacity
through conferences, commission work and seminars, publications, stan-
dards and guidelines. Capacity building is also about providing institu-
tional support for both member associations and academic institutions.
This kind of institutional support from the global surveying community
can often convince national authorities on requests from our members.
FIG has also established a Task Force on Institutional and organisational
Development that will present its final outcome at the FIG Congress in
Sydney, April 2010.
Q: We all sense through our daily practice that the role of sur-
veyors in the global agenda is obviously changing, backed up
or even forced by the rapid technological developments. Which
steps should surveyors make to embrace these changes in
order to prosper and be of better service to sustainable soci-
eties?
A: Professor Rudolf Staiger, Chair of FIG Commission 5 presented a very
interesting keynote paper at the FIG Working Week in Eilat that is relevant
to this question. He states in the conclusion that The art of measure-
ment was limited in the past to the precise acquisition of data (observa-
tions!). Today the data acquisition itself has become much easier, but this
does not mean that the whole measurement process is easy to handle
and free of errors! The measurement process today is much more com-
plex than it was decades ago. Therefore we need surveying experts who
are able to master the entire process of data acquisition and data pro-
cessing. Each measurement task is different and has its own characteris-
tics. We have to take special care with an independent check and proof
of the entire measurement system and the final results. This exactly is the
modern art of measurement. I think this paints the picture very well.
Q: FIG is covering the professional history with its permanent
International Institution for the History of Surveying and
Measurement. In modern times of seemingly instant solutions,
we witness a wrong but a growing belief even among profes-
sionals that only the future is important. Why do we need to
know the history of our profession, skills and knowledge; why
is it so important not to forget our roots?
A: I think it is important for any profession to know where it comes from.
This will also allow for better to understand where we should be heading.
The surveying profession has a proud history, and I am very pleased to
see that interest in surveying history has increased. One example of this
is that we have managed to get recognition to surveyors as part of our
cultural heritage, when the Struve Arc was included in the UNESCO list of
World Heritage.
But times are changing and the role of surveyors is changing as well. The
big swing could be named from measurement to management. As men-
tioned above this does not imply that measurement is no longer impor-
tant, but due to technology development, the role of the surveying is
changed towards managing the measurements. The change also means
that surveyors increasingly contribute to building sustainable societies as
experts in managing land and properties where surveyors play a key role
in supporting an efficient land market and also effective land-use man-
agement.
Q: Some years ago FIG has established the FIG Standards
Network as the hub of FIG standardisation activities. Why are
the standards becoming so increasingly important in the work
of surveyors and how successful are surveyors in implementing
them?
A: Surveying has become a global profession, which means that survey-
ing and GNSS instruments and networks need common standards.
Therefore it is natural that FIG is a partner of ISO with regard to develop-
ing and innovation and also distribution of information about the stan-
dards and their importance to our members. We have extended this work
by proposing a standard for the Land Administration Domain Model (LADM)
(Geographic Information ISO 19152) that is now passing the ISO formal
process.
Q: One of the goals of FIG is to connect its activities closer with
the academics, to help them attend the FIG events, to raise the
quality of the FIG conference papers and to create a bigger
audience to the findings of their research. How far are the activ-
ities on realizing the idea of establishing a FIG virtual journal
and which obstacles are there still on its way?
A: We introduced a peer review option for the FIG conferences in 2008.
This model was well received by our members, not only by the academics
but also surveyors from practice. This has increased the level of presenta-
tions in general - not only the peer review papers. At the same time the
model offers academics the opportunity to get the credits that they need
for their academic career. I think that the current balance between profes-
sional and scientific papers is just about right and should guarantee that
FIG is the platform for gathering all surveyors. The issue of the FIG journal
has been postponed for time being as we want to get the concept right
before launching any initiative in this regard.
Q: The current deep economic and financial crisis is changing our
perception of the global society and the paradigms of the future
global development. In your opinion, how deeply and in which
ways will these changes affect the global surveying community?
Latest News? Visit www.geoinformatics.com
I nt er vi ew
7
September 2009
FIG organised the first joint conference with the World Bank in Washington in
March 2009: FIG President Stig Enemark, Inga Bjrk-Klevby, Deputy Executive
Director, UN-HABITAT, Mark Crackler, Director, WB ARD, Klaus Deininger, WB
and Paul van der Molen, FIG.
A: FIG is well aware of the problems this eco-
nomic crisis imposes on our members. But we
should also look at the opportunities. Barack
Obama said during his election campaign in the
US: You never want a serious crisis to go to
waste. That means no crisis should be over-
looked with regard to the opportunities it pro-
vides as well. There is no doubt that the cur-
rent financial crisis also affects the surveying
discipline in our member countries throughout
the world. But it also present opportunities for
the surveying profession e.g. in terms of argu-
ing for the need and benefit of having sustain-
able cadastral infrastructures as a backbone for
mortgage and systems for complex property
commodities. Another opportunity is in the
building of public infrastructures that are likely
to be initiated as an incentive to boost the
economy.
Q: Please, describe in the main outlines
the current new activities of the FIG
Commissions and their goals.
A: FIG has ten technical commissions that all
run a highly ambitious agenda. I will mention
only a few new projects started during the last
years. These include the Commission 3 initia-
tive on e-governance and spatial Information
toward managing mega cities; e- learning is a
big effort tin Commission 2; land governance
issues are dominating in Commission7 and 8
with a special emphasis on pro poor land man-
agement tools and new tenure models; and in
the more technical areas of Commission 5 and
6 there are big efforts on global positioning
infrastructures and engineering surveys for con-
struction works. In addition we have increased
our activities in Africa by establishing a special
task force to address the problems in this con-
tinent.
Q: FIG is organising or participating in
many regional and global events. Which
are the highlights of the FIG events this
year and in 2010?
A: This year FIG has three highlight events. The
first was the joint conference with the World
Bank in March on land governance in support
of the MDGs. This was the first event of its kind
and the feedback was overwhelming. The
results will be collected in a report that will be
launched at the FIG regional conference in
Hanoi in October 2009. The second big event
this year was the Working Week in Israel in May
that attracted about 600 participants in Eilat in
May. Despite the economic crisis the event was
highly successful from professional, social and
participation perspectives. The upcoming
Regional Conference in Hanoi will be the third
big event this year. The theme Spatial Data
Serving People: Land Governance and the
Environment is designed to support the survey-
ing profession in South East Asia. As a result
from a long term co-operation, UN-FAO has
decided to organise its regional consultative
meeting on Voluntary Guidelines for responsi-
ble governance of tenure of land and other nat-
ural resources as part of the conference.
The highlight of the current four year period
2007-2010 will of course be the FIG Congress
to be held in Sydney 11-16 April 2010. The
congress is expected to attract more than 2,000
conference participants, and will include a big
commercial exhibition as well as great social
events. The technical programme will offer close
to 100 sessions and workshops with 600 papers
covering all hot issues of the surveying disci-
plines. This is certainly an opportunity not to
be missed.
Q: I definitely havent asked you every-
thing you wanted to say to our readers.
So, please, heres an opportunity for
your closing word.
A: I always felt that the most fascinating fea-
ture about the surveying profession is its mul-
tidisciplinary profile. The combination of techni-
cal, natural and social science areas place the
surveyors in a unique position in society for
contributing to development and innovation
towards social justice, economic growth, and
environmental sustainability.
I would also like to emphasise the importance
of getting involved in international co-operation
- also with professionals that have a different
background to your own. This is imperative in
a globalised world. For the young generation
international networking often offers work
opportunities abroad, but even if you consider
a more local professional career international
collaboration has a lot to offer. Engagement in
voluntary work in an international organisation
like FIG will benefit your professional life and
be socially inspiring as well. So the FIG congress
in Sydney in April 2010 is really an opportunity
of a lifetime.
Joc Triglav jtriglav@geoinformatics.comis editor of
GeoInformatics. For more information, have a look
at www.fig.net and www.fig2010.com.
8
I nt er vi ew
September 2009
The FIG Congress in April 2010 will take place in Sydney.
For more information on ERDAS, please visit www.erdas.com or call +1 877 GO ERDAS.
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Developing Standards for 3D Imaging Systems
ASTM E57 International Technical
Committee
The 3D imaging industry has grown rapidly despite inconsistencies in terminology among vendors, lack of uniform methods for
testing terrestrial laser scanners, and data exchange challenges. The presence of industry standards can help product vendors
and end users to overcome these challenges and thus further accelerate the successful adoption of this exciting technology. In
this article, Alan M. Aindow, vice chairman of the ASTM International E57 Technical Committee on 3D Imaging Systems,
describes the scope and benefits of this Committee that works on developing industry standards for terrestrial laser scanners.
By Alan M. Aindow
The growth of the 3D imaging industry based upon technologies such
as 3D laser scanning (also known as terrestrial laser scanning and various
other descriptors) has been driven over the past ten years by a variety of
factors. Hardware, software, workflows and support services have steadily
improved. New applications continue to emerge. End-users have become
increasingly aware of the benefits of 3D imaging, word of which has now
spread from person-to-person, project-to-project and across entire organi-
zations. Growth of this technology has been so strong that numerous
observers and opinion leaders have identified it as the next big thing in
surveying technology, much like GPS was in the 1990s.
As the market place has moved forward with this exciting technology,
some prospective adopters have also faced challenges in understand-
ing the technology, as terminology has not been consistent among ven-
dors and users. Likewise, product features included in spec sheets have
varied from vendor to vendor, as have the ways that features are char-
acterized. As a result, prospective adopters can be confused about how
to objectively evaluate and compare commercial product offerings. Users
and clients have also run into challenges in working with and exchang-
ing laser scan data from different vendors. Product vendors also recog-
nize that in the long run the broad adoption of new technology often
benefits from the presence of helpful industry standards.
In response to this wave of new technology and requests from a wide
range of stakeholders, the National Institute of Standards and Technology
(NIST, USA) held a series of meetings beginning in 2003 to initiate the
development of industry standards. Stakeholders included practitioners,
clients of 3D imaging services, manufacturers, government agencies, pro-
fessional societies, trade associations, and academia. Out of these meet-
ings, ASTM was chosen as the standards development organization to
provide the infrastructure to foster the development of ANSI-accredited,
consensus-based industry standards. From these beginnings, the ASTM
International E57 Technical Committee on 3D Imaging Systems was formed
under the chairmanship of Alan Lytle, NIST. I, the author, am currently vice-
chairman of this committee.
E57 Current Scope
The initial focus of E57 is on medium range terrestrial 3D imaging sys-
tems with ranges in the order of tens to hundreds of meters or so. Typical
applications include construction and maintenance, surveying, mapping
and terrain characterization, manufacturing, transport, mining, historic
preservation and forensics. Typical technologies include laser scanners
(also known as LADAR or laser radars) and optical range cameras (also
known as flash LADAR or 3D range cameras). Last year, the scope of E57
was extended to include short range systems with ranges in the order of
meters to tens of meters.
Under the general heading of 3D Imaging Systems, E57 remains open to
other applications, characteristic ranges, and technologies.
Committee Structure & Organization
There are currently five subcommittees of E57 comprising small groups of
volunteers of dedicated professionals as follows:
10
Ar t i cl e
September 2009
The development of standards for 3D Imaging will help users assess which
laser scanners can meet demanding accuracy requirements, such as the
as-built locations of tie-in clips for glass curtain installation. Image Courtesy:
Mabat 3D Technologies
Currently Chaired by Gerry Choek, NIST Tasked to develop terms common-
ly used in describing 3D imaging systems. Terminology is essential to
reduce confusion and to enable the testing, specification, and fair com-
parison of instruments. The terms are a mix of definitions that are specific
to 3D Imaging and those that have already been defined by other stan-
dards and are relevant to 3D Imaging.
To date, E57.01 had a standard, E2544, approved in 2007. Since then
two ballots a year have been submitted to add additional terms to the
standard. The latest edition E2544-09 has 23 terms in it.
Currently Chaired by Darin Ingimarson, Quantapoint Tasked to develop
standard protocols, i.e. methods and apparatus for testing that will be
used to characterize 3D Imaging System performance.
The current focus is on completion of protocols for separable device char-
acteristics such as range measurement error over distance. Ultimately, sys-
tem performance protocols that represent 3D measurement capabilities
using data from multiple points of view will also be incorporated into the
set of available protocols.
Within this sub-committee a Short Range Task Group has also been initi-
ated headed by Dr. Steven Phillips, NIST.
Current Chair: Ted Knaak, Riegl USA.
Tasked to develop methodology that leads to enhanced project perfor-
mance. The focus is on the application of 3D imaging technology and best
practice guidelines that end users can use to help specify application
requirements and that practitioners can use to specify instrumentation,
quality control processes and procedures, and provide deliverables trace-
able to accepted standards. The intent is to provide a common frame-
work facilitating communication between service providers and their cus-
tomers.
Current Chair: Gene Roe, Lidarnews.com
Tasked to develop and promote standard open data exchange mecha-
nisms for 3D imaging systems. The subcommittees goal is to provide a
data exchange software specification and an open-source implementation
which will enable 3D imaging hardware and software vendors to develop
readers and writers of standard data exchange formats.
Currently, E57.04 is working diligently to finalize their design document.
They are working on the data field definitions, abstract model design, low
level encoding and extensions. The application programming interface
(API) is also being discussed and an outline for the actual specification
has been developed. The goal is to present a draft of the standard, along
with a reference implementation by the end of the year.
It is worth noting that many digital technologies that have standardized
on a data exchange format have accelerated growth and acceptance.
Current Chair: Alan Aindow, Leica Geosystems HDS (Laser Scanning
Products)
Tasked to provide industry feedback and identify ongoing membership
needs. Currently, E57.91 is working on identifying and targeting member-
ship needs, anticipating and resolving any areas of controversy, unblock-
ing negative votes, and help ensuring E57 remains relevant to the indus-
try and open to future trends.
In actuality, the sub-committees depend upon each other with feedback
between Termino logy, Test Methods and Best Practices. Sub-committee
chairs are also co-members of the E57.90 Executive Committee chaired by
Alan Lytle, NIST, for membership, central coordination and direction.
Benefits
The potential benefits of the standards being developed in these sub-
committees are many including:
o Equipment buyers, service providers and consumers of 3D imaging
data can make more meaningful comparisons and better informed
choices based upon standard tests and common terminology
o 3D imaging data transfer facilitated between software applications and
hardware
o Deliverable quality improved by providing practice guidance
o Clear conditions provided for post purchase warranty
o Competition and technological improvements driven based upon mean-
ingful metrological characteristics
o Barriers to adoption lowered by providing expert information and spec-
ifications
The entire industry can benefit as user understanding, confidence and
acceptance in this important technology continues to grow.
Membership and Participation
Current E57 membership is around 125. Sub-committees generally meet
via weekly or bi-weekly conference calls or web-enabled meetings. Full
committee meetings have been held in each January and June with approx-
imately 40 members attending three days of technical meetings. The next
conference meeting is at the Grand Hyatt, San Antonio, Texas, January 25
27, 2010. I would like to urge those in the industry to be a pro-active
supporter of E57, its mission, and its members who are working hard to
create these standards. If your time permits, new members are very wel-
come. For further details, please see our web site: www.astm.org/COMMIT/
COMMITTEE/E57.htm If you have new 3D imaging scope in mind and have
time to take on organization, do make contact to see how your needs
may be met under the E57 umbrella.
Alan M. Aindow, Vice Chair, E57 Executive Committee, Chair E57 Strategic
Planning and Marketing Committee. He has a Ph.D in laser physics, and joined
the 3D imaging industry in 2001 after a career in astronomy and industrial laser
design and applications. Presently, he is Lidar Scientist for
Leica Geosystems HDS.
Latest News? Visit www.geoinformatics.com
Ar t i cl e
11
September 2009
(left) Laser scan of building structure. Image Courtesy:
Mabat 3D Technologies
3D Imaging standards development activities that are underway include guide-
lines for creating high-quality deliverables, such as this one for a road survey
done with a laser scanner. Image courtesy: Ground Solutions Inc.
Everybody calls Larry for his RTK System
GPS in the City of Waterloo, Iowa
For many in the know, applying GPS technology, specifically RTK GPS, can be
very beneficial for time savings and improved efficiencies, as well as completing
projects too cumbersome to undertake using older methods. The City
Engineering Department in Waterloo, Iowa, never dreamed that their RTK
system would become a major technological item of dependency for nearly all
facets of the Citys operations and departments.
By Brett Black and Benjamin Sullivan
In 2001, the City of Waterloo decided it was
the right time to invest in RTK GPS for the
daunting task of locating the Citys over-
whelming number of storm water assets as
part of the NPDES MS-4 permit program.
Larry Crain, the Citys Surveying field techni-
cian, quickly found that his workload became
easier as he began mapping, very systemati-
cally and accurately, the Citys 70,000 storm
and sanitary sewer assets using the then new
Magellan Z-Xtreme RTK system. To make this
long-term job as efficient as possible, the City
chose to install the base receiver on the top
of the city hall building in the same area as
the law enforcement radio system and the
police evidence floor. Atop the city hall build-
ing is a 100-foot radio tower used for the local
emergency management communication sys-
tems, a perfect place to mount the permanent
UHF transmitter antenna connected to the
Pacific Crest PDL base radio. The building is
also very central within the City, which covers
approximately 64 square miles and is com-
prised of approximately 68,000 citizens.
Defying Water and Fire
Larry began his asset surveying quest by wad-
ing through mountains of paper files and
numerous existing data sources, including
long-time city staff, in order to avoid missing
any of the thousands of storm manholes,
storm drains, culverts, sanitary manholes,
hydrants etc., that the City manages. It did
not take very long before other departments
within the City, as well as Waterloos adjoin-
ing city, the City of Cedar Falls, quickly under-
stood the power and benefits of RTK GPS
technology. Soon Larry and his manager,
Associate Engineer Jamie Knutson, PE, began
receiving inquiries to potentially begin using
their Z-Xtreme system. The Waterloo Water
Works quickly understood the efficient survey-
grade accuracies in X, Y and Z that the
Engineering Department was getting and
requested that their hydrants also be located
by precision GPS. Brian Johnson, from the
Waterloo Water Works, visited saying, In past
years, many water valves and service line curb
stops had been measured off of hydrants.
Having GPS locations for our hydrants saves
a considerable amount of time in building dig-
ital maps, along with improving accuracy.
Mr. Johnson went on to note, We quickly
learned that knowing the elevation of each
hydrant provides a useful reference of static
water pressure in any given neighborhood. It
also proved valuable when the Waterloo
Water Works contracted a consulting firm to
develop a hydraulic model of our distribution
system. The citys Fire Department crews
have been able to use the Water Works
updated and accurate hydrant pressure infor-
mation to make better and more rapid deci-
sions on bringing in the needed resources
according to the size and type of fire they are
facing. The RTK system also has proved valu-
able in new projects for city expansion for the
Water Works. Mr. Johnson commented,
when water mains are laid in open areas
away from public right-of-ways it is sometimes
hard to find permanent points of reference to
measure from. Being able to GPS these fea-
tures and place them in digital maps is a valu-
able asset that saves a considerable amount
[of money] and is also useful for future locat-
ing.
Not long after implementation, in 2003, the
City of Cedar Falls Engineering Department
added its own Z-Xtreme RTK rover for their
City Surveyor, Al Dietz RLS, to begin a similar
asset-mapping project using the City of
Waterloos base station. Several years before,
the local County had established a permanent
network of high-accuracy GPS monuments set
by a local contractor. This network of exist-
ing control monuments enabled both Cities
to accurately reference their projects to a pub-
lished and finely-adjusted static network.
Improving Leisure Services
For Larry, more requests began pouring in
fast. In rapid succession various departments
such as the City Police Department, Leisure
14
Ar t i cl e
September 2009
Larry Crain, Waterloo, Iowa, Surveying
Technician collects data with centimeter
accuracy with ProMark 500. On the door
of the house in the background, note
the high water mark from the 2008 dev-
astating spring flood
Services Department, Public Works,
Consolidated Dispatch (E911) along with other
local consulting engineering companies start-
ed using the 24/7 permanent base station. All
were asking for Larrys expertise and equip-
ment for their own projects and needs. For
accident investigation, the City of Waterloo
Police Department has called Larry more than
50 times over the past several years to come
on-site to quickly measure the accident
scenes per the officers needs. Although the
police had their own total station, they knew
that using the RTK rover would free up two
officers time to ask witness questions as well
as focus more on other tasks, knowing Larry
would collect all the required data in a frac-
tion of the time it would take them.
Aside from the typical uses of RTK, the Citys
Leisure Services Department has found that
using RTK helps them as well. Annually, Larry
has used the rover to quickly mark out the
various playing field boundaries. Mark
Gallagher, Sport Manager for Waterloo Leisure
Services, commented, This has made mark-
ing fields easier and far less time-consuming.
We also know that our dimensions will be per-
fect! One of the more interesting recreation-
al site applications for Larry was the Hellman
Field at Cunningham School in the Citys
rougher northeast side. A parcel of land next
to the recently-built school was donated, as
well as time, equipment and materials, by the
City and private individuals. Mr. Gallagher
commented on the new field: This allowed
us to fit a one-of-a-kind, state-of-the-art facil-
ity in very tight quarters, utilizing the exper-
tise of the Department and the technology.
The new baseball field allows nighttime
games to be played as well as providing a
community area for kids and parents to enjoy
together.
2008 Midwest Flood Devastation
Aside from recreational project uses, most res-
idents will have seen or have etched into their
memory the record-setting floods that devas-
tated most of the Midwest in 2008. Waterloo,
Iowa was among those cities and towns
affected. The normal flow on the Cedar River
that runs essentially northwest to southeast
through the middle of the City is around 6.0
feet, and flood stage is 12.0 feet. Prior to
Latest News? Visit www.geoinformatics.com
Ar t i cl e
15
September 2009
Larry Crain collects centimeter accurate data at a
manhole point for Waterloo storm water asset
management.
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2008, the top flood levels in
Waterloo for the Cedar River were
21.67 feet in 1965 and 21.86 feet
four years earlier in 1961. But in
2008 the river crested at 25.39
feet, which is approximately 0.5
feet from breeching the top of the
engineered flood walls that pro-
tect much of the Citys downtown
areas. Although catastrophic
damage did not occur as the flood
walls kept most of the waters con-
tained, city-wide flooding occurred
through storm sewer water back-
ups etc. When the Citys Waste
Management Services Department
needed to determine when it was
safe to open storm sewer outfall
gates to allow flood waters to
drain back into the river, Larry
and his RTK rover were called out
to help. According to City staff, We had one
creek in particular that had the outfall gate
shut off to the river. With all of the heavy
rains, the creek flowed over its banks and
flooded approximately 40 city blocks. We
used our GPS equipment to determine the
exact elevation difference between the river
on one side of the levee and the creek on the
other. By looking at the elevation difference,
we were able to determine the appropriate
time to open the outfall and start draining the
creek into the river.
Saving Time
The City Engineering Department quickly
became the citys GIS data repository and has
turned to AutoCAD Map 3D and Microsoft
Access for the needed solutions in data man-
agement, usage and sharing with other
groups, as well as for helping to better deter-
mine future engineering needs. Although this
has made strenuous demands on the
Engineering Departments resources, it is also
beneficial. Having primarily one group collect
the data at a very high level of accuracy and
by a trained survey technician with many
years of experience, the data meets a high
level of quality control and accuracy. This is
sometimes not found in other cities where
multiple people collect the data using differ-
ent procedures and collectively warehouse it
for the masses to use, not knowing the equip-
ment or methodology of its origins. Jamie
Knutson, one of the Citys Civil Engineers,
recalled a locate job that Larry performed.
The Citys Waste Management Services
Department was looking for buried sanitary
sewer manholes. The buried manholes are
on a sewer line that carries waste from a tan-
nery and a meat packing plant. The manholes
are located in a farm field, paralleling a rail-
road track. During the middle of winter, with
snow on the ground, it is not the easiest thing
to locate. But Larry was able to type in the
coordinates of the manholes and walk to their
locations. The Waste Management Services
supervisor, Gary Luck Jr., ran his probe into
the ground and hit the middle of the lid on
the manhole. All in all, Larry located six dif-
ferent manholes for Waste Management
Services, saving a large amount of time in the
process.
The New Iowa D.O.T. Real-time
Network
Looking forward, the City of Waterloo planned
on upgrading its well-used but aging Z-Xtreme
Rover to make use of new advancements in
GNSS technology as well as prepare itself to
be part of the new Iowa D.O.T. Real-time
Network (RTN). This new RTN is one of the
largest state-owned RTNs in the country, com-
prised of approximately 84 Leica base sta-
tions and managed by Leica Geosystems. In
July 2008, in advanced preparation for using
the new Iowa RTN which was launched in
February 2009, the City purchased a new
Magellan ProMark 500 GNSS Rover with
MobileMapper CX FAST field controller. The
City worked with The Sidwell Company, St
Charles, IL, for their new equipment and
updated training on using the rovers integrat-
ed GSM modem as well as programming the
system for backwards compatibility with the
Citys current Z-Xtreme UHF base station sys-
tem. The UHF base station at City Hall is still
in use with the new rover, but when the Iowa
RTN is fully deployed, this will open the way
for using a network solution and expanding
the Citys usage of RTK equipment outside the
normal constraints and limitations of a UHF
radio system. As well, the RTN will be broad-
casting both GPS and
GLONASS corrections which
the new rover will make use of,
enabling the Citys crews to
obtain even more RTK mea-
surements in places too diffi-
cult for GPS-only systems.
The new RTN rover system has
been quickly employed by
other departments as the City
Traffic Operations Department
approached the Engineering
Department with the need for
mapping the Citys 70,000 traf-
fic signs and signals to meet
GASB-34. Meanwhile, Leisure
Services found that the new
rover controller system,
MobileMapper CX, is a stand-
alone submeter GPS unit
which they can use for mapping the Citys
urban forests of trees needed for inventory
that are inside the Citys ROW and parks.
Originally considered insurmountable tasks,
the City has been mapping its countless num-
bers of existing and new assets while operat-
ing within a very rigid budget. The Citys ROI
on their original RTK GPS investment in 2001
was realized early in 2003, and the time and
cost savings for a City of 68,000 has been
great.
Brett Black, GPS Solutions Manager
at The Sidwell Company.
Benjamin Sullivan, Regional Sales Manager at
Magellan Professional. For more information,
have a look at www.promagellangps.com/en.
Many thanks to Robert Wick for providing
imagery and text.
16
Ar t i cl e
September 2009
Using only the MobileMapper CX with internal antenna, Larry Crain navigates with
sub-meter accuracy to a point for additional data collection.
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18
Revi ew
September 2009
Choosing a GNSS receiver is not an easy job. Depending on the type of survey and the circumstances in
which the survey has to take place, a potential user will select a certain brand and type of GNSS receiver.
Lots of specifications can be compared, but how easy is it for practical use? To gain more insight into the
day-to-day use of a GNSS receiver, GeoInformatics has asked Lon van der Poel, a surveyor and educator
in the Netherlands, to test this unit. The instrument was provided by the Dutch distributor.
By Lon van der Poel
instrument has been tested on:
1. delivery and instructions for use
2. overall impression of the instrument
3. user friendliness
4. stake out routine
5. data collection
6. additional functions
Testing Method
We chose to do a user test, which means that
standard deviations and so on were not con-
sidered.
The configuration as supplied was as follows:
Instrument: GRS-1
Ext Antenna: PGA-1
Software: TopSURV 7.2.3
Topcon Link 7.2.3
Delivery and Instructions
The instrument was delivered as a complete
working set. All fit into a small rugged case. The
user manual was not in the case, but in a spe-
cial binder, together with the GRS-1 leaflet and
quick reference guides.
Instruction was given indoors and outside by
the Dutch support person and the European
support manager Topcon survey products.
Instrument
How do you fit a full working GNSS system into
a small case? The antenna and receiver unit is
not difficult, but the pole normally is. But this
pole also fit into the case. Taking out the pole
reminded me of setting up the tent the week
before. The pole consists of six parts held
together by an elastic. Screwing the six parts
together gives you a two meter pole Because
the diameter of the pole is a bit smaller than
that of a normal pole, a small ring, which has
the same outside diameter as a normal pole,
is on the pole. Here you have to pay attention
because this ring can slide down the pole and,
before you know it, it is gone.
Charger and communication cables are all in
GLONASS on L1. This looks like a data col-
lector, but has everything already built in.
The same as the previous solution, but with
EGNOS correction to improve the accuracy.
A GIS unit with correction DGPS signal from
a local correction supplier via NTRIP. This is
the first solution which clearly comes within
the accuracy of a meter. Here you can also
consider attaching to an external antenna.
These first three solutions all work with the
GIS module of TopSURV.
A handheld RTK receiver with the GPS+ mod-
ule of TopSURV using GPS and GLONASS on
L1. It initializes using the internal antenna
on L1 only. Accuracy with NTRIP correction
can be to centimeter level, but in practice
this is difficult to reach because you cannot
easily hold the antenna of the data collec-
tor exactly above a point.
An RTK solution with the GPS+ module of
TopSURV which also brings you centimeter
accuracy, via NTRIP correction from a local
supplier. In this case of course you want to
use the external PG-A1 (GPS& GLONASS
L1+L2) antenna. This fourth option is basi-
cally the same as the rover I normally use,
but now all the technology is in the data
collector, while in my own set almost all the
technology is in the GPS receiver which is
at the top of the pole. So this solution is a
lot better from the weight and location of
weight point of view, because now there is
not so much weight at the top end of the
pole. In fact, the GRS-1 solution is the same
as an RTK backpack solution without the
backpack, since everything which used to
be in the backpack is now in the GRS-1.
the case.
The charger can charge two batteries at the
same time. Only one Li-Ion battery is needed
for this system, which is supplied with two bat-
teries. During the test one battery lasted almost
five hours with GPS and modem (NTRIP) in use
most of the time.
The unit has a color display which is very clear
indoors, but outside you need to make sure
that the light hits the display at the right angle.
Data can be stored on the instruments internal
memory or on an additional SD card. When I
wanted to transfer the data from the unit to
the computer I had a USB stick in my hand,
but this unit does not offer this option. So
it is either the SD card or a USB cable.
Only two buttons are on the unit, apart
from the power button, the ESC and the
ENT key. I did not manage to switch
between applications, which is strange for a
Windows Mobile operated system. By pressing
the ESC key a bit longer you can activate the
Start button to launch another program. So, you
can run more than one application at a time,
but switching with Alt Esc is no longer possi-
ble.
Understanding the setup of a GRS-1 was diffi-
cult for me in the beginning due to the num-
ber of options available.
Below is an overview of the different setups I
could make with the instrument supplied to me:
Data collector for controlling other hardware.
A handheld GIS receiver with GPS and
Latest News? Visit www.geoinformatics.com
Revi ew
19
September 2009
Figure 1: The complete RTK set fits in a small box
Fig. 2 [a].
[b]
[c]
[d]
Figure 2 The build-in camera, with on the left side the macro switch. example of a macro picture of a fly.
example of picture. example of picture
If used together with its own base, an addi-
tional radio can be attached to the pole (see
picture). But since an additional base was not
supplied this solution was not tested.
The unit has a modem, Bluetooth and WLAN
built in, so everything can be wireless. In the
supplied set the external antenna had to be
connected via cable.
Stake Out
It is easy to load 500 points for a stakeout job
and the actual stake out, or navigate as it is
called in the GIS module, is very intuitive.
The only strange thing is when you have select-
ed the option to show the arrow where you
need to go relative to the moving direction,
sometimes the directional arrow does not seem
to be updated. The arrow points to the left so
you start moving to the left. The arrow still
shows to the left so you keep moving to the
left, which means that you are walking around
in circles and never get to the point you want
to stake out. Therefore I wanted to test the
arrow relative to the north direction. The unit
has a built-in compass, so this is very useful
when you are using only the unit and no addi-
tional pole, which already has a compass. The
problem is that the compass cannot be accessed
from within TopSURV. So a new application has
to be started, the compass application, and
when you know the direction you can close the
application and automatically continue in the
TopSURV software. There should be an easier
way to do this. (Manufacturers remark: A built-
in compass will be available in TopSURV later
on. It is already on the new feature list.)
September 2009
Revi ew
Figure 3 RTK set with
connection via radio to
your own base.
Figure 4: External antenna connection
Figure 5: Connecting pins for the external radio.
In case you are not using the external radio, this
part is covered.
20
User Friendliness of Data Collection
The software is easy to use. Connections to the
internet are made automatically and also the
connection to the mount point is made auto-
matically. This is a big improvement over my
own set where I first need to make a connec-
tion to the internet on my phone, than make a
connection to my phone, and then connect to
the correction data supplier.
During the automatic connection the software
twice shows the message cannot connect to
network, but if you just wait it always makes
the connection.
Once you understand the coding system it can
easily be used to create the map in the field,
including different colors, symbols and line
types. If a new code is entered, the software
automatically asks if it is a point or line or area,
which color, which symbol and line type are to
be used, and in which layer it should be stored.
For GIS data collection the software has the
option to add features to each point: if a pull-
down menu with predefined names has to be
shown, or if the value which has to be entered
is a real or an integer, if it has a maximum and
a minimum value etc. When the code is tree,
the pull-down menu can show predefined
species, another input field can be the height
of the tree, which has to be between 2 and 99
meters, while a tree below 2 meters is not a
tree. Another input field can be the health of
the tree etc. This is all user definable. You can
also attach one or more pictures to a collected
point.
Camera, Google Maps and Compass
(Additional Function):
The unit has a built-in two megapixel camera.
After playing with the brightness and contrast,
the quality is sufficient to show clearly the
object and the state of the object (sample pic-
ture). The chosen resolution can be between
160 x 120 and 1600 x 1200 pixels. The size of
the biggest picture is around 300 kb so I always
used the biggest size. This saved a few clicks
to change the resolution, but you still need a
lot of clicks. In order to add a picture to a point
you want to survey, you need eight clicks. It
takes more than 10 seconds to start up the
Topcon also supplied the free software, Topcon
Link. After installing the software it was just a
matter of selecting the job you want to down-
load. All the pictures were also automatically
downloaded. Clicking on a point in the map
shows not only the coordinates, codes and
DOPs but also the picture(s) of the point if avail-
able. Pictures can be a strong feature in coding
in cases where the situation is complex.
Summary
Several configurations, like configurations for
NTRIP and EGNOS, were already preloaded,
which made it easy to get started.
Nowadays it is becoming more common to
measure directly in the map. The software gives
you the capacity to do so. Lines can be sur-
veyed in different colors and symbols can be
assigned to points, so a proper map can be
made in the field. In the case of two points very
close together you can zoom in up to the mil-
limeter level.
Reaction of the Manufacturer
This article makes clear that the GRS-1 is a
new concept. It brings GIS and RTK GNSS
together. You can upgrade your GIS GRS-1 to
become a full GPS+GLONASS RTK system.
Both of these positioning areas can be
reached by this product, therefore it is unique.
Lon van der Poel lpo@leop-bv.nl is a professional
surveyor and educator. This article represents his
own opinion. For more information, have a look at
www.topcon.eu. Many thanks to Topcon for
providing the reviewed instrument.
camera. So, you are not tempted to take loads
of pictures. Storing the picture takes hardly any
time. With the help of the macro option you
can take pictures from very close range (see the
picture of the fly).
Google Maps is also available on the GRS-1.
When I heard this the first time, I hoped that it
would be possible to measure points and/or
lines inside Google Maps, but the Google Maps
application is basically the same as on your
computer. It can be useful in some cases
because the combination with GNSS makes it
possible to immediately get the map of the area
where you are at that moment.
The unit has an integrated compass, already dis-
cussed above in connection with the stakeout.
Software
Several configurations, like configurations for
NTRIP and EGNOS, were already preloaded,
which made it easy to get started.
Nowadays it is becoming more common to
measure directly in the map. The software gives
you the capacity to do so. Lines can be sur-
veyed in different colors and symbols can be
assigned to points, so a proper map can be
made in the field. In the case of two points very
close together you can zoom in up to the mil-
limeter level.
I rarely use the Help in any software but since
this instrument is new to me and I could not
immediately find what I was looking for, I just
gave it a try. File not loaded was the reply
of the instrument.
During the test the software crashed. It was not
clear if this was caused by the application soft-
ware or the OS, but immediately after a soft
reset everything worked again and no data or
settings were lost.
Latest News? Visit www.geoinformatics.com
Revi ew
21
September 2009
Figure 6: All interface options (SD card, USB B
mini, serial and charger connector)
Figure 7: Screen Dump
Figure 8: Easy to switch the battery. No screwdriver
or anything needed.
Interface Control
GNSS Update
According to Andrew Sage, director of UK-based consulting firm Helios,
the winner among Galileo, Glonass and Compass will not be the one getting
the satellites into orbit but the one that publishes a firm and
manufacturerfriendly interface control document.
By Huibert-Jan Lekkerkerk
Such a document would enable manufactur-
ers to build receivers that would be able to use
the new systems as soon as they become oper-
ational, without any software or hardware
upgrades.
In the meantime, there is a good chance that
GPS will not perform as well in the near future
as weve become used to. All the more reason
to stock up on GNSS receivers that will work
with multiple systems.
GPS L5
The 19 (out of 30) GPS Block IIR and IIR-M fleet
of satellites that were launched from 1997
onwards have reached 100 years of successful
on-orbit operations with a reliability record of
better than 99.9%.
The seventh IIR-M satellite with an L5 demon-
stration payload was launched on March 24 and
set active on April 10. The main reason for
launching the demonstration payload was
securing the L5 frequency through broadcast-
ing (1176.45 MHz) with the International
Telecommunications Union (ITU) before the
deadline of August 26, 2009.
In contrast with the GPS Interface Control
Document, the satellite is not broadcasting the
full signal but is only used as a placeholder
until the oncoming Block IIF and III supposedly
start transmitting the full signals.
Within three weeks of the signal becoming
available, Javad, Topcon and Septentrio report-
ed that their receivers tracked the signal. Initial
results indicate that the signal has favorable
multipath and noise characteristics although it
was also reported that there are still some
issues to be resolved. One problem reported
so far was that the measurements on L1 and
L2 for the new satellite were off at low eleva-
tions.
GPS Brownouts in the Future?
A report from the US Government Accountability
Office (GAO) indicated that the GPS constella-
tion was susceptible to falling below opera-
tional capability (i.e. fewer than 24 satellites)
between 2010 and 2018. For the last few years
the number of available satellites has been
between 30 and 32, the optimum number for
any GNSS system as is shown by the design of
both Galileo and Compass.
Two principal causes are cited for the risk of
the GPS constellation falling.
The first is that the replacement generation of
Block IIF satellites has been greatly delayed as
a result of contractual problems as well as some
changes in the design to modernize them. The
satellite has been on contract since 1996 and
is not expected to be launched until 2010.
The second cause is delays (now solved) in
decision-making and budgeting for the next
generation Block IIIA GPS satellites.
22
Ar t i cl e
September 2009
30-meter antenna at the
German Space Operations
Center (GSOC) in Weilheim
where the L5 signal was ana-
lyzed. (Source: www.dlr.de)
Probability of Maintaining a Constellation of at Least 24 GPS Satellites Based on Reliability Data and Launch
Schedule as of March 2009 (Source: www.gao.gov)
Four potential recommendations have been
made to prevent brownouts:
1 Reactivate retired GPS satellites that are still
operating
2 Speed up GPS IIIA development
3 Develop a simplified GPS IIIA design in
parallel that can be built and launched
quickly
4 Extend the GPS IIF production line.
Specialists warn against this option as the
IIF design is rather old and not well suited
to modern needs. An example is the lack of
both the Military (M) signal as well as the
L1C signal on the Block IIF satellites
Glonass
The future for Glonass seems bright, at least in
Russia. At the moment of writing, the Glonass
constellation consists of 18 active satellites (and
2 in maintenance). The deputy head of the
Glonass Mission Control Center, Sergey
Revnivykh, said that Russia plans to launch
three more Glonass-M satellites in September
and another three in December this year.
The complete constellation of 24 is expected
to be achieved by the end of 2010 allowing for
the breakdown of a number of satellites over
the coming period.
For 2010 a test flight with the new Glonass-K
satellite is planned. This satellite will have the
new L3 signal that is compatible with the GPS
and Galileo signals, employing CDMA rather
than FDMA modulation technique. The new sig-
nal would supposedly give Glonass a perfor-
mance that is comparable with GPS and Galileo
by 2011.
Russia plans to speed up the use of Glonass
over GPS in its own country by an alleged rais-
ing of GPS end product import duties to Russia
to at least 25% while also submitting a pro-
posal for reducing the import duties on Glonass
electronic components to zero.
Galileo
Not much new on the technical side for Galileo,
but more so on the organizational side. Norway,
which is not an EU member, has decided to par-
ticipate in the Galileo project at a cost of
approximately 63 million euros over the next
five years.
Norway was involved in the early design phase
of Galileo as well, resulting in the current orbits
among other things. Originally the design called
for a combination with geostationary orbits, but
after testing in Norway this was found undesir-
able for higher latitudes.
ELoran
The report from the US Independent Assesment
Team (IAT) on eLoran has unanimously recom-
mended that the eLoran upgrade be complet-
ed and that eLoran should be the national back-
up to GPS for 20 years. In the meanwhile it is
proposed to keep on maintaining the current
Loran-C network.
Huibert-Jan
Lekkerkerk hlekkerkerk@geoinformatics.com is
project manager at IDsW and a freelance writer
and trainer. This article reflects his personal
opinion.
Compass
On April 15 China launched a second Beidou /
Compass G2 satellite to a geostationary orbit.
The satellite became operational on April 20.
The first second-generation satellite was
launched into medium orbit in April 2007. China
claims that it may add up to 10 more satellites
by the end of 2010 and plans to put up the full
30-satellite constellation by the end of 2015.
The open Compass service is supposed to be
able to provide positioning accuracy of up to
10 meters.
The interoperability of Compass with other
GNSS such as GPS, Galileo and Glonass remains
an open question although officials still offer
assurance that interoperability is a key element
of Compass. In particular, the conflict with
Galileo is still at an impasse. Furthermore, no
Compass Interface Control Document has been
published so far by the Chinese authorities,
making it difficult for hardware manufacturers
to start chip design.
QZSS
The Japanese QZSS Wide Area Augmentation
System is now in the building phase with the
first of the three satellites being assembled. The
launch of the first satellite is projected for the
summer of 2010 followed by a three-month test
period. After the test period the Japanese gov-
ernment will decide on the launch of the other
two satellites. The QZSS satellites are unique in
that they do not orbit the earth as GPS, Galileo
and Glonass do. Neither are they in a geosta-
tionary orbit. Rather, they make figure of eight
patterns around the equator over Japan.
In contrast to Compass, there is an interface doc-
ument for QZSS making it possible for manu-
facturers to start building hardware and soft-
ware upgrades so that users can begin using
the augmentation signals when they become
available.
Latest News? Visit www.geoinformatics.com
Ar t i cl e
23
September 2009
QZSS pattern (Source: www.jaxa.jp)
s
Seeking a Global Path
Global market factors are forcing a revolution in the way professionals
share and use information throughout the lifecycles of buildings and capi-
tal projects such as airports, roads and subways. Building Information
Models (BIM) are a critical element in this information sharing revolution.
A BIM is a digital representation of physical and functional characteristics
of a building or other facility. A BIM can represent viewpoints, graphically
and in text and table form, of a building from the perspective of any prac-
titioner involved with the building. A BIM serves as an evolving and wide-
ly shared resource or ideally, a network-connected collection of resources
for information about a facility, from the facilitys earliest planning stages
to demolition and historical records.
Market Factors
Players in the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry
as well as building owners, brokers, component vendors, operators, insur-
ers, inspectors, tenants, finance companies, fire departments and other
stakeholders want to be able to provide information to other stakehold-
ers or use information created by other stakeholders. They want to see,
test and modify buildings in collaborative planning sessions while the
buildings are being designed, and they want to know as much as possi-
ble about risks, liabilities, costs, options and opportunities before they
commit to designs and contracts. Some want the encoded descriptions of
their offerings or requirements to be as discoverable and usable as possi-
ble. Others want to take full advantage of smart building sensor/actuator
systems and smart grid energy generation and storage components and
utility energy management programs.
Competition is a key driver in many of the professions that work with
buildings. AEC businesses, which often work in teams, need the best IT
resources to outperform the competition in completing projects and still
remain within budget and on schedule. Advanced telecommunications
enables professional services companies in countries like India to com-
pete for contracts for projects in the US and Europe. And especially dur-
ing a recession, competing investors, buyers, brokers and others are
demanding more information to inform their decision-making processes.
Energy is increasingly important. Approximately 40% of energy in devel-
oped nations is consumed in buildings. In addition, construction of man-
made structures consumes 75% of the raw materials extracted from the
Earth. Thus, stakeholders are wisely factoring in energy costs that will
rise due to governments climate risk management efforts, resource con-
straints, world economic growth and other factors. And they are factoring
in the fact that rising energy prices raise the costs of building materials.
Also, many stakeholders are increasingly concerned, for marketing or altru-
istic reasons, about materials carbon footprints, local origin, toxicity and
other sustainability factors. As energy costs rise, products such as solar
panels, meters, sensors and controllers are becoming more practical. All
these factors underscore that energy analysis is becoming an imperative.
The smarter and more fine-tuned our buildings become and the more we
integrate them into community energy schemes, the more opportunity
there is to take advantage of BIM for such post-construction activities
such as operations analysis and coordination with the inputs and outputs
of other facilities.
Stakeholders are becoming more sophisticated about the wide range of
complex issues that enter into decisions. BIM supports simulation and
modeling tools that help professionals manage complexity and communi-
cate the reasons for their decisions.
BIM Software = BIM 1.0
For a decade or more, IT vendors serving the AEC market have been aware
of BIM as a user need and market opportunity. The vendors have pro-
gressively converged capabilities like geographic information systems
(GIS), computer-aided design (CAD), project management, cost estimating,
specification, energy analysis, structural engineering and 3D visualization
to deliver within the confines of their product families many useful
BIM capabilities. Sometimes they have provided a degree of interoperabil-
ity by offering ways for their BIM software to share some data, for exam-
ple, with the database, spreadsheet, and text document software offered
by major platform vendors, or with third party product vendors who are
licensed to use the BIM software vendors proprietary APIs or file formats.
But, because of proprietary APIs and file formats, full design models from
the different AEC software vendors seldom interoperate, and thus their
BIM solutions frustrate users who need to share information with other
stakeholders who are using software from other vendors.
To solve this problem, experts from around the world collaborated to
define and develop a framework for data exchange based on an open
24
Ar t i cl e
September 2009
Global market factors are forcing a revolution in the way
professionals share and use information throughout the
lifecycles of buildings and capital projects such as
airports, roads and subways. Building Information Models
(BIM) are a critical element in this information sharing
revolution. This article provides an overview of the current
state of BIM standards and what they will, hopefully,
through international collaboration, become in a
Web-connected world.
By Raj Singh
Figure 1: A building information model (BIM) provides a way for a wide range of
professionals to publish, discover, access, fuse, update and revise data about a
building or capital project. (Figure adapted from buildingSMART alliance)
BIM Standards Efforts
exchange format, the Industry Foundation Classes (or IFCs). buildingSMART
International (formerly International Alliance for Interoperability, or IAI) is
the organization chartered to develop and promote the use of IFCs and
related standards. IFCs have gained ISO recognition, and now most BIM
software vendors provide programs that convert their proprietary file for-
mats to IFC-compliant data files that can be imported, with varying degrees
of difficulty, into other vendors BIM software products.
BIM Software + IFCs + Open Web-based
Standards = BIM 2.0
The limitation of the current file-based IFC approach is that it is oriented
towards multi-function, monolithic, and typically expensive BIM software
products. This runs counter to the computing mainstream, which is head-
ed inexorably in the direction of small, cheap, special-purpose software
components that process limited subsets of larger databases, working via
loosely coupled Web services, or as David Weinberger calls it, small
pieces loosely joined.. Computing is undergoing a paradigm shift. The
old paradigm is file-based computing and the new paradigm is Web ser-
vice-based computing. Long-time readers of Geoinformatics are familiar
with this paradigm shift, because it has already occurred in geospatial
technology, as shown in Figure 2.
In the old paradigm, we obtain (usually large) data files and load them in
their entirety into our standalone software systems, perhaps after batch
conversion from one format to another. In the new paradigm, our client
software components send instructions to (usually) remote Web servers
(data servers or processing servers) that return to us the results of the
invoked services. In the old paradigm, we use the Internet (or LAN or
physically transported storage media) to obtain a large and complete data
file from which we then painstakingly extract the data we need. In the
new paradigm, we reach across the Web to get just the information we
request. For example, Earth browsers enable anyone with a Web browser
to reach into huge spatial databases to get one particular result typical-
ly a local map view without downloading the whole multi-nation
database. The user gets an answer, not a file; information, not data. It
happens quickly and it does not require special expertise.
Service chaining, one of the key reasons the new paradigm can deliver
such benefits, involves Web services that invoke other Web services.
In the old paradigm, software programs invoke subroutines to provide
particular kinds of processing on the local host. Interfaces are important:
The subroutines must be called in a specific way, provide certain kinds of
data in a list of parameters, and return certain kinds of data in a list of
parameters. For half a century, subroutines have been invoking other sub-
routines.
In the new paradigm (only in the last decade), a software program that is
a Web client (such as a Javascript app running in a Web browser) calls a
Web service thats available at a particular URL, somewhere on the Web.
Interfaces are important here, too: The Web-based query must be done in
a specific way, and the Web service must be provided with certain data in
an ordered list of parameters. The invoked Web service might call another
Web service, just as one subroutine can call another, except that, if the
interfaces are open, the Web services do not all have to be provided by
the same software vendor as was the case in the old paradigm.
Open interfaces make full use of the Webs potential, which derives from
loosely coupled inter-process communication. That is, any client that
implements an open interface can interact with any server that imple-
ments the same interface, just like the millions of HTTP clients and servers
that communicate over IP networks. This openness unleashes the power
of network effects.
Consider, for example, the implications for BIM of Metcalfs Law
(en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metcalfe's_law), the basis for many network effects,
which states, The value of a node on a communications network is pro-
portional (by some exponent) to the number of potential users of that
node in the network or the total number of nodes. By this law, one tele-
phone in the world has no value. Two telephones have value. And one
telephone added to a network of 100 telephones has far more value for
the user than one telephone added to a network of 2 telephones. Similarly,
a floor plan has far more value if it can be immediately discovered and
used by all the designers, engineers, estimators, modelers, subcontrac-
tors, owners and building operators who touch the building information
model throughout the lifetime of the building.
BIMs Progress Toward Web Services
The buildingSMART alliance (www.buildingsmartalliance.org), in which
Canada is a participant, is one of the regional councils of buildingSMART
International. It is also a council of the US National Institute of Building
Sciences, and it is responsible for the US National CAD Standard and the
National Building Information Modeling Standard (NBIMS). Early in 2009,
the OGC and the buildingSMART alliance announced the completion of
their AECOO-1 (Architecture, Engineering, Construction, Owner
and Operator) Phase 1 Testbed.
The AECOO-1 Testbed was 9-month international effort in which
participants cooperated in solving a discrete set of AECOO com-
munity problems defined by the sponsors. The Testbed also
facilitated cooperation among AECOO standards bodies to
achieve results no group could achieve alone. AECOO-1 focused
on two important aspects of building design and construction:
1) building performance and energy analysis and 2) quantity
take-offs.
In all world regions, both national and international standards
need to be taken into account by industry. The AECOO-1 Testbed
activity documented -- in Information Delivery Manuals (IDMs) -
- requirements for quantity takeoffs and energy analysis needs,
and used these to define Model View Definitions (MVDs) - spe-
cific subsets of IFCs -- which are needed to integrate require-
ments into software used during business workflows. IDMs,
MVDs and IFCs are information constructs in the US National
BIM Standard or NBIMS process, and they are also
buildingSMART International standards. These topics were
explored within the framework of the American Institute of
Architects (AIA) Integrated Delivery Process and addressed inter-
operability involving intelligent building models with 3D geo-
Latest News? Visit www.geoinformatics.com
Ar t i cl e
25
September 2009
Figure 2: BIM standards are at approximately the level of maturation of geospatial standards
in 1998 when the OGCs first Web Mapping Testbed began. For both geospatial technology
and BIM, standards development is difficult because of the domains market realities and
technical complexity. (Figure OGC)
metric capabilities. The Testbed showed data exchange between various
building information model software applications and EnergyPlus energy
analysis software, and creation of alternative quantity take off and cost
estimates for a moderately complex building where the scenario involves
evaluating a number of different energy conservation approaches that may
improve energy performance and life cycle cost. Though this data exchange
involved file-based operations, the testbed took a step in the direction of
future development of open international standards for Web service based
BIM interfaces.
Other efforts are under way. A current European Commission funded
research project, the Open Information Environment for Knowledge-Based
Collaborative Processes throughout the Lifecycle of a Building (InPro) pro-
gram, involves five large European construction contractors, other stake-
holders of the construction and IT industries, plus research organisations
and consultants. The InPro website states, "Advanced design, communi-
cation and simulation tools give us an opportunity to change the way we
work in the industry, including open collaboration between stakeholders,
design for increased energy efficiency, flexibility, constructability, comfort,
etc." InPro is working from a model of open Web services. [www.inpro-
project.eu/docs/InPro_D6_SpecificationsForAnOpenICTPlatform.pdf]
Also, though it was not a part of the AECOO-1 Testbed activity, the OGCs
CityGML standard (http://www.opengeospatial.org/standards/citygml), origi-
nally developed by the German North Rhine Westphalia Sig3D organiza-
tion and in official use in several cities and regions in Europe, provides
Web-based sharing of urban models, design drawings and other data and
services. CityGML provides the means for applications to manage multiple
levels of detail, and it will almost certainly play a role in the evolution of
BIM, because it performs well and it is entirely based on open Web ser-
vice standards. Advancing CityGML is one goal of the OGC 3D Information
Management (3DIM) Working Group. The 3DIM Working Group focuses on
the convergence of CAD (computer-aided design), AEC, geospatial, 3D visu-
alization, and urban simulation to serve
stakeholders engaged in all types of activi-
ties related to the built environment. Each
of the buildingSMART International chapters
and regional alliances, listed on the
buildingSMART web page in Figure 3 above,
brings together architects, engineers, con-
structors, product manufacturers and facili-
ties managers, along with software vendors
and progressive construction customers.
They all work toward the common objective
of developing interoperability within the
building sector through the dissemination
of the IFC standards. In order to enable the
international organisation and its regional
alliances and chapters to address specific critical user problems, the
Aquarium and IFC Solution Factory processes were very recently created.
These program concepts bring together users and software developers to
produce working solutions. Like the AECOO-1 Testbed, a buildingSMART
Aquarium is a problem solving process. During an Aquarium, problem
owners, software vendors and buildingSMART experts are invited around
the table to improve on existing software or to create new software solu-
tions using the open buildingSMART standards.
Projects using these processes will usually be initiated and undertaken by
the various regional alliances and chapters of buildingSMART International,
which is organized to promote and coordinate such efforts rather than
provide centralized direction. This model opens the door to many types
of agreements. For example, the US/Canada buildingSMART Alliance and
buildingSMART KOREA, of the Republic of Korea, signed a Memorandum
of Understanding (MOU) in Paris at the May 2009 buildingSMART
International Meeting. Under the agreement, buildingSMART Korea will
help the US buildingSMART alliance develop parts of the US NBIMS stan-
dard, and Korea will use that document as a base for their countrys BIM
standard. Proceedings and results from such efforts will be communicated
directly to other buildingSMART International affiliates, with the goal of
sharing work products and converging on global standards.
The OGC is involved in the BIM standards effort because convergence of
geospatial technologies with CAD and 3D technologies is critical for BIM.
Just as OGC standards will, by their merits, become part of the interna-
tional BIM standards framework, other organizations will contribute stan-
dards and participate as OGC does in standards harmonization efforts.
And just as US national organizations and agencies need to partner with
the US/Canada buildingSMART Alliance on BIM standards, other nations
national organizations and agencies will need to be involved.
This would be a daunting prospect were it not for the fact that such com-
plex standards collaborations are becoming commonplace. Virtually all of
the Internet and Web standards organizations, such as the Internet
Engineering Task Force (IETF), the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) and
the Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards
(OASIS) are international open membership organizations, and each
becomes increasingly involved with other standards organizations through
liaisons and alliances. The OGC is international, now with more European
members than North American members. And the burgeoning Smart Grid
standards arena is filled with national and international organizations and
agencies seeking a common framework. In all these domains of stan-
dardization activity, multiple players find their roles and partners and do
the work that needs to be done on behalf of their memberships and stake-
holders. Isolated parallel efforts are a waste of time, reinventing the wheel
is a waste of time, and network effects such as larger markets for prod-
ucts that comply with international standards weigh heavily in favor of
participating standards groups being diligent in their communication with
other standards groups whose activities overlap with theirs. The OGC
encourages businesses, agencies and uni-
versities to seriously consider participating
not necessarily in the OGC, but in any stan-
dards development activity relevant to their
future success. OGC will benefit, because
Metcalfs law applies to the connections
between standards organizations: as the
network of collaborating standards organi-
zations grows, the value of each organiza-
tion increases.
Raj Singh rsingh@opengeospatial.org, Director
of Interoperability Programs, 35 Main Street,
Suite 5, Wayland MA 01778-5037 USA.
26
Ar t i cl e
September 2009
Figure 3: The five levels of detail (LoD) defined by CityGML [from "CityGML
Interoperable Access to 3D City Models," (Figure from Thomas H. Kolbe,
Gerhard Grger, Lutz Plmer)
Figure 4: buildingSMART International is an international
membership organisation with representation in North America,
Europe, Asia and Australasia.
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Creating Rubust Functionalities
ADAS and 3D-Road Map Databases
Currently, the vehicle manufacturing industry is looking into methods for decreasing the frequency of crashes, improving
driver/ passenger comfort and convenience, and enhancing vehicle fuel economy and drive train efficiency. Cumulatively,
the activities occurring in these three areas are labeled Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), a field of immense
interest and investment for automobile manufacturers and suppliers around the world. In this paper ADAS will
discussed, and also focus on the types of applications that may require enhanced map databases to create
robust ADAS functionalities (See Figure 1).
By Michael W. Dobson
Current ADAS Applications
While anti-lock breaking systems and electronic stability control sys-
tems have seen considerable acceptance in the mass market, other
ADAS applications are more recent, although still evolving.
ADAS safety applications include applications assisting driver percep-
tion, crash prevention and crash mitigation. Examples of these appli-
cations include:
1. Adaptive headlights*
2. Adaptive cruise control (ACC)*
3. Lane change assistance*
4. Night vision*
5. Animal warning
6. Headway advisory*
7. Passing/overtaking assistance
8. Lane departure warning
9. Curve speed warning
10. Backup/parking assist*
11. Pedestrian detection and warning
12. Pre-arming airbags*
13. Seatbelt pre-tensioning*, and
14. Pre-charging of brakes*
ADAS fuel economy and fuel efficiency applications include
1. Predictive power train
a. Fuel economy for cars
b. Fuel economy for trucks*
c. Energy utilization for Hybrid Electronic Vehicles (HEV)
2. Brake management optimization
3. Auxiliary power management optimization
4. Fuel optimized routing (an area of significant importance to the effec-
tive utilization of Hybrid Electric vehicles)
(Those applications marked with an asterisk are available in automo-
biles or heavy trucks sold in the European, Japanese or North American
markets.)
Current ADAS Technologies
The application of ADAS technology presumes a modern intelligent vehi-
cle that is equipped with a communications bus that connects micropro-
cessors, sensors and applications. Today, most ADAS applications are sen-
sor-based and provide data about the driving environment that is used to
inform the driver or the vehicle about critical information in the area sur-
rounding the vehicle. While many applications merely make the driver
28
Ar t i cl e
September 2009
Figure 1: Adaptive headlights follow the road and provide enhanced road visibility compared to standard headlights. (Courtesy of Intermap Technologies)
aware of a situation, more advanced applications are designed to auto-
matically control the vehicle (e.g. adaptive cruise control) when active
assistance is required to avoid a threat situation. The normal solution
space for ADAS applications, then, may involve ultrasonics, radar sensing,
light detection and ranging (LiDAR), microwave, infrared sensing, signal
processing and image processing (including both camera systems and
algorithms) bundled together with hardware and software that is capable
of responding in a specific, pre-defined manner when the driving environ-
ment requires a response.
Future ADAS Technologies
Although sensors can be remarkably helpful, they are not the end of the
ADAS story. Indeed, it is the limitations of sensors that are prompting
new interest in the potential applications of enhanced map database to
improve the results of certain ADAS applications. For example, applica-
tions such as Predictive Adaptive Headlights and Enhanced Cruise Control
are sensor -based today, but adding map data to the mix could help over-
come some of the limitations of the sensors supporting these applica-
tions (e.g. occlusions of various types, as well as the potential sensor-
blinding effects of weather, fog, rain, sleet, or snow, that can obscure the
sensor path). Since maps provide a planimetric view across large spatial
extents they can be used to implement an extended view of the environ-
ment ahead of the car, but one that is beyond the range of the sensors
used in ADAS applications. As a consequence, many industry experts
believe that enhanced map data can be fused with sensor functionality
to extend the range of an application in a process based on the concept
of an electronic horizon, know formally as the ADAS Horizon, to represent
the map data in the vicinity of the vehicle (See Figure 2).
The ADAS Horizon reads the current GPS position and heading of a vehi-
cle and uses this information to look ahead by extracting the relevant
spatial cues from an enhanced map database (see Figure 3). This horizon
can be used to describe the geometry of the road ahead of the vehicle.
The map data or its description is then transmitted over the CAN bus for
use by the application (the CAN bus is the controller-area-network on vehi-
cles that allows microcontrollers and devices to communicate with each
other, see Figure 4). The ADASIS Forum (ERTICO ITS Europe
www.ertico.com/en/activities/safety/adasis_forum.htm) has shepherded
map-based ADAS and taken the lead in defining a standardized data model
to represent map data ahead of the vehicle.
The Role of 3D Map Data
We believe it likely that map and sensor data will be fused in a variety of
applications. It is clear that map data can provide significant benefits in
safety applications and will be the principal data component of fuel econ-
omy and carbon footprint reduction applications.
While a number of applications will require road configuration data (e.g.
number of lanes, road curvature gradient, intersection, speed limits, merge
lanes etc.) many future ADAS applications and all fuel economy applica-
tions will require highly accurate 3D-road geometry to describe the hori-
zontal position and vertical elevation of a road centerline at that position.
For example, 3D road vectors can be used to inform a trucks powertrain
control system so that it can intelligently shift its gears and use its trans-
mission to accommodate uphill climbs and downhill slopes. The 3D road
data should allow for the most efficient gear ratios and engine perfor-
mance on varying grades, allowing the vehicle to maintain speed without
wasting fuel or increasing emissions.
ADAS Data Accuracy Requirements
The basic map data required to support ADAS includes 3D descriptions of
road geometries (e.g. curve radii) and positional accuracies in the range
of 30 centimeters to 2 meters. As noted earlier, the industry has not yet
specified a standard for data accuracy although individual companies are
moving forward with test projects using data that fall within the limits of
the general specifications mentioned here. For example, in October of
2008 NAVTEQ announced the development of a new Map and Positioning
Engine (MPE) strategy for ADAS. Detailed specifications for the accuracy of
road data in the MPE-map database include 1-meter relative horizontal
Latest News? Visit www.geoinformatics.com
Ar t i cl e
29
September 2009
Figure 2: The ADAS Horizon data model and structure entity. The ADAS Horizon is a data container for storing segments, points, and attributes that are in the vicinity
of the current vehicle position, as well as the most likely path to be followed by the vehicle. (Courtesy of the ADASIS Forum).
(point to point) and 5-meter absolute horizontal, with the vertical error
being better than 1% of the distance traveled (rise/run). It is TeleMapicss
understanding that the data accuracy specification for NAVTEQs naviga-
tion database (a less demanding application than ADAS) is 5-meters rela-
tive (horizontal) and 15-meters absolute, although, to our knowledge
NAVTEQ, has never confirmed this specification publicly).
The model for 3D road data, in general, defines the road geometry by
defining a road centerline that is subject to a set of rules describing the
most likely vehicle path on a roadway. ADAS systems need to know the
distance and time required to reach the next curve, hill (slope), or other
road feature, instantaneously and continuously. Two types of accuracy are
required of the map data used to calculate the vehicles position. First,
the data must provide a measure of absolute accuracy, (e.g. telling the
system where an upcoming curve begins). Second, the data must include
a measure of the relative or point-to-point accuracy (e.g. being able to tell
the system where the vehicle is along the curve as the driver goes around
it while supporting the calculation of the distance/time/heading
between features).
It is clearly the case that collecting accurate 3D road data could be
take a great amount of effort and expense. One of the interesting
questions is How will these data be captured and compiled? At
this stage, it appears there are three major approaches being taken
by the leading providers of 3D road data.
Major ADAS Map Database Suppliers
NAVTEQ (www.navteq.com) is capturing 3D road data using vans
instrumented with GPS/INS. The location of the van is determined by
GPS with high precision achieved through the use of differential GPS.
An Inertial Navigation System (INS) supplies the orientation of the
van and adjustment of the GPS readings during cycle slips (gross
errors that lead to discontinuities in the tracking the path). While
NAVTEQs approach is tried and true, it is also expensive and slow.
In essence, all roads need to be driven in order to create the 3D-
roads data.
NAVTEQ claims that it has completed the roads in classes 1 and 2 in
Europe and that the data from classes 3 and 4 are now in production.
NAVTEQ has indicated at this point that it does not intend to collect class
5 (roads that it classifies as not efficient through routes.) Unfortunately,
these are the neighborhood streets where most of us live; the category
also includes country roads, minor collectors, roads in areas with few out-
lets, low-speed neighborhood streets, and dead-end streets. It is likely
that the number of passenger miles traveled on these streets and roads
is enormous, raising the question of the potential effectiveness of ADAS
applications, particularly safety applications, when a comprehensive road
network is not available.
Intermap Technologies (www.intermap.com), a new player in the ADAS
marketplace, is well known in the geospatial arena for its skills in remote
sensing. The company provides digital elevation models, orthorectified
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Ar t i cl e
September 2009
Figure 3: A more complicated example of the ADAS Horizon showing the levels of complexity that may be needed for various ADAS applications.
(Courtesy of the ADASIS Forum)
Figure 4: The ADAS Horizon communicates across the CAN Bus to various ADAS applica-
tions. (Courtesy of the ADASIS Forum)
radar images and other geospatial-enable products, which are produced
from its proprietary airborne interferometric synthetic aperture radar
(IFSAR).
IFSAR is a technique for creating 3D map products by processing raw radar
data collected by an airborne IFSAR system by using the phase difference
between two coherent SAR (synthetic aperture radar) images simultane-
ously obtained by two antenna separated by an across-track baseline (See
Figure 5). Intermaps comprehensive NEXTMap program has used IFSAR to
provide high-resolution mapping and digital geometric modeling on a
global scale. In turn, Intermaps automotive division is applying propri-
etary techniques to extract highly accurate 3D road centerlines from the
companys NEXTMap data.The advantage of Intermaps collection tech-
nique should be speed and economy, since the 3D product is based on
imagery that has already been flown for the NEXTMap program. The use
of remote sensing imagery to capture accurate road geometry is, in theo-
ry, a more efficient method than driving every road at a modest speed in
a van equipped for precise measurement. Perhaps this efficiency is one of
the reasons that Intermap is bettering the comprehensiveness of NAVTEQs
data collection by collecting all road categories for inclusion in the Intermap
3D roads database.
Intermaps challenge will be whether the quality of its 3D road data can
meet the accuracy requirements of ADAS and in entering a market in which
it is the new kid on the block. Intermap, although quiet about its
progress, has hundreds of operators processing 3D roads data in their
facility in Jakarta, Indonesia and claim to be making significant progress
towards its production goals for supporting ADAS applications in Europe
and the United States.
Tele Atlas (www.teleatlas.com) has been considered a key player in the
ADAS market, but its progress in this area seems to have been slowed due
to its recent acquisition by TomTom. In addition to the general disruption
that normally accompanies acquisitions (new management, reorganization,
cost cutting, new management systems, etc), TomTom appears determined
to cut costs and improve data gathering efficiencies at TeleAtlas by using
crowd sourcing as a form of map updating, perhaps at the expense of the
companys field-based map compilation activities. Over the last six months
it has been reported that TeleAtlas has sold a number of its instrumented
data collection vans and it appears that the company is relying on crowd
sourcing to provide it an advantage in the collection of its map data.
While User Generated Content (UGC) can be used to create some aspects
of navigable map databases, in general the fitness of use of this data for
specific applications remains unclear. We think it unlikely that crowd-sourced
data will be of significant utility in creating the augmented map databases
required to support ADAS applications. However, TomTom and Tele Atlas
are using advanced crowd sourcing techniques that capture data from
Personal Navigation Devices (PNDs) and use vehicle traces to report back
elements of road geometry. Although no specific information is publicly
available on the accuracy of the probe data, the CEO of TomTom report-
ed (during an earnings call in July 2009) that TeleAtlas had made signifi-
cant advances in mining improved geometry data from these probes and
elevation data was mentioned as one of the early triumphs. We doubt
that either the elevation data or positioning data are comparable to that
being collected by NAVTEQ or Intermap, but will reserve our final judgment
until more information is available. Finally, the utility of probe data is a
sampling issue and depends on the number of connected probes traveling
the network. It is unlikely that TomTom fields a large enough population
of connected probes spread evenly across transportation networks to pro-
vide comprehensive map data that would be of value in an ADAS environ-
ment.
Confidence and Map Databases
Most of the companies involved in creating map databases for ADAS appli-
cations have not publicly revealed the specifications for their databases
32
Ar t i cl e
September 2009
Figure 5: Intermaps proprietary IFSAR technology may improve the speed and accuracy of gathering data on 3D road geometry, while significantly
decreasing its cost. (Courtesy of Intermap Technologies)
and are reluctant to talk about specifications at this time. In part, we sus-
pect that their taciturnity reflects the fact that different applications may
require different levels of accuracy. In turn, many of the automobile manu-
facturers and their Tier1 suppliers have not progressed to the level of
design and testing where they know the map accuracy specification they
will require to support various applications.
The crucial issue for all companies involved is that the map data used for
ADAS safety will be used to support mission-critical applications.
Unfortunately, collecting map data to the level of accuracy that may be
required in some ADAS applications will be an evolutionary process and,
at a given point in time, some data points may not meet the specifica-
tion. Because not all map data captured for ADAS may meet the required
accuracy, NAVTEQ flags data that may not meet its MPE specification, so
that the application can query the attribute, allowing the application soft-
ware to decide if, when, and how the map data should be used to sup-
port its functionality. Intermap is approaching this same uncertainty issue
through the calculation of a statistical measure called Figure of Merit (FOM),
which is designed to inform the system with specific guidance on the
expected accuracy of any portion of the database.
It is important to remember here that the role of the map data in safety
applications will be fused to the performance of a sensor-based system
that will usually have the primary role in supporting the application with
road data. TeleMapics perspective is that the inclusion of vehicle safety
features that fail to operate comprehensively due to inadequate data
appears a concerning problem. We realize that no spatial database is per-
fect, but the ADAS venue may cause the automotive industry to ask dif-
ferent questions about the quality and comprehensiveness of map
databases than asked in the past.
Future Considerations
Although it is possible that the map-assisted ADAS applications might be
served map data from an augmented map navigation database, several
companies (Intermap and NAVTEQ) are actively developing map databas-
es that feature only the geometric data required by ADAS applications.
These purpose-built ADAS support databases are packaged independent
of the more comprehensive, but less accurate map data found in naviga-
tion systems. The separate packaging will have the benefit of decreasing
the cost of the platform and opening up the adoption of ADAS applica-
tions to vehicles not equipped with relatively expensive navigation sys-
tems. Whether more complex ADAS applications will require the blending
of attributes from navigation systems with the 3Droads ADAS databases
remains unclear, but such systems may emerge in the future.
Michael W. Dobson PhD
President TeleMapics, LLC
Laguna Hills, California, US
E-mail: Info5@telemapics.com
Website: www.telemapics.com
Blog: http://blog.telemapics.com
Latest News? Visit www.geoinformatics.com
33
September 2009
Attend the ESRI European User Conference to
Advance Your GIS Knowledge and SkillsGIS and IT users, decision makers, and
professionals interested in learning more about geospatial technology should be part of
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Access Key ResourcesFrom technical workshops led by ESRI product managers to
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Government Group Uses Mapping and GIS
34
Ar t i cl e
September 2009
For managing information about local farmers, according to European Union
requirements, North Rhine Westphalia purchased GPS technology
from Trimble. This technology permits managing subsidy farmers
applications in half of the time.
By Cori Keeton Pope
the program. In North Rhine-Westphalia, the
Chamber of Agriculture is responsible for
reviewing subsidy applications from local
farmers, inspecting farms to ensure all
requirements are met, and maintaining the
local agricultural database.
Trimble Technology for EU
Requirements
Until recently, the Chambers incompatible sys-
tems made it difficult to meet European Union
(EU) requirements for managing information
about local farmers requests for government
subsidies. That is, until the chamber began
using Global Positioning System (GPS) tech-
nology from Trimble to fulfill EU requirements,
avoid noncompliance fines, and complete
work orders in half the time.
We had some experience using GPS equip-
ment for our inspections, but our existing sys-
tem was not compatible with the rest of our
internal processes and workflow, said
Bernhard Sehrt, technical service inspector for
Illustrations: Inspection of farmland using the
GeoXT handheld to confirm that farmers
applications are correct.
Managing German Agricultural
Subsidy Applications
Bolstering Europes Farmers
Agriculture has always played an important
role in sustaining the health of rural
economies across Europe. North Rhine-
Westphalia, the westernmost and largest
Federal State of Germany, is no exception.
More than 50 years ago, the European
Commission of Agriculture and Rural
Development created the Common
Agricultural Policy (CAP) to help meet the
needs of local farmers. Initially, the program
was designed to encourage agricultural pro-
ductivity, ensure a stable supply of affordable
food, and bolster Europes agricultural sector
following World War II.
Today, CAP has evolved to promote a healthy,
competitive agricultural industry across
Europe. To receive subsidy payments, farmers
must meet certain standards concerning pub-
lic health, animal and plant health, the envi-
ronment, and animal welfare, and they must
keep their land in good agricultural and envi-
ronmental condition.
Although the increased standards help ensure
that the most qualified farmers are receiving
aid, it also means additional reporting and
recordkeeping by the agencies that oversee
the North Rhine-Westphalia Chamber of
Agriculture. We needed a better way of col-
lecting and managing information in order to
better meet the needs of local farmers.
The Chamber began searching for a GPS solu-
tion that was accurate, reliable, easy to use,
and compatible with other internal systems,
while fitting in the departments budget.
After evaluating their options, the Chamber
purchased 28 Trimble GeoExplorer 2008 series
GeoXT handheld GPS computers running FKS-
Pad software. The FKS-Pad application is an
ESRI ArcPad-based software solution designed
specifically for the European agriculture indus-
try in accordance with European Union regu-
lations.
As we started looking for a new solution, we
discovered that the agricultural administration
in a nearby state had been using Trimble GPS
equipment for many years with great results,
said Sehrt. We selected Trimble technology
based on our colleagues recommendation,
and because of the equipments functionality
ria for risk evaluation, aerial photos of the
agricultural area under consideration, data
from the application, the address, and quali-
ty control documentation.
The field workers are equipped with a lap-
top computer and a GeoXT handheld, said
Sehrt. The field worker logs into the system
from a home office or the local branch office
to retrieve the work orders assigned to him
each day.
With a work order in hand, the field worker
then visits the agricultural site, using the
GeoXT handheld to map the area under con-
sideration, collecting information about the
size of the area, and creating an outline of it.
Additional information, such as type of crop,
size of agricultural company, revenue, and
ownership details are also collected at this
time.
Once the field worker has gathered all of the
necessary data, he discusses the results on-
and easy handling.
Although managers were convinced the new
equipment would be easy to learn and use,
they were still concerned about employee
adoption of the new technology.
We knew there would be some resistance to
any new technology from our field workers,
so it was important to find a solution that
was user-friendly and intuitive, while also
guaranteeing the accuracy and reliability we
needed to meet EU requirements, said Sehrt.
An Integrated Control System
Now, once the North Rhine-Westphalia
Chamber of Agriculture receives a subsidy
application from a local farmer, it is gathered
and stored in the Chambers integrated
administration and control system. From
there, technical inspection service personnel
review the application and determine which
farms require a field visit.
Work orders for the field personnel are then
issued in the system, which include the crite-
Latest News? Visit www.geoinformatics.com
Ar t i cl e
35
September 2009
site with the applying farmer and creates an
electronic test report using customized soft-
ware that was created in-house and is load-
ed on the laptop. Back in the office, the
inspector downloads the information into the
Chambers Geographic Information System
(GIS), where the data can be easily viewed
and analyzed using LaFIS software. LaFIS is a
GIS application created specifically to help
European government organizations clarify,
rule, and check on farmer declarations in
regards to the subsidy management system.
Next, the inspectors electronic field report is
submitted to the central network for further
processing. Once the report is complete, it is
also submitted to the local district office of
the Chamber of Agriculture. The Chamber also
prints a copy of the test report to send to the
farmer, as well as one for its own files.
Category A Certification
The reports are the basis for approval or
denial of subsidies, so its important that
theyre as accurate and complete as possible,
said Sehrt. Since switching to the Trimble
equipment, we have been able to complete
work orders 50 percent faster, as well as com-
ply with EU requirements and avoid fines for
non-compliance. The equipment has more
than paid for itself. EU requirements man-
date that agricultural parcels are measured
with GPS equipment that guarantees certain
levels of accuracy, which can be proven
through extensive testing or by using equip-
ment that has passed EU certification. Trimble
GeoXT handheld computers are TV Category
A certified, which means measurements col-
lected using them comply with EU standards
for accuracy. Category A certification requires
a buffer accuracy of less than 0.40 m, far
beyond the maximum tolerance of 1.5 m,
according to the area measurement validation
scheme from the EU.
In addition to using the Trimble handhelds for
subsidy reports, the Chamber is also using
the GeoXT handhelds to help map agricultur-
al test lots for new types of grain, vegetables,
fruits and other crops, as well as new fertil-
ization processes. As a next step, the Chamber
plans to purchase more GeoXT handhelds,
and Sehrt anticipates that they will continue
to find new uses for the technology.
Cori Keeton Pope, Trimble Mapping & GIS.
Internet: www.trimble.com/mgis
36
September 2009
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ArcGIS Online provides us with a solid
Web platform to create a state-of-the-art
knowledge-sharing system for the
conservation community.
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Icon Awards, SmartPlant 3D, SmartGrids and More
Intergraph Annual International
Users Conference 2009
Intergraph 2009, Intergraphs annual international users conference, attracted approximately 2,000 professionals to the Gaylord
National Resort and Convention Center in Washington, D.C. from June 15-18. With more than 100 conference sessions on the lat-
est best practices and customer case studies complemented by hands-on training and certification workshops, Intergraph 2009
provided attendees with extensive informational content and networking opportunities including a private evening reception at
the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum. Guest keynote speaker, broadcast anchor and author Tom Brokaw,
spoke of the challenges of the greatest generation and motivated the audience to act in todays trying times.
By the editors
In his executive keynote address, Intergraph Chairman, President and
CEO Halsey Wise recapped notable Intergraph innovations during its first
40 years:
Computer-Aided Dispatch: first to integrate mapping and dispatch, first
multi-agency interoperability, first call taking, dispatch, mobile and
records management
Security: first to integrate multiple sensors into a Common Operational
Picture (COP)
Smart Grid: first to provide outage and field response with centralized
distribution control
GeoMedia: first truly open GIS, enabling organizations to combine
datasets from multiple sources for spatial access and analysis
Video & Imagery Management: first to market with video stabiliza-
tion/dewarping, leadership in video analysis/video mosaicking, image
search and management
SmartPlant 3D: first intelligent, comprehensive, multidisciplinary plant
design and modeling system with concurrent global execution (work-
sharing)
More than $400 MM invested in R&D and 150 patent applications in
25 countries over the last 5 years.
38
Event
September 2009
Latest News? Visit www.geoinformatics.com
Event
39
Wise also outlined Intergraphs data management-centric strategy.
Intergraph technologies enable customers to manage and understand
complex data through intelligent visual representations and actionable
intelligence. Historically, Intergraph solutions have been primarily focused
on the data creation phase of a workflow lifecycle. As a result, Intergraphs
solutions produce an immense amount of valuable data that its customers
can utilize to improve the efficiency of their operations. For example,
Intergraph SG&Is geospatial and incident response solutions produce an
immense amount of data that can be utilized in future analysis and plan-
ning functions.
Icon Awards
COO Reid French in his keynote described how software and technology
can help customers address todays unprecedented market volatility.
Through Intergraph software, French described how Intergraph customers
are better enabled to meet their growing business challenges and to make
better decisions, faster. For instance, French referred to the companys cur-
rent smart grid initiative whereby Intergraph soft-
ware can tie together into a single user interface
SCADA, asset management and outage manage-
ment, enabling control room operators to make
the right decisions quickly regarding the opera-
tion of an electrical grid. Finally, French discussed
Intergraphs initiatives to embrace the service ori-
ented architecture (SOA) approach within its prod-
ucts to enable organizations to more rapidly
deploy, reuse and configure critical geospatial
applications.
French also bestowed Intergraphs highest cus-
tomer award, the Icon Award, to: Atomic Energy
of Canada Limited (AECL), a fully integrated nucle-
ar technology and service provider; Enersource
Hydro Mississauga, an electricity distribution com-
pany for the city of Mississauga in Ontario,
Canada; Istituto Geografico Militare Italiano (IGMI),
a national institution that produces digital cartog-
raphy and provides integrated geospatial data for
the Italian government; Saipem, an Italy-based
turnkey contractor in the oil and gas industry; SINOPEC Engineering
Incorporation (SEI), a subsidiary of China National Petroleum Corp., Chinas
largest petrochemical producer and crude oil refiner; and Surrey Police, a
metropolitan London police department. Underscoring the international
presence of conference attendees from more than 50 countries, Intergraph
also announced that its Latin American distributor, SISGRAPH, opened an
office in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to meet demands of Intergraphs growing
customer base. Sao Paulo-based SISGRAPH is the exclusive distributor for
Intergraph Process, Power & Marine enterprise engineering solutions in
Brazil. It is also a distributor for Intergraph Security, Government &
Infrastructure geospatial software for public safety and security, govern-
ment, transportation, utilities and communications, and photogrammetry
customers throughout Latin America, the Caribbean and Mexico.
SDI
Further announcements made at the show include, among others:
SBB, Switzerlands biggest travel and transport company has selected
Intergraph next-generation infrastructure management technology to man-
age rail assets that support the transport of 9,000 trains per day and 306
million passengers a year. Intergraph G/Technology will serve as founda-
tion for the largest geographic information system (GIS) in the country.
Keeping track of and up-to-date on every asset that makes up such an
extensive transportation network is a challenging proposition, according
to SBB. The availability of current data that enables users to access key
information at the right time, in the right form and through the appropri-
ate medium is becoming increasingly crucial for the operation of the rail-
way.
The region of Veneto, Italy will use Intergraph technology to create a cen-
tralized spatial data infrastructure (SDI) database to improve access to
spatial data across the region and to conform to standards such as INSPIRE
(Infrastructure for Spatial Information in Europe). The project will consoli-
date and standardize multiple databases into one SDI geographic
database, harmonizing and securing geospatial data exchange between
Venetian government entities, businesses and the public for improved col-
laboration and productivity and ease of maintenance and administration.
E.ON Mitte AG, Kassel, a Germany-based electric, gas and water utility, is
the latest E.ON unit to standardize on Intergraph technology for more effi-
cient infrastructure management. E.ON is the worlds largest investor-
owned energy service provider.
Intergraph 2009 photos and videos are available
at www.intergraph2009.com
Intergraph 2010 will be held in Nashville, Tennessee,
June 14 - 17, 2010. For more information,
visit: www.intergraph2010.com.
President and CEO Halsey Wise
COO Reid French
September 2009
A Space Asset for Non-Space Applications
Starlab Barcelona is the developer of Oceanpal, a fully operational GNSS-R sys-
tem for water-oriented services (see Figure 1). This article provides a brief
description of this instrument and the range of water applications it offers:
sea state monitoring and sea level monitoring, as well as inland water (i.e. lake)
applications. Moreover, recent research has evidenced the applicability of this
instrument for soil moisture related applications and measurement of land
bio-geophysical parameters.
By Alejandro Egido, Miquel Garcia and Marco Caparrini
1. GNSS-R Fundamentals
Back in 1993, the use of signals of opportunity
from the GNSS systems for Earth Observation,
based on the analysis of the GNSS signal
reflected from the Earth's surface, was proposed
by M. Martn-Nira of the European Space
Agency [1]: GNSS Reflectometry (GNSS-R) was
born. The fundamentals behind this concept are
to use not only the direct GNSS signals coming
from the transmitting satellites, but also to pro-
cess the same GNSS signals reflected from the
Earths surface (see Figure 2 for the on-ground
case). The direct and reflected signals are com-
pared in order to extract some relevant geo-
physical information, especially related to water
surface (inland or sea).
In order to exploit this concept, a GNSS-R
instrument (Oceanpal in particular) features a
zenith-looking antenna that gathers the direct
signal, and a nadir-looking antenna that col-
lects the reflected signal. Note from Figure 2
that the arrival time difference between the two
signals (i.e. lapse) conveys information on the
distance from the antenna to the sea surface
(i.e. height h). Additionally, by analyzing the
phase coherence level of the reflected signal's
phase (i.e. coherence time), it is possible to
infer the roughness of the water surface: a per-
fect specular reflection would preserve the
coherence of the reflected signal, while a rough
sea (with respect to the signal wavelength)
would destroy the coherence of the reflected
signal (i.e. the resulting reflected phase would
be a random process that is not related at all
to the phase of the direct signal).
The passive nature of this concept allows for
the production of cost- and resource-effective
instruments. GNSS makes use of L-band radia-
tion and is thus highly interactive with the nat-
ural scattering medium but impervious to atmo-
spheric conditions. Potential applications
exploiting these signals are numerous: from
measurement of the sea state and water sur-
face roughness to soil moisture, salinity and
vegetation monitoring. The following sections
of this paper describe the applications that a
GNSS-R instrument like Oceanpal offers.
2. Sea State Monitoring
Ocean significant wave height (SWH), a typical
parameter used to monitor sea state, can be
calculated from measurements of the
Interferometric Complex Field (ICF). The ICF is
defined as the ratio of the direct and reflected
complex waveform peak time series.
Essentially, in ICF the common components of
the direct and reflected signals cancel out, leav-
ing only the contribution due to the scattering
of the sea/water surface. The presence of waves
produces a temporal de-correlation of the sea
surface, which turns into a de-correlation of the
reflected signal. The parameter measuring this
de-correlation is the surface coherence time,
which is then linked to the SWH through a
semi-empirical model.
Over the last few years, this application has
reached an operational maturity level providing
quasi-real-time sea state information.
A long-term comparison of the SWH measure-
ments with a co-located microwave radar
(RADAC, data from which is publicly available
on the Internet) took place from the
Scheveningen Pier (the Netherlands) from
December 2007 to November 2008. An RMS
error of 15 centimeters, with SWH ranging from
0.5 to 3 meters, was obtained for the whole
campaign. Figure 3 shows two weeks of data
(October 2008); the overall RMS in the differ-
ential SWH estimation of the two systems is 14
centimeters.
3. Altimetry Applications
Water/sea level monitoring is based on the esti-
mation of the altitude of the Oceanpal anten-
nas above the water/sea reflecting surface. This
altitude is retrieved by the comparison of the
delay (in time or distance) between the reflect-
ed and the direct signals.
For this purpose, two techniques have been
developed based on different characteristics of
the reflected signals. The first is known as the
Phase Altimetry, and has its application in
inland, calm waters, while the second tech-
nique, Code Altimetry, is used for sea altimetry
applications, in rougher waters. Both altimetry
algorithms have reached a maturity level that
allows the provision of operational services to
40
Ar t i cl e
September 2009
Figure 1: Image of the Oceanpal Radio Frequency Unit, and the antenna rig.
GNSS-R
customers. Nevertheless, our research efforts
continue in order to improve the precision and
accuracy of the algorithms. The next sections
review the fundamentals of both techniques.
3.1. Phase Altimetry Algorithm
The phase of the ICF contains information on
the geometrical difference of the direct and
reflected signal paths, which is the fundamen-
tal parameter used in this algorithm. After a
phase unwrapping process and an ambiguity
resolution method, the phase information is
linked to the altimetry information through a
geometrical relationship.
The Oceanpal experiment at the LaBaells reser-
voir (situated near Berga, in the North of
Catalonia (Spain), and managed by the Catalan
Water Authorities) was undertaken to study the
possibility of accurate altimetry measurements
with this technique in inland waters.
In this campaign, one week of data was gath-
ered in early March 2008 to compare Oceanpal
GNSS-R phase altimetry measurements with the
LaBaells in-situ sensor (a pressure bubbler
4. Soil Moisture and Vegetation
Monitoring
As with other remote sensing techniques, soil
moisture observations in GNSS-R are based on
the variability of the soils dielectric properties
with soil moisture. The relative power of direct
and reflected GNSS signals gives a measure-
ment of the soil reflectivity, which is then used
to estimate the soils dielectric constant through
a simplified scattering model. The volumetric
soil moisture (VSM) can be calculated with a
semi-empirical model that establishes a
quadratic relationship at L-band between dielec-
tric constant and VSM.
Nevertheless, some constraints need to be
taken into account when estimating land bio-
geophysical parameters. First, the soil rough-
ness introduces a coupled effect with soil mois-
ture, which can bias the estimation. And
second, variations in background temperature
can lead to variations in the waveform peaks
power, which can also lead to error in the deter-
mination of our target parameters.
In order to be able to cope with these handi-
caps, some modifications were introduced in
the Oceanpal instrument. The most important
ones were the integration of a calibration chain
in order to be able to account for small power
mismatches among receiving channels, and the
introduction of an additional antenna for the
reflected signal. The two reflected antennas are
right and left hand circular polarised, RHCP and
LHCP, allowing for polarimetric analysis of the
reflected signal.
In order to test the capabilities of soil moisture
detection with a GNSS-R receiver, we performed
an airborne campaign in June 2008 over Los
Monegros, a semi-arid area near Zaragoza,
Spain, covering several square kilometers. Soil
samples were taken from the observation areas
known to have centimeter precision). After bias
removal, the obtained differential standard devi-
ation is lower than 2 centimeters (after 5 minute
integration time).
Even though Phase Altimetry is a very precise
technique, in order to be able to retrieve prof-
itable phase information out of the reflected
signal, the signal needs to be coherent. That
is, the signal needs to be reflected from a mod-
erately calm and flat surface. For this reason,
the Phase Altimetry Algorithm is applied to
inland waters, such as lakes and water reser-
voirs, where the height of waves is moderate,
and where the required precision is very high.
3.2. Code Altimetry Algorithm
The Code Altimetry Algorithm derives altimetric
information from the displacement of the
reflected waveform with respect to the direct
one. Such a displacement can be directly relat-
ed to the direct and reflected signals delay (i.e.
the lapse), and is used, in a similar way to the
previous method, to extract the altimetry infor-
mation of the water surface being monitored.
Despite the fact that the Code Altimetry
Algorithm is not as precise as the Phase
Altimetry Algorithm, it is not subjected to the
coherence requirement for the reflected signal.
Therefore it can be applied in rough, dynamic
surfaces such as open ocean and coastal areas.
The use of code altimetry in rough water con-
ditions results in a clear observation of tide
dynamics, but as expected with a higher error
range compared to the situations where phase
altimetry can be applied. This was demonstrat-
ed comparing Oceanpal altimetry measure-
ments in Scheveningen Pier with the collocat-
ed radar. An error standard deviation of 12
centimeters was obtained with tidal amplitudes
close to 2 meters.
Latest News? Visit www.geoinformatics.com
Ar t i cl e
41
September 2009
Figure 2: Measurement principle of Oceanpal
sensor: the direct signal coming from GNSS satel-
lites is gathered as well as the reflected signal
coming from the sea/water surface.
Figure 3: Oceanpal and RADAC SWH
measurements in the Scheveningen Pier,
The Hague, the Netherlands. October 2008.
in order to determine the VSM. For the cam-
paign, the observation zones were divided into
cells of 200 x 200 meters. The soil permittivity
was estimated for each of the cells calculating
the reflectivity with LHCP reflected signal. The
results showed a very good correlation between
the estimated soil permittivity and the quadrat-
ic model that links this parameter with soil
moisture.
Regarding vegetation observations, in the
framework of an ESA-funded project, a long-
term experiment has been set up in
Monterspertoli, Italy, in collaboration with the
following Italian research centres: Centro
Telerilevamento a Microonde, CETEM, and
Istituto di Fisica Applicata "Nello Carrara", IFAC.
The main objective of this experiment, under
development at the time of writing, is to study
the effects of different land bio-geophysical
parameters on GNSS reflected signals. The
experiment has been designed so that a vari-
ety of vegetation and soil moisture conditions
can be observed. In order to be able to link
variations in the field conditions with the
recorded data, all possible parameters interven-
ing in the scattering process are as controlled
as possible. For that purpose, vegetation devel-
opment, soil brightness temperature, soil mois-
ture, soil roughness and meteorological data
measurements are taken continuously.
5. Ice and Snow Applications
Despite the fact that it is not currently a
research line in our company, it is worth men-
tioning the application of GNSS-R to ice and
snow monitoring. Similar to the altimetric appli-
cation of GNSS-R over lakes and water reser-
voirs, the phase altimetry algorithm can also be
used over ice in order to monitor its seasonal
variation. In addition, due to the high penetra-
bility of L-band signals on ice and dry snow,
dielectric properties can be estimated with an
analysis of the signal similar to the one used
to measure soil moisture over soil.
6. Future Outlook
The next developments of the Oceanpal
instrument are aimed at monitoring soil mois-
ture and vegetation in order to bring the sys-
tem to a fully operational status, as is cur-
rently the case for water level and state
estimation.
This instrument may also benefit from future
research in the GNSS-R field which is focused
on a dedicated GNSS-R space mission to con-
firm the theoretical predictions about the
characteristics of these signals from space.
Marco Caparrini marco.caparrini@starlab.es,
Area Manager - Space R&D
Alejandro Egido alejandro.egido@starlab.es,
Researcher
STARLAB, Living Science http://starlab.es
42
Ar t i cl e
September 2009
Figure 4: Starlab premises in the Observatori Fabra,
on the Tibidabo mountain, overlooking Barcelona.
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Providing National and International Geodetic Services
Meeting The French Order of
Licensed Surveyors
The European surveying profession is organized and exercised along quite different lines. The French Order of Licensed
Surveyors (Ordre des Gomtres-Experts) is, amongst other things, responsible for regulating and monitoring public
service delegations granted by the government to surveyors, for determining the lines of demarcation between real
properties and defining and ensuring the rights associated with land ownership. Anne Fantuzzi, who is in charge of
the Trade and Education division within the OGE, is interviewed by Joc Triglav on its organization, the future of
surveying and cooperation with international surveyors organizations.
By Joc Triglav
Question: Across Europe, the surveying
profession is organized and exercised
along quite different lines. Could you
introduce us to the French Order of
Licensed Surveyors OGE (Ordre des
Gomtres-Experts) and explain how is it
organized, what are its mission objec-
tives and what is its role in the national
geodetic service?
Answer: The French Order of Licensed
Surveyors, a private organization, is responsi-
ble for regulating and monitoring public ser-
vice delegations granted by the government
to surveyors, for determining the lines of
demarcation between real properties and
defining and ensuring the rights associated
with land ownership.
The Order of Licensed Surveyors also moni-
tors compliance with the French law that cre-
ated the Order, takes measures to ensure
high-quality service, and oversees the regis-
tration of licensed surveyors with the Order.
It manages disputes pertaining to profession-
al ethics, takes disciplinary measures, moni-
tors compliance with and proper application
of the Orders doctrines and standard prac-
tices in the industry, enforces continuing edu-
44
I nt er vi ew
September 2009
Cnam-ESGT students at the Order of Licensed Surveyors Congress in Strasbourg-France Sept. 2008.
cation requirements for surveyors and, more
generally, all requirements of the law that
established the Order.
The Order of Licensed Surveyors makes deci-
sions regarding the conditions under which
people enter and practice the profession of
licensed surveyor, for candidates from France
and all European countries. It also pursues
general publicity and information campaigns
intended for surveyors, the institutions that
hire them, and young surveyors-in-training. It
maintains close relationships with ministries,
parliamentarians and government depart-
ments to monitor current events and legisla-
tion pertaining to its members, as well as with
other professional associations and related
industries.
Many countries have expressed interest in the
Order, such as Lebanon, Morocco, Japan,
Russia and Burkina Faso, which consult with
the Order to receive feedback before reform-
ing or establishing their own professional
organizations.
Q: How is the monitoring of the practice
of the national surveying profession pur-
sued in OGE and what are the steps in
the process of acquiring the surveyors
licence in France? What are the training
certifications, ethical rules, and the
requirements to guarantee the function
of a licensed surveyor in French society?
A: Currently, there are three main ways to
enter this profession: The "fast track" is to
study at a topographic engineering school
such as ESGT, Ecole Suprieure des
Gomtres et Topographes (Le Mans), INSA,
Institut National des Sciences Appliqus
(Strasbourg), or ESTP, Ecole Spciale des
Travaux Publics (Cachan), followed by a two-
year professional internship. The other, more
time-consuming path is to begin with a tech-
nical degree (two years of university study or
an advanced technicians certificate known as
a "BTS" in France) and then work your way
up through the ranks with 6, 8 or 15 years of
professional experience, followed by a two-
or three-year internship, and then pass the
government-administered DPLG exam to
become a licensed land surveyor. The third
option allows a "generalist" engineer (which
is an engineer who is not a topographer) to
join the ranks of the profession after com-
pleting a three-year internship and passing
the DPLG final exam.
The professional internship is the most impor-
tant step in becoming a licensed surveyor, as
it affords candidates the opportunity to
acquire indispensable practical knowledge for
their future professional practice and familiar-
izes them with the industry. As of 2004,
initiative is designed to instill in surveyors a
knowledge of multiple disciplines, diversify
the field to meet growing demand and ensure
a high standard of service for the consumer,
and finally to prevent difficulties related to
recruitment and the replacement of the indus-
trys current practitioners in anticipation of the
mass retirement of the baby boomers.
In order to be authorized to perform land
management and intervention services,
licensed surveyors must complete land regis-
ter work, prepare the survey documents, or
perform agricultural and forest land planning,
and request approval from the appropriate
ministry or order. In order to be qualified as
a court expert, a licensed surveyor must apply
for registration with the rolls of experts main-
tained by the French Ministry of Justice. They
may also be candidates for qualification by
the Professional Qualification Office for Urban
Planners or by the Professional Qualification
Office for Engineering and Construction. They
must also obtain certification to perform real
estate inspections.
Section 17 of the Law of 7th May 1946 insti-
tuting the Order of Licensed Surveyors stipu-
lates that the Board of Governors "shall over-
see professional continuing education and
disciplinary measures." Moreover, Section 47
of the Decree of 31st May 1996 regulating the
profession and establishing the code of pro-
fessional responsibilities stipulates that
"licensed surveyors must maintain their skills
and pursue continuing professional educa-
tion." In a directive issued in March 1998,
which was included in the Orders Rules of
Procedure, the Board of Governors declared
continuing education to be mandatory for all
licensed surveyors. Last June, the Board of
Governors updated the Orders directives per-
taining to this continuing education require-
ment and decided to count training credits on
an annual basis and to record training credits
based on the half-day unit, with a minimum
required five days of direct training plus three
days of indirect training each year.
Q: What do you think about the renewal
of generations in the geodetic/surveying
service in France and what measures
have to be taken to allow a smooth tran-
sition within the profession from the
older to the younger generation? How
do you cope with the transfer of profes-
sional experience in this regard?
A: Although it acknowledges the difficulties
caused by todays economic and financial cri-
sis, which is weakening our firms and mak-
ing the recruitment and demographic prob-
lems facing our profession less perceptible,
the Order of Licensed Surveyors is neverthe-
interns must also take mandatory training
modules organized by three regional councils,
in Paris, Lyon and Toulouse, while completing
their internships. These training modules are
the credit equivalent of 16 days, and begin-
ning on 1st January 2010, will address the top-
ics of professional ethics, demarcation, public
property, easements, land division, co-owner-
ship, expert assessments and alternative con-
flict resolution methods, sustainable land
development, the land registry system and
management/accounting.
Additionally, in accordance with the provisions
of Directive 2005/36/CE of the European
Parliament and the Council of Europe of 7th
September 2005 on the recognition of profes-
sional qualifications, which was transposed
into French national law in the Order of 30th
May 2008, citizens of European countries that
are members of the European Community or
citizens of States that are a party to the agree-
ment on the European Economic Area, in
order to practice the profession of licensed
surveyor, must have been recognized as qual-
ified by a commission responsible for issuing
an explained decision regarding requests for
recognition of qualifications submitted to the
MEEDDAT, the ministry to which the Order of
Licensed Surveyors reports. This commission
meets to review applications and, when the
candidates professional qualifications are
deemed to be lacking with respect to the
qualifications required to enter the profession
and practice in France, the commission may
require the candidate to undertake additional
measures, which will include either an apti-
tude test or a practical training internship of
up to three years, at the candidates choos-
ing, before his or her qualifications will be
recognized.
The Order is currently considering moderniz-
ing the DPLG to allow candidates at the
Masters level, regardless of their professional
profile or origin, whether surveyors, general-
ist engineers, or holders of a Masters degree
in law, humanities or geoinformatics, to enter
and practice the profession provided that they
complete a two-year professional internship
while taking the mandatory training modules,
depending on their educational background,
and then write and defend a technical and
legal professional thesis.
This is being done in an effort to adapt French
education and initial training systems to meet
EU harmonization initiatives by standardizing
the Bachelors, Masters and Doctoral degrees
(Bachelors = 3 years of university education
following a passing baccalaureate exam,
Masters = 5 years, Ph.D. = 8 years), and
granting access to the profession to universi-
ty students who do not take the most com-
mon path of pursuing a scientific major. This
Latest News? Visit www.geoinformatics.com
I nt er vi ew
45
September 2009
less making an effort to bring younger gener-
ations into the industry, which also highlights
the need to improve our performance with
respect to sustainable development objec-
tives. In 2006 and 2007, by pursuing our
openness initiatives and an active communi-
cation policy directed at students in engineer-
ing schools, the Order managed once again
to reverse the recent trend in the number of
incoming practitioners with respect to the
number of retirees; however, this upturn and
perceptible increase in incoming recruits
should not eclipse the recruitment and
replacement difficulties our profession will
have to face, which reflect demographic
changes in the French population and the
retirement of post-WWII baby boomers. These
difficulties are also the result of the elimina-
tion in the 1990s of the diploma issued by
the Institute of Topography at the
Conservatoire National des Arts et Mtiers,
which was once a preferred path to the DPLG
exam, in terms of the professional experience
and networking opportunities it afforded its
alumni. Consequently, we can anticipate that
2013 will bring the retirement of nearly 10%
of the professionals in our field! It is there-
fore very important to attract students to the
field in order to ensure a sufficient applicant
pool by opening and updating the require-
ments for becoming a licensed surveyor. The
revision of the DPLG exam is part of this effort
to ensure a steady stream of incoming recruits
to the industry. Our outreach efforts with engi-
neering schools were also supplemented with
an awareness campaign brought to high
school and secondary school students.
Indeed, the industry wishes to recruit an
increasing number of technical students, in
light of the need not only to replace retiring
surveyors, but also to attract staff qualified
to fill other roles at surveyor firms.
Q: What are the main technologies at
the surveyors' disposal today and how
strong is the profession's ability to
adapt to them, use them, and foster
innovation to meet its own and the con-
sumers' requirements?
A: With the advent in the 1980s of land
databases and geographic information sys-
tems, as well as GPS and 3D digital plan and
model production, particularly in the con-
struction industry, and with the invention of
scanners and digital models, land surveyors
have always managed to adapt to new mea-
surement and mapping technologies, and
firms were quick to adopt CAD technology. It
is likely that technological developments will
level off following the period of rapid growth
experienced from the 1980s to the 2000s, and
instead we may see developments that
enhance existing technologies. These would
include complete stations with integrated GPS
or satellite acquisition and topographical sur-
vey technologies that will be very useful in
dense urban environments due to the 3D air-
borne laser scanning telemeters that are now
being released on the market, revolutionizing
existing work methods. We will also see a
decline in the trend of transferring tasks from
machines to human expertise with the devel-
opment of man-machine interfaces that are
increasingly interactive and competitive and
that enable users to control data quality, pro-
vide them with a failsafe, and allow them to
test and verify the reliability of the results
obtained to prevent errors. This dynamic will
raise questions regarding the line between
new technology and human expertise in the
field of land measurement. As for how well
new measurement, acquisition and data pro-
duction technology will perform and the trivi-
alization that may result ("push-button" tech-
nique), surveyors will have to adapt their
expert and professional roles to the task of
analyzing, interpreting, promoting, verifying
and certifying the quality of the data and
objects measured, even if it does mean using
information produced by a geographic infor-
mation system.
The TERIA real-time GPS positioning network,
which achieves centimeter accuracy, will help
simplify the method of acquiring topographi-
cal and land data and thus become a means
of leverage and a special tool for surveyors,
who will then be free to refocus on their core
business while offering added value in terms
of defining geographic objects, performing
land measurement expert assessments and
determining the legal lines of demarcation
between two properties.
Nevertheless, the increasing efficiency of land
measurement makes it necessary to have
competent, highly-qualified personnel
"behind" the increasingly sophisticated
devices, who can go beyond the "push-but-
ton" technique. TERIA now makes it easier for
surveyors to deploy one less operator to the
field (and eliminates a third of the cost of a
full team), since they can work with a single
mobile receiver instead of two, one of which
is used to serve as a pivot.
This adaptation to new technologies goes
hand-in-hand with significant support in terms
of training, particularly for employees of sur-
veyor firms.
Such adaptations also go hand-in-hand with
the modernization of public service delega-
tions for surveyors, which has led to a pro-
ject to create an electronic land register por-
tal for environmental data, as defined in the
sustainable development and land use char-
ter signed in September 2008 between the
Order of Licensed Surveyors and the French
Ministry for Ecology, Energy, Sustainable
Development and Land Use (MEEDDAT). The
purpose of this portal is to promote the shar-
ing of land data and occupancy rights with
the data in the industry managed by various
partner entities, in a unified land register
known as the "RFU" (rfrentiel foncier
unifi).
Q: The surveying profession has out-
grown its purely technical aspects long
ago and today it includes a strong legal
aspect with knowledge of the law play-
ing a key role in defending, protecting
and managing properties, and in con-
tributing to sustainable development.
What do you see are the future chal-
lenges for the surveying profession in
this regard, especially the harmonisation
of differing professional practices in
tomorrow's Europe?
A: As stated above, we are moving toward the
production of accurate, guaranteed, intelligent
3D land data, for which the licensed surveyor
will be the highly valued 4th legal dimension.
Indeed, surveyors are measurement techni-
cians, but are increasingly also legal techni-
cians. This necessary understanding of the
law is apparent in several areas.
First of all, jobs involving property demarca-
tions, land preservation, divisions of space,
court expert missions, land management, or
the definition of rights associated with prop-
erties, whether they are developed or unde-
veloped, individual residences or jointly-
owned, that comprise a surveyors core
business and for which the French govern-
ment has entrusted the Order with public ser-
vice delegations, require in-depth knowledge
of the law, from the Civil Code to laws gov-
erning the roads, local governments, govern-
ment-owned property and expropriation.
It is also important to remember that by virtue
of Section 8 of the Law of 7th May 1946 insti-
tuting the Order of Licensed Surveyors, sur-
veyors are qualified to fill the role of arbitra-
tor and give legal consultations.
A surveyors work pertaining to agricultural
and environmental land use requires perfect
knowledge of rural law. Likewise, urban plan-
ning law is one of the branches of the law
that has changed the most in recent decades
and has become alarmingly complex both in
terms of city planning and urban land use, as
acknowledged by all those who work with it.
This makes it necessary for surveyors, who
are now widely recognized as playing an
indispensable role in urban planning, to con-
stantly update their knowledge of this field.
46
I nt er vi ew
September 2009
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The initiative taken by the Order of Licensed
Surveyors to establish the first industry-spe-
cific implementation of Agenda 21, which will
help surveyors achieve the UNs sustainable
development objectives both in terms of busi-
ness management and in its various fields, is
a testament to the Orders desire to secure a
key position for the industry in the sector of
living environment planning.
Q: How and in which professional or
organizational fields do you cooperate
with the international surveyors organi-
zations, like FIG (International Federation
of Surveyors), CLGE (Council of European
Geodetic Surveyors) and GE (Geometer
Europas)?
Since 2003, the Order has been driven by its
desire to become more involved and visible
in European governing bodies in order to hold
more weight with its partners, in influencing
and harmonizing the regulations affecting the
industry and to take an active role in devel-
oping Community directives.
These desires became a reality in the 39th
National Congress of the Order of Licensed
Surveyors, in conjunction with the First
Conference of European Surveyors held in
Strasbourg in September 2008. Indeed, the
primary objective of this congress was to
increase the notoriety and visibility of the pro-
fession in France and throughout Europe, with
various European institutions and consumers
in the EU, and to make the citizens of Europe
aware of what the industry has to offer.
Despite these initial harmonization efforts, we
should not forget how widely surveyors pro-
fessional duties, statuses, levels of training,
requirements for entry to the profession and
the conditions under which they practice vary
from country to country. As an expression of
this ambition, the Order came together with
the Presidents of the CLGE (Council of
European Geodetic Surveyors) and Geometer
Europas, an association of surveyors with
proven qualifications that practice a regulat-
ed profession, to sign a solemn declaration
aiming to harmonize and unify regulations
throughout Europe and to support the princi-
ples of service quality, professional ethics and
qualification standards, with an emphasis on
guarantees for both consumers and govern-
ment authorities.
With its European partners, the Order also
hopes to highlight the need to maintain pub-
lic service delegations for proper land admin-
istration throughout Europe. In this regard,
the Order is taking action to extend the
enforcement of the common European mini-
mum education requirement of five years of
university education to all Member States of
the European Union. This was established
based on a multilateral agreement signed by
a dozen countries to date, a good number of
which are in Eastern Europe. Moreover, the
plan to merge and combine the activities of
the CLGE and Geometer Europas should allow
the joint entity to weigh more heavily in
European negotiations.
On the international scene, since 24th
November 2005, the Order has also been
serving as President of the FGF (Fdration
des Gomtres Francophones Federation of
French-Speaking Surveyors), which includes
over twenty signatory countries to the Rabat
Declaration, all motivated by a desire to cre-
ate a venue for exchange among French-
speaking professionals, particularly after
French was replaced as the working language
of the International Federation of Surveyors
(FIG), as well as to promote the indispensable
role of surveyors in sustainable development
and land use.
Additionally, on 25th October 2007, the Order
created a new international land association
known as FIEF (France International Expertise
Foncire), for high-level experts from all over
the world interested in land management and
exports. The mission of this association is to
conduct discussions and pursue initiatives in
the field of land development, the use of
space and land policy, to increase internation-
al awareness of French expertise and to pro-
mote Frances influence in these same fields.
Q: Currently at what stage of practical
implementation is the French national
GNSS network TERIA? Which national
institutions are your partners in this pro-
ject? Is it a free service to your users or
is a schema of usage rates applied?
Which steps have you taken so far to
provide interoperability of your national
GNSS network with the networks of
neighboring countries?
A: As of April 20th of this year, the TERIA net-
work now provides even coverage for the
entirety of metropolitan France, via a web of
96 stations spaced at equidistant intervals of
80 to 100 km, depending on topography, with-
out favoring areas with high economic poten-
tial over rural areas. This network will be
deployed and operational throughout France
in the coming months, once the four stations
planned for Corsica have been installed, as
negotiations with the French weather service,
Mto France, are in advanced stages.
This great adventure, which began four years
ago, is now getting off the ground with a
growing number of professionals logging on
each day to a network that now has over 700
subscribers and to which over 100 profession-
als are simultaneously connected every day.
Moreover, nearly 800 prospective subscribers
have been identified and promotional cam-
paigns have begun in the fields of public
works and machine guidance, agriculture,
emergency preparedness and assistance for
the disabled.
The project continues to progress and stays
up-to-date by including the most recent tech-
nological developments. Beginning this year,
several regions of France including Les Alpes
(up to the Mediterranean coast, covering the
Rhone valley), Le Jura, Les Pyrnes and lIle-
de-France will receive more thorough cover-
age via dual satellite constellation receivers
(the American GPS and Russian GLONASS sys-
tems) before becoming GNSS (Global
Navigation Satellite System) receivers once
the Chinese (COMPASS) and European
(GALILEO) satellite constellations are opera-
tional, and three out of the planned 35 sta-
tions are already in service. In addition, the
company EXAGONE, which is responsible for
the commercial operation of the network, is
pursuing the inclusion of neighboring
European networks (Belgium, Germany,
Switzerland, Italy and Spain) in order to
ensure network interoperability in border
regions. Studies are currently under way to
offer a sub metric positioning service and to
ensure access to the network in "white
zones" that are not covered by GSM and
GPRS connections, despite the commitment
made by the government and the three
telecommunications operators Bouygues
Telecom, SFR and Orange, to resolve this
problem by 31st December 2007.
Finally, the Orders decision to require its
members to use the legal reference system
RGF 93 for georeferencing on all land register
projects will also help to make the TERIA net-
work practically indispensable for all survey-
ors, in addition to making professional prac-
tices more consistent and homogenous
throughout the industry.
Anne Fantuzzi, OGE-Ordre des Gomtres-Experts.
Joc Triglav jtriglav@geoinformatics.com, editor
of GeoInformatics.
Special thanks to Magellan Professional for their
support in making this interview possible.
Magellan Professional is a world-wide GNSS
instruments manufacturer for precise positioning
applications such as land surveying, construction,
GIS/mapping, and more ... The Company is
headquartered in France and is the provider of the
reference stations that have been selected by
EXAGON to build TERIA, the French real-time GPS
positioning network. Magellan Professional is also
a regular sponsor of the ESGT, (Ecole Suprieure
des gomtres et topographes), and supports the
Land Survey students to promote their knowledge
and complete professional projects.
48
I nt er vi ew
September 2009
www.topcon.eu
Handheld with GPS & GLONASS
from meter to cm RTK
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Transforming the Inconceivable into Reality
FME 2009 User Conference
After the first full day of Safe Softwares FME 2009 User Conference in Whistler,
British Columbia, one characteristic of the show became abundantly clear:
attendees here were really happy. Notably happy. Perhaps it was the alpine air
of the Whistler/Blackcomb Mountain resort or its magical setting. Or perhaps it
was the recurring visions of Safe co-founders Dale Lutz and Don Murrays
opening banter and willingness to have unabashed fun as they highlighted
the companys successes and future strategies for its core spatial
data transformation and distribution technology FME.
By Mary Jo Wagner
An Agnostic Approach
From June 11-12, more than 140 attendees
learned how FME technology has made many
users and organizations look good since it
greatly advanced from its strictly early data-for-
mat translation days to become a full-scale spa-
tial ETL tool capable of handling nearly any spa-
tial data conceivable.
Todays FME is all about transforming and
delivering realities, said Murray in his welcome
speech. FME is really whatever users want it
to be - an aggregator, an integrator, a trans-
former, a deliverer. We want it to be an agnos-
tic data engine so you can decide what you
want it to drive.
This rather Switzerland approach to spatial
data management and distribution - offering a
completely neutral data engine and leaving the
application driving to the user - resonated with
the in-the-trenches users who readily recognize
that data interoperability, distribution and man-
aging large volumes of data have still been key
struggles for geospatial users to resolve.
Three years ago we were only using FME for
relatively simple CAD translations, said James
Katz, an IT specialist with engineering firm
Burns & McDonnell. Now we are using it to
drive real-time project management systems for
billion-dollar construction projects. FME is so
powerful, its hard to keep up with the devel-
opment possibilities.
And possibilities were abound at this show,
from the small-scale data integration needs of
one local authority to the macro-scale chal-
lenges of creating mammoth statewide and
nationwide spatial data infrastructures (SDIs) to
the real-time 3D visualization and information
delivery of real-time events.
To be sure, all is still not resolved in the data-
sharing business as countless proprietary data
silos still dot the planet, greatly limiting the
opportunity to transform geospatial information
into real business. But this conference was the
platform for FME veterans and newcomers alike
to showcase how they are smashing through
those silos to transform once inconceivable ini-
tiatives into realities that respond to the pull
of increasing requests for on-demand data as
well as the push of their own visions for better
spatial data integration and services - regard-
less of scale.
Fee on FME
GIS blogger James Fee, a and former consultant
with RSP Architects and now a cloud-comput-
ing evangelist with WeoGeo, focused heavily
on data sharing and usability issues in his
keynote address "Removing the Barriers to
Data Sharing" on the first morning of the show.
He took us down memory lane from our rudi-
mentary data-sharing methods - remember
needing 24 floppy disks to upload one large
dataset - to electronic data sharing of the Web,
FTP and finally to macro geoportals such as
data.gov, and highlighted how each has not
quite met users customized needs. Most por-
tals, he said, still lack three important elements:
open source data (though that definition is sub-
jective), caching and findability - the ease in
which a non-geospatial user can find specific
datasets.
Fee proposed his own recipe for what a portal
should look like. In addition to offering open
data, caching and a good geo-enabled search
engine, todays geoportal should have Google-
fast performance, enable users to perform cus-
tomized data requests (which requires spatial
ETL), offer flexible pay-as-you-use pricing and
be IT friendly.
An example of such a comprehensive portal,
said Fee, is the Greater New Orleans Community
Data Center (www.gnocdc.org/) which was built
on Linux, Django and Google Maps and uses
cloud computing powered by WeoGeo, Amazon
Web Services and Safe Software to allow users
to search geodata, request customized
datasets, purchase and then download their
order. In addition, the Center can track data
requests and deliveries through cloud-based
Salesforce.com, providing possible business
opportunities for other non-and for-profits con-
nected to the site.
50
Event
September 2009
President Don Murray (L) and Vice-President Dale Lutz start the FME fun.
Fee noted that FME is a critical component of
the portal because it really serves the individu-
al and completes the needed geoportal e-deliv-
ery chain.
Findability, usability and customization are so
important to a portals offering because users
data needs are as individual as the users them-
selves, he said. FME helps us fine tune what
we want to achieve and allows us to give the
clients what they want, regardless of data type,
format or coordinate system.
A Transforming Force
Lutz and Murray illustrated Fees point in their
own keynote address on the second day, when,
in their usual mix of serious technical knowl-
edge and lighthearted fun, they highlighted the
advancements in FME 2009 as well as what
users can expect with FME 2010 scheduled for
release early next year (Murray offered cus-
tomized FME diapers to the crowd in case the
excitement of the new features was just too
great. He also promised to wear one if his
demos didnt work.)
Though Safe has made great strides in
responding to data interoperability needs,
Murray noted that FME 2009 has really been
the transforming force for customers as well as
for Safe itself. For FME has not only been a
pioneer in supporting 3D interoperability, and
a core enabler for online spatial data distribu-
tion and large-scale SDIs, it has helped Safe
transform its reputation as the data format
company. Instead, said Murray, Safe is now
known as a comprehensive, end-to-end solu-
tions company, based largely on FMEs own
transformation into a data-management pow-
erhouse. The company is stretching FME to pro-
vide more data support - it presently supports
more than 225 formats - more transformers,
more platforms and more user friendly tools.
In addition, it is making a strong strategic push
to penetrate new markets by leveraging its FME
Server on-the-fly transformation and distribu-
tion capabilities, as well as expanding its oper-
ating system support, improving 3D data view-
ing and manipulation and bettering raster data
management.
Notable improvements in the 2010 release are
increased performance speed ranging from 5
to 20 percent; specific-text searches in
Workbench; better 2D and 3D rendering with
textures; more data support including
Sketchup, Civil 3D and BAG; a move from 32-
bit to 64-bit platforms; improved security;
seamless data distribution of any geo-type;
new transformers such as one that writes a
message to Twitter; and support for real-time
streaming applications.
Murray then demonstrated some of this new
functionality. Aggregating elevation data, basic
footprints and photos of building faces he cre-
FME Fun
The demos were indeed clever and mirrored
some of the most significant interest among
users at the show - the rooms of those presen-
ters showcasing 3D and streaming applications
were packed.
Of the 28 technical presentations offered, one
of the most popular sessions was given by
Brendan Cunningham, a GIS project leader with
Kilkenny County Council (KCC) in Ireland.
Cunningham revealed how KCC uses FME to
drive an online system (http://reports.kilken
nycoco.ie) that automatically notifies registered
residents via email or cell phone of local ser-
vice disruptions such as water outages or road
closures based on the citizens location. Along
with the SMS alert, registrants receive an email
with full details of the service disruption.
Operational since November 2008, its the first
electronic notification service of its kind in the
country and has attracted a lot of interest from
neighboring regions.
Cunningham said the KCC notification service
eliminates the need to rely on radio and news-
paper announcements, and with the scalability
and flexibility of FME, the service could be repli-
cated for other purposes such as early-warning
systems for natural disasters or real-time alerts
of kidnappings.
Equally impressive is the FME and Google Earth-
based systems produced by a three-person
development team at Burns & McDonnell. In
one session Wes Hardin, project manager, and
Katz presented their FME-powered Google Earth
dashboard tool that streams together project
management data, design files and GIS soft-
ware for a real-world project view in real time.
Using live data from a project in Connecticut
they zoomed into one segment of the construc-
tion site to show a detailed 3D view of any
point, complete with attribute information rela-
tive to a pole, underground vault, community
relations issue or real estate negotiation. They
even took the dashboard concept one step fur-
ated a 3D texture-rich model of an urban clus-
ter. Using FME Server, that model could then
be used for on-the-fly visualizations. The same
concept was applied to render a 3D view of
the Eiffel Tower. Both transformations provoked
audible ooos from the audience.
FME Server also powered a demonstration to
show the tools real-time aggregating, trans-
forming and Web-mapping capabilities. Based
on a pre-defined perimeter and select individ-
uals GPS tracking devices, FME received loca-
tion data from the devices and automatically
sent alerts via Twitter as the monitored indi-
viduals crossed into the boundary, prompting
random cell phones to ring as the individuals
data points moved around the map. Though
fun in nature, it illustrated the viability of driv-
ing more serious applications such as tracking
missing children or monitoring the real-time
movements of courier fleets.
Latest News? Visit www.geoinformatics.com
Event
51
September 2009
Keynote speaker James Fee took attendees down
data-interoperability memory lane.
A rather happy bunch of attendees.
ther by developing an issue meter dial, simi-
lar to the gas gauge on a car, this color-coded
meter popped up as they moved around the
3D view and the dial moved according to the
number of issues that had been logged for a
particular parcel or pole. Of particular note for
Katz was how quickly FME is able to manage
substantial volumes of data.
We are serving up about one terabyte of infor-
mation and people are able to access it out in
the field with a laptop, he said. Thats amaz-
ing.
The same company also developed an FME-
based animation application for South Florida
Water Management District to visualize rainfall
data in real-time. Demonstrated by Ryan Boyce,
IM specialist, and Hardin, they aptly illustrated
how FMEs flexibility enabled them to integrate
tabular text data, GIS data layers and radar
satellite imagery to animate rainfall events in
real-time increments from 15 minutes to 24
hours across a 16-county region. The anima-
tions involved developing methods to continu-
ally check for new data, validate the data,
schedule animations by priority and process up
to 30 frames of animation each with more than
30,000 features for real-time viewing in Google
Earth.
I dont think there is any other tool that can
process this much data into a KML format that
quickly, said Boyce.
Managing and transforming large volumes of
data did indeed seem to be a recurring theme
throughout many presentations.
WSDOTs Leierer showed how theyre using FME
in combination with other tools to power the
creation of a statewide multi-modal transporta-
tion dataset. Focusing initially on the road net-
works, FME is transforming disparate data
including roads centerline data with addresses
and route milepost linear referencing systems
into a centralized ArcSDE database to create a
seamless, consistent dataset for users to access
via an Intranet portal. To date they have inte-
grated road data from eight counties and plan
to have 16 completed by spring of 2010. The
overall objective, however, is to have a central-
ized database offering seamless coverage of
rail, ports and airports for the entire state. Its
an impressive initiative that will provide sub-
stantial benefits to business and government,
particularly first responders. Leierer noted that
FME has been a critical success factor in their
effort to date.
We are integrating massive amounts of data
in their original form, said Leierer. It would
be very difficult to do without a spatial ETL tool
like FME, which doesnt care what data format
you use.
Integrating massive amounts of data was also
the focal point of a demonstration by con terra
to show how SDIs are becoming a reality across
Europe with the help of FME. Mark Doring illus-
trated how both FME Desktop and FME Server
can be used to transform existing data into an
SDIs specified model and enable users to
develop revenue-generating services.
FME as a data validator and aggregator was
demonstrated by Clayton Wise, senior program-
mer analyst of Virginias Hampton Roads
Sanitation District, which is using the tool to
upload and validate diverse data inputs from
14 separate models into one homogenous
regional hydraulic wastewater model. The same
loading and validating functionality is being
used by NOAA to create a single data ware-
house for a new Web-based bathymetry sys-
tem.
Much interest was also sparked by a number
of sessions showing FMEs prowess in support-
ing 3D applications particularly for the BIM mar-
ket. Christian Dahmen of con terra visualized
how FME users can generate, validate and pre-
pare data from disparate sources to build
CityGML models. And Ulf Mnsson, a project
manager with SWECO, showed how they used
FME to transform text-based laser scan data
into a Digital Terrain Model for climate change
analysis in Kavlinge, Sweden.
By the end of the conference, one message
became clear: FME has transformed itself far
beyond its previous form to give life to a num-
ber of initiatives otherwise left on paper. It has
also clearly left the development door wide
open to users imaginations. Perhaps thats
what makes it so fun to be an FME user - and
happy.
Mary Jo Wagner, mj_wagner@shaw.ca, freelance
writer, editor, and media consultant. She is based
in Vancoucer, BC. For more information on Safe
Software, have a look at www.safe.com
52
Event
September 2009
FME data doctors provided troubleshooting and tips to users.
The sun sets over Blackcomb Mountain, bringing an end to the conferences first day.
Safe in Numbers:
In business since 1993
95 employees
113 resellers in 47 countries
7500 users in 116 countries
FME 2009 contains more than
430 user-requested features
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Fully Integrated Imaging Solutions
Leicas RCD Digital Frame Cameras
Leica Geosystems is steadily developing its RCD series of airborne
medium-format digital frame cameras. First it introduced its RCD105 model
that is designed specifically for integration and concurrent operation with its
ALS series of airborne laser scanners. Now it is introducing its stand-alone
RCD100 model, which comes fully integrated with a control unit and a
GNSS/IMU system and is designed to generate imagery for use in
photogrammetric mapping and orthophoto production.
By Gordon Petrie
Introduction
As is well known, Leica Geosystems competes
strongly in the market for large-format air-
borne digital imagers with its ADS series of
airborne pushbroom line scanners. The com-
pany introduced this technology to the air-
borne imaging and mapping community with
its ADS40 imager that was first shown at the
ISPRS Congress held in Amsterdam in 2000.
Since then, Leica has steadily developed and
improved this type of large-format digital
imager, resulting in the current ADS80 model
which was introduced at the ISPRS 2008
Congress held in Beijing. However Leica has
recognised that, besides the highly competi-
tive market for large-format imaging devices,
a considerable market also exists for smaller
and less expensive airborne
digital imagers. These are required both for
integration with airborne laser scanners and
as fully integrated stand-alone systems that
can generate digital imagery for use in pho-
togrammetric mapping projects and orthopho-
to production. Leica Geosystems is now offer-
ing its RCD medium-format digital frame cam-
era systems that can satisfy both of these
applications.
Basic Camera Unit
The basic frame camera unit that is used in
both of these Leica medium-format imaging
systems is a purpose-built
that is manufactured by Geospatial Systems
Inc. (GSI) in Rochester, New York [Fig. 1]. Under
a partnership agreement that was announced
by the two companies in September 2008,
this camera unit and its accompanying con-
trol software is being supplied to Leica
Geosystems on an exclusive basis for incor-
poration in those of its systems that are
aimed at the commercial airborne mapping
market. This basic camera unit - which is
called the CH39 Camera Head by Leica - fea-
tures a Kodak CCD area array equipped with
a Bayer-pattern mosaic filter that can produce
either colour (RGB) or false-colour (CIR) frame
images with a format size of 7,216 x 5,412
pixels, with each pixel being 6.8 m in size.
The CH39 camera unit is available from Leica
with a choice of three alternative lenses hav-
ing focal length values of 35, 60 and 100 mm
respectively. These lenses have a fixed (infini-
ty) focus suitable for use from an airborne
platform and a fixed aperture value of f/4. The
lens that has been selected by the user is
rigidly attached to the camera body. The cam-
era and its lens is then calibrated geometri-
cally using GSIs calibration cage.
Of special interest with regard to the CH39
camera is the use of a uti-
lizing a curtain with a travelling slit that is
drawn very rapidly across the CCD array to
expose a frame image of the ground [Fig. 2].
The slit travels at a fixed speed across the
focal plane, while the width of the slit can be
varied to change the length of the exposure.
This type of shutter has been used widely in
reconnaissance cameras, since it allows the
use of ultra-short exposure times from an air-
craft that is flying fast at low altitudes in
the case of the CH39, the exposure time can
be as short as 1/4,000
th
second. This ensures
that blurring of the image due to aircraft
motion is not a problem. The shutter is uni-
directional in its operation, allowing a mini-
mum interval of 2.2 seconds between succes-
sive exposures. The use of this particular type
54
Ar t i cl e
September 2009
Fig. 1 The camera unit called the CH39 Camera Head by Leica
that forms the basis of companys RCD range of medium-format
digital frame camera systems.
Fig. 2 The focal plane shutter of a CH39 camera
unit which is equipped with a travelling slit that
exposes the image that is being recorded on the
CCD area array of the frame camera.
of focal plane shutter offers the unique fea-
ture of being removable and can be replaced
in the field without the need to remove the
lens or to re-calibrate the camera unit. The
use of this type of shutter - which takes a
very short but finite time to cross the focal
plane - also means that the exposed image
is very slightly elongated in the flight direc-
tion. However this effect is removed during
the post-processing of the exposed image.
RCD105 Camera
The RCD105 system comprises the CH39 cam-
era together with its CC105 controller which
is interfaced directly to the camera [Fig. 3].
The controller can in fact control the opera-
tions of two CH39 cameras mounted side-by-
side to acquire colour (RGB) and false-colour
(CIR) frame images simultaneously and to
record and store the resulting data on two
removable solid-state (flash) memory units
that can be exchanged in-flight. The RCD105
was the first model in the series that was
introduced to the market in 2007. It was
developed specifically for the acquisition of
digital frame imagery concurrent with the laser
scan data being acquired by the latest mod-
els in Leicas ALS series of
- including the ALS50-II, ALS60 and the
PAV80 gyro-stabilized mount [Fig. 5]. The first
three of these units are tightly coupled
together inside a specially-built chassis and
temperature-controlled housing. This then fits
into the PAV80 mount. The CH39 camera units
have already been discussed above. The
combines an IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit)
and a geodetic quality GNSS receiver. The IMU
is located directly above the CH39 camera unit
in a very rigid mount. Above this sits the CC10
Camera Controller, including the removable
solid state drives. Finally the IPAS20 electron-
ics cabinet which contains the controller
boards, real-time firmware, GNSS receiver and
the storage card that is used to record the
measured IMU and GNSS data is mounted
at the top of the stack of units accommodated
within the RCD100 housing.
A range of with different capabilities is
ALS Corridor Mapper models. The RCD105 can
be operated up to the maximum ceiling of the
ALS scanners. In the case of the ALS50-II, the
maximum flying height at which the instru-
ment can be operated is 6 km above ground
level, while the newest ALS60 model that was
introduced at the ISPRS 2008 Congress can
be operated at altitudes up to 5 km over the
terrain. Both of these scanners can be used
for the generation of elevation models over
large areas of terrain. By contrast, the ALS
Corridor Mapper is a lower-cost model that is
designed specifically for corridor mapping at
large scales (along roads, railways, rivers,
pipelines) from much lower flying heights
with a maximum operational altitude of 1 km
above ground level [Fig. 4]. With these very
different laser scanner applications and oper-
ating altitudes in mind, it is interesting to note
the wide range of angular and ground cover-
ages that are provided by the alternative lens-
es that are available for the RCD105 camera
system - as set out in Table I.
RCD100 Camera
By contrast, the Leica RCD100 is a fully inte-
grated stand-alone system combining (i)
either a single or dual CH39 camera unit; (ii)
a CC10 camera controller; (iii) an IPAS20 posi-
tioning and orientation system; and (iv) a
Latest News? Visit www.geoinformatics.com
Ar t i cl e
55
September 2009
Fig. 3 The RCD105 camera system that can be
supplied for use with the Leica ALS series of
airborne laser scanners with the CH39 Camera
Head sitting on top of the case containing
the CC105 camera controller.
Fig. 4 The Leica Geosystems ALS
Corridor Mapper. The laser scanner
is contained in the box located at
left rear, while the large electronics
cabinet at the right rear contains
the controllers for both the camera
and the laser scanner. At the front,
the RCD105 camera has been
placed between the two display
monitors for the pilot (at left) and
the systems operator (at right)
respectively.
Fig. 5 The Leica Geosystems RCD100 medium-
format digital frame camera system in its housing.
TABLE I - CH39 Lenses and their respective GSD values, angular and ground coverages and base:height ratios
offered for use in the IPAS20 system. The actu-
al IMU that will be utilized will depend on (i)
the customers requirements regarding perfor-
mance and the resulting cost; and (ii) the sta-
tus of the customers country with regard to
the export of IMU technology, which is strictly
regulated by the appropriate U.S. and
European authorities. The IMUs are supplied
either by Northrop Grumman (formerly Litton)
or Honeywell in the United States or from one
of the European suppliers, iMAR (Germany) or
Sagem (France). Since the quality of the geo-
referencing data that is provided by the
IPAS20 is an important matter for all RCD100
customers, the accuracy values that are speci-
fied for each of the available IMUs are sum-
marized in Table II set out above.
N.B. The NUS4 is the iMAR FSAS unit; the
DUS5 is the Litton LN-200 unit; the NUS5 is
a Sagem unit; and the CUS6 is the Honeywell
MicroIRS unit. (Source: Leica Geosystems)
The
which corrects for the angular motions of the
airborne platform is the successor to the
well known and widely used PAV30 mount
that was introduced originally during the
1990s for use with the Leica RC30 and other
similar film frame cameras. The new PAV80
mount [Fig. 6(a)] has a gimbal suspension
design and features high-torque motors and
a feedback loop, which provide a quick reac-
tion to and a smooth compensation of the
angular changes that are taking place during
the flight. Compared with its predecessors,
the PAV80 has a notably extended stabiliza-
tion range in roll (between -7 to +7
degrees); pitch (between -8 to +6 degrees);
and heading (from -30 to +30 degrees). While
the PAV80 mount can accommodate a wide
range of cameras and scanners, both from
Leica and other system suppliers, within the
specific context of the RCD100 frame camera
system [Fig. 6(b)], the input values of the atti-
tude and drift values will be derived from the
GNSS/IMU system of the integrated IPAS20
unit with which the PAV80 has a direct inter-
face. The actual gimbal angles of the PAV80
mount are also measured continuously and
are recorded at high data rates for later post-
processing.
The complete RCD100 camera system is oper-
ated and controlled by Leicas
. This
software-based system conducts, controls and
monitors all the operations of an RCD100 cam-
era system, including the active provision of
flight guidance information to the camera
operator and the pilot. The camera operator
interacts with the FSCMS software through an
OC52 Operation Controller which is equipped
with a single board computer, a high-resolu-
tion (12 inch) touch-screen LCD display moni-
tor and a keyboard [Fig. 7(a)]. Using the
FSCMS software and the OC52 controller, a
flight plan that has been prepared using
Leicas
can be implemented, including the
automatic exposure of the RCD100 camera
system at the planned positions in the air and
the switching on and off of the image data
recording in accordance with the flight plan.
Besides the camera operators OC52 controller
and display, optionally the pilot can be pro-
vided with a similar OC50 controller that is
equipped with a smaller (6.3 inch) LCD colour
display [Fig. 7(b)]. The FSCMS software can
be operated by the pilot using hard keys that
are placed around the edges of this LCD dis-
play. The pilot can also be provided with flight
guidance information using a GI40 (Guidance
Indicator) that shows the deviations from the
planned flight track. This last display is placed
on the aircrafts instrument panel directly in
front of the pilot.
Summary & Conclusion
The introduction of this highly integrated
RCD100 digital camera system comprising a
medium-format frame camera, a GNSS/IMU
system and a gyro-stabilized mount is a
major addition to Leica Geosystems range of
airborne imaging systems. Its introduction
means that the company now has a product
56
Ar t i cl e
September 2009
Fig. 6 (a) The PAV80 gyro-stabilized cam-
era mount.
(b) The RCD100 camera system
emplaced in a PAV80 mount
Fig. 7 (a) The OC52 Operations Controller complete with its LCD display and keyboard.
(b) The OC50 Operations Controller for the pilot note the hard keys that are located around the display.
TABLE II Specification and Accuracy Values for the Leica IPAS20 system
[a]
[b]
[b]
[a]
that can compete fully in the burgeoning market for medium-format digital
frame cameras, besides the RCD105 camera that is targeted mainly at the cus-
tomers for its very successful range of ALS airborne laser scanners. The main
market for the RCD100 camera system would appear to be those companies
and government agencies that have not yet adopted airborne digital imaging
technology because of the very high level of investment that is required to
purchase a large-format airborne digital imager. Into this group fall many of
the organisations in developing countries that are concerned with both nation-
al and project mapping. However, even in highly developed countries, the eco-
nomics of operating medium-format airborne digital cameras are attractive to
those agencies concerned with the imaging and mapping of limited areas for
environmental monitoring and disaster response. It will be extremely interest-
ing to follow the response of these various markets to this new product.
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 -
Gordon.Petrie@ges.gla.ac.uk
Latest News? Visit www.geoinformatics.com
57
September 2009
Fig. 8 A representative aerial frame image that has been acquired by a Leica RCD105
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Modular Cameras; Multiple Configurations
The IGI DigiCAM Range
A previous article in GeoInformatics (published in the October/November 2006
issue) highlighted the expansion of IGIs product range into the areas of
airborne digital frame cameras and laser scanners. Since then, IGI has pursued
a vigorous development of its airborne camera technology. This has resulted
in numerous alternative configurations based on the use of multiple
cameras with both vertical and oblique imaging capabilities.
By Gordon Petrie
Basic Camera & System
The basic building block for the construction of
IGIs multiple camera systems is its DigiCAM
medium-format digital frame camera. This is
based on the Hasselblad camera and has a
modular construction comprising three main
units (i) a modified ; (ii) a
; and (iii) and a range of that have
been calibrated by IGI [Fig. 1(a)]. Initial versions
of the DigiCAM camera featured a 22 Megapixel
digital back. However the vast majority of those
built to date have utilized the later 39
Megapixel digital back generating a frame
image with a rectangular format of 7,216 x 5,412
pixels. The next production series of DigiCAM
cameras which will become available by the
end of this year (2009) will feature a 60
Megapixel digital back that is based on the new
chip from Dalsa.
To meet the varied needs of its customers, IGI
offers a very wide range of for use with
its DigiCAM cameras with focal length values
ranging between 28 and 300 mm. These lens-
es have been developed by Hasselblad specifi-
cally for use in digital cameras. Each lens in the
range is operated in conjunction with an elec-
tronically-controlled leaf shutter that is housed
in the lens and provides shutter speeds over
the range 1/800th to 1/125th second. The mini-
mum time between successive exposures with
the DigiCAM-39 camera is 1.9 seconds; The new
DigiCAM-60 camera will have an image repeti-
tion rate of 1.6 seconds.
Besides the actual camera unit, a complete
DigiCAM system also comprises a DigiControl
together with
twin solid-state (SSD) that have
the capacity to record 6,400 images. The com-
plete system also includes an 8-inch TFT touch-
screen that provides on-line
information such as preview images and his-
tograms to the camera operator [Fig. 1(b)].
Integration of a DigiCAM camera system with
IGIs own CCNS4 airborne navigation and guid-
ance system provides fully automated opera-
tion of the camera system. The addition and
further integration of the companys
AEROcontrol GPS/IMU system provides both the
measured position and height coordinates and
the attitude values of the camera (providing
external orientation parameters) at the moment
of exposure as needed for direct geo-refer-
encing or for use in aerial triangulation opera-
tions.
Single Camera Systems
The use of individual DigiCAM camera systems
is of course possible in a in
order to acquire overlapping near-vertical frame
images of the terrain. For such a basic operation,
a simple mount can be fitted to the aircraft floor
to allow the pointing of the camera in the nadir
direction [Fig. 2(a)]. However, more usually, the
DigiCAM camera will be mounted on and oper-
ated from one of the purpose-built camera
mounts that are readily available. These include
a non-gyroscopically-controlled mount such as
the older Wild/Leica PAV10/20 models [Fig. 2(b)]
or one of the more modern gyro-controlled
mounts such as the Leica PAV30, Zeiss T-AS &
60
Ar t i cl e
September 2009
Fig. 1 (a) On the right half of this photo are the individual modular components lens, camera body and
digital back of an individual DigiCAM camera; while, at the left, is the assembled camera unit.
(b) This photo shows the main elements of a complete DigiCAM system. At the left side of the photo is the
TFT touch-screen display monitor; in the centre is the DigiControl control unit with its twin storage units for
the recording of the acquired images; while the DigiCAM camera unit with two filters placed in front of it is
shown at the right side of the photo.
Fig. 2 (a) This particular DigiCAM camera has been placed in a simple mount over a hole cut in the floor of
a Cessna 208 Caravan aircraft.
(b) This single DigiCAM camera has been placed in a cylindrical adapter unit that fits into a Wild/Leica
PAV10 camera mount. An AEROcontrol IMU unit has been placed on a shelf on the top of the adapter unit so
that it is mounted directly above the camera.
[b]
[a]
[b] [a]
SM-2000 or Somag GSM-3000 units. Indeed IGI
can supply adapter pods to fit DigiCAM cameras
into all of these mounts.
However, till now, many individual DigiCAM cam-
era units have been supplied as an integral part
of IGIs LiteMapper For this
specific application, IGI offers the complete sys-
tem (laser scanner + DigiCAM + CCNS4 flight navi-
gation and guidance system + AEROcontrol
GPS/IMU unit) mounted in a DART Heli-Utility-Pod
which is certified for operations with Eurocopter
AS350/355 helicopters [Fig. 3(a)]. The DART pod
is a very lightweight streamlined Kevlar box that
is attached to the side of the helicopter and has
been modified to accommodate a complete
LiteMapper system [Fig. 3(b)]. For use with certain
other types of helicopters - e.g. the Schweizer/
Sikorsky 333, Bell JetRanger, Hughes/MD 500,
Eurocopter EC-120 and Mil Mi-8, as well as in fixed-
wing aircraft - IGI offers an alternative purpose-
built mount that has been constructed in-house
and can accommodate all the sensor units of a
complete LiteMapper system, including the
DigiCAM [Fig. 3(c)]. It features spring elements at
each corner that are designed to dampen or
remove the effects of aircraft vibration.
Two Camera Systems
With regard to the use of twin DigiCAM airborne
cameras, a number of alternative configurations
are being offered by IGI. The first of these
exposures of the two cameras are synchronised
within 1/100ms.
A second quite different configuration called
the involves the two
DigiCAM cameras being placed in a suitable
mount with a relatively small tilted (low oblique)
pointing of their optical axes [Fig. 5(a)]. Again
this allows two possible operational modes to
be implemented. (i) In the first of these, the
two cameras are pointed in opposite directions
cross-track and their shutters are fired simulta-
neously, again with a synchronisation of better
than 1/100ms. This produces two oblique pho-
tographs with a narrow overlap between them
[Fig. 5(b)]. The two photos can then be recti-
fied and stitched together using tie points in
the common overlap to provide the wide cross-
track coverage of the ground that is required.
(ii) The alternative mode of operation is to oper-
ate the same system with its two oblique point-
ing cameras set in the along-track direction.
This can be used to acquire twin convergent
oblique photographs with 100% overlap if
desired, allowing stereo-models to be formed
with a favourable base:height ratio. The format
size of the merged images that are acquired by
the current Dual-DigiCAM using its cross-track
configuration using the 39 Megapixel digital
backs is 70 Megapixels. When the new 60
Megapixel backs become available by the end
of this year, the size will increase to 110
Megapixels.
called the system - involves
placing the pair of cameras in a suitable mount
with both optical axes set parallel to one
another, pointing in the vertical direction [Fig.
4]. This allows two possible operational modes
- (i) the first producing two virtually identical
images of the terrain in colour (RGB) and false-
colour (CIR) simultaneously; and (ii) the second
using the cameras to take alternating images
of the terrain when the required overlap, flying
height or flight speed values require an image
repetition time of less than one second. The
Latest News? Visit www.geoinformatics.com
Ar t i cl e
61
September 2009
Fig. 3 (a) This Eurocopter AS350 helicopter is
equipped with a DART Heli-Utility-Pod which is
designed specifically to accommodate a complete
airborne laser scanning system.
(b) This IGI LiteMapper 5600 airborne laser scanner
and its accompanying DigiCAM camera are shown
mounted in the Heli-Utility-Pod with its covering
lid removed.
(c) This complete IGI LiteMapper system has been
placed on a purpose-built anti-vibration mount
that has been constructed in-house by IGI for use in
fixed-wing aircraft. At the front, is the AEROcontrol
IMU unit which is housed in the red box placed at
the right-hand end of the mount; at the front cen-
tre is the DigiCAM camera that is mounted on two
silver pillars; while at the left-hand end is a
DigiTHERM thermal-IR camera. The LiteMapper
scanner unit is contained in the silver box with the
red plate on top that has been placed at the rear of
the mount.
Fig. 4 An IGI Double-DigiCAM system with its
twin nadir-pointing cameras mounted inside the
cylindrical adapter box that fits into the Somag
GSM3000 gyro-stabilized mount. An IGI
AEROcontrol IMU unit is mounted on the shelf
above the two cameras.
[b] [a]
[c]
A third configuration using twin DigiCAM cam-
eras that is being offered by IGI is the so-called
system. Like the previ-
ous Dual DigiCAM system, it uses a pair of
oblique pointing DigiCAM cameras. However
these are operated with their optical axes set
at the high tilt angles of 45 degrees to the ver-
tical and without any attempt to overlap the
two resulting high oblique images [Fig. 6]. This
arrangement is designed specifically to produce
highly oblique images that can provide detailed
information about the characteristics of build-
ings and other structures that can be used for
3D city modelling.
Three Camera Systems
IGI has also designed a airborne
digital camera system. This comprises three
DigiCAM cameras that can be placed within a
standard mount in a configuration that provides
one vertical and two low oblique frames, again
with the same highly synchronized exposures
as for the twin camera systems [Fig. 7]. By
selecting lenses of a suitable (short) focal length
from the available range, an extremely wide
angular coverage of the ground can be achieved
in the cross-track direction from horizon-to-
horizon if required. As with all the previous
configurations, an AEROcontrol GPS/IMU system
can be supplied and integrated to provide con-
tinuous measurement of the position and atti-
tude values of the airborne platform on which
the Triple-DigiCAM system has been mounted.
Four Camera Systems
IGI has also introduced four camera systems
based on two alternative and quite different
geometric configurations of the oblique point-
ing DigiCAM cameras. (i) In the first of these
called the system [Fig. 8(a)]
the four cameras are closely coupled together
in a block configuration such that all four tilted
images are acquired simultaneously and over-
lap slightly along two of their edges [Fig. 8(b)].
The resulting four low oblique images can then
be rectified post-flight. After rectification, the
four individual rectified images can then be
stitched together to produce a single compos-
ite near-vertical image with a large rectangular
format that is 145 Megapixels in size. By the
end of the year, when the 60 Megapixel backs
become available, the final stitched composite
image will be 220 Megapixels in size.
A series of overlapping large-format composite
images, each of which has been taken from a
single position in the air, can readily be acquired
using the Quattro-DigiCAM system. These
images can then be accommodated as stereo-
62
Ar t i cl e
September 2009
Fig. 5 (a) An IGI Dual-DigiCAM system with the
twin cameras tilted so that their optical axes are
pointing obliquely to either side of the flight line
in the cross-track direction. again with an
AEROcontrol IMU unit mounted on the shelf
above the two cameras.
(b) A diagram providing plan view of the geometric
configuration and ground coverage of a
Dual-DigiCAM twin-camera system.
Fig. 6 An IGI Dual-DigiCAM Oblique system show-
ing the pair of cameras tilted at angles of 45
degrees to the vertical to acquire images on either
side of the flight line.
Fig. 7 A plan view of the geometric configuration and ground coverage of a Triple-DigiCAM system with its
single vertical photo and twin oblique photos providing a very wide angular coverage of the terrain.
Fig. 8 (a) A Quattro-DigiCAM system with its four
closely-coupled DigigCAM medium-format cameras
that have been configured to produce a single com-
posite large-format frame image - after the rectifi-
cation and stitching together of the four oblique
images has been undertaken.
(b) This diagram shows the geometric arrange-
ment, ground coverage and overlaps of
the four oblique images that are
generated by a Quattro-DigiCAM
system.
(c) A CAD drawing of the cylindri-
cal adapter unit that is used to fit
the four DigiCAM cameras into a
standard camera mount.
[a]
[b]
[a]
[b]
[a]
[b]
[c]
models in the digital photogrammetric worksta-
tions (DPWs) that are in widespread use in the
mapping industry. It will be noted that, since
the DigiCAM cameras utilize mosaic filters and
Bayer interpolation to generate their images in
colour or false colour, there is no need for addi-
tional small-format cameras to generate multi-
spectral images which can then be utilized to
colourize the composite large-format image
as used in certain other systems that have also
adopted this four-coupled camera arrangement.
It is also worth noting that the four cameras of
the Quattro-DigiCAM system can all be accom-
modated in a standard mount such as the
Wild/Leica PAV10/20/30 series, Zeiss SM-2000
or Somag GSM-3000 for which IGI provides a
suitable cylindrical adapter [Fig. 8(c)]. The
Quattro-DigiCAM is one of cameras that have
been included in the digital camera tests that
have been organised by the German Society of
Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and
Geoinformation (DGPF) in 2008. The first results
of the Quattro-DigiCAM tests can be found on
Five Camera Systems
The five camera system that has been intro-
duced by IGI is its system [Fig.
10(a)]. This includes a single nadir-pointing
DigiCAM camera equipped with a wide-angle
(f=28mm) lens producing a near-vertical photo-
graph of the terrain. This central camera is
flanked by four more DigiCAMs that are
equipped with f=150mm lenses (or any other
focal length that is needed), which are expos-
ing oblique photographs of the surrounding ter-
rain simultaneously. Two of the oblique cam-
eras point in opposite directions cross-track,
while the other two point in opposite directions
along-track. Each of the four oblique photos
has a narrow overlap with the central near-ver-
tical photograph. The resulting ground cover-
age takes the distinctive form of a Maltese
Cross [Fig. 10(b)]. This very distinctive configu-
ration which dates originally from the 1930s
has been revived in recent years by Pictometry
and its licensees. However these companies are
acting essentially as service providers, licensing
their imagery to users. By contrast, IGI is acting
as a system integrator, supplying its Penta-
DigiCAM system to independent aerial photo-
graphic and mapping organisations. It will be
noted also that the IGI system generates medi-
um-format digital images, rather than the small-
format images that are being generated by
alternative system suppliers. Once again, by the
end of this year, when the 60 Megapixel digital
backs become available, these will be fitted to
the cameras in the Penta-DigiCAM. They will
then be mounted in a camera adapter unit for
operation in a gyro-stabilized mount.
Conclusion
IGI has developed a most interesting series of
modular airborne frame camera systems offer-
ing users a very wide range of alternative con-
figurations from which they can choose the spe-
cific one that best satisfies their needs.
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 - Gordon.Petrie@ges.gla.ac.uk
the following Web page of the Institute of
Photogrammetry of the University of Stuttgart:-
www.ifp.unistuttgart.de/dgpf/PDF/ISPRS_DGPF_
Cramer_Haala-FINAL2.pdf
(ii) The alternative four camera system called
the system has a
completely different geometric arrangement in
which the optical axes of all four DigiCAM cam-
eras are set (tilted) to point at the high angles
of 45 degrees to the vertical [Fig. 9(a)]. Two of
the four cameras are mounted to point in oppo-
site directions along-track; while the other two
are mounted in a similar fashion to point in
opposite directions cross-track. It can be seen
that, in this configuration, the four high oblique
images that are generated simultaneously from
a single exposure position in the air do not
overlap on one another [Fig. 9(b)]. As with the
Dual-DigiCAM Oblique system, the acquired
images are designed to be used in 3D city mod-
elling. Despite the different geometrical arrange-
ment and the large oblique pointing angles, the
cameras can be mounted in a standard mount.
Alternatively - depending on the space that is
available in the aircraft they can be placed in
a special mount that is being manufactured in-
house by IGI [Fig. 9(a)].
Latest News? Visit www.geoinformatics.com
Ar t i cl e
63
September 2009
Fig. 9 (a) The lower part of this photo shows an
IGI Quattro-DigiCAM Oblique system with each of
the four medium-format cameras tilted at an angle
of 45 degrees to the vertical. Two of the cameras
point in opposite directions cross-track, while the
other two cameras point in opposite directions
along-track. In the background (in the upper part
of the photo) is a Vexcel UltraCam large-format dig-
ital frame camera that is being used to acquire
near-vertical aerial photography simultaneously.
(b) This diagram shows the ground coverage of
each of the four oblique images that are being
acquired by a Quattro-DigiCAM Oblique camera
system.
Fig. 10 (a) An IGI Penta-DigiCAM system with the single vertical camera (equipped with an f=28 mm lens) in
the centre. It is flanked by the four tilted cameras (each with an f=150 mm lens) that generate the surrounding
oblique images of the ground. An AEROcontrol IMU unit has been mounted directly over the vertical camera.
(b) Diagram of the distinctive Maltese Cross coverage of the terrain that is produced by a Penta-DigiCAM
camera system, combining a single near-vertical photo with four oblique images, with each of the latter
overlapping slightly on the near-vertical photo..
[a] [b]
[a]
[b]
Further Integration of Components of the ESRI Platform
ESRI International User
Conference 2009
The yearly international user
conference of ESRI in San Diego is for
many people the most important GIS
event in the world. From July 13 to 17,
ESRI users were welcomed in the San
Diego Convention Center for
everything that has to do with GIS:
workshops, an exhibition, user group
meetings and an update on the most
recent developments on the ESRI
platform. This platform consists of
desktop GIS, server GIS, mobile GIS
and online Services. From the plenary
sessions it became clear that these
components are converging more and
more and to a greater degree
supplement each other.
By Eric van Rees
This years Conference theme was Designing
Our Future, in which policy measures are used
to fight climate change. The two guest speak-
ers on the opening days afternoon program,
economist Hernando de Soto and biologist
Willie Smits, talked about durable development
and how to design the future. Smits spoke
about reforesting in Indonesia to keep up the
mark of the orangutan population, De Soto on
the use of GIS to formalize landownership in
Peru, to fight poverty. In the workshops that
followed during the rest of the week the con-
ference theme returned with a special Climate
Change GIS Program.
The first day of the User Conference consisted
of software demos, ESRI client stories and
award ceremonies. In the morning program, the
Enterprise Award, the Making A Difference Award
and the Presidents Award were handed out.
This last award was meant for Governor Martin
OMalley of the State of Maryland. GIS is
deployed here for many means: civilians are
informed in the field of safety, green manage-
ment, where to go for a new drivers license
and how long it will take before this license is
ready. A live demo showed how this all takes
place: through an easy to use web interface and
with the aid of easy to use drop down menus
that GIS users will recognize as APIs from
Silverlight and Flex. All relevant projects near
ones house can be requested, and for ques-
tions one can directly email the project leader
concerned, with just one mouse click.
Later that day, Dr. Henk Scholten received a
Lifetime Achievement Award for his work for
EduGIS, Geodan and the VU Amsterdam (Free
University). In a short talk he mentioned the
importance of maps and geodata for the Dutch,
as demonstrated on many paintings by
Vermeer, a famous Dutch painter. The geo-
graphical point of view can be used in many
sciences and is not only limited to geography
alone. This opinion is also the starting point in
his recent book Geospatial Technology and the
Role of Location in Science, later that week pre-
sented at the Geodan booth at the exhibition.
Also shown was a short video on the impor-
tance of a shared view for all parties (map and
data) in case of an emergency, such as a flood-
ing. To make this happen, Geodan, Microsoft
and ESRI Netherlands joined hands and devel-
oped a product called Eagle, which was also
demonstrated at the exhibition.
ArcGIS 9.4, ArcGIS Explorer and
Mobile GIS
The new release of ArcGIS Desktop is slated for
the first half of 2010 and previews were shown
last year and this year in the plenary session.
What is striking is that developments concern-
ing Web-GIS are finding their place in the ArcGIS
architecture: think for instance of sharing of
maps and data on the internet or in other ESRI
apps. To meet the demand for more geograph-
ical data, ESRI provides more and more (free)
geodata on the web. Mobile GIS is seeing a
new impetus with GIS-apps for Blackberry and
I-Phone, so that users can share ArcGIS-maps
with others to show their work.
64
Event
September 2009
Jack Dangermond, ESRI President, welcomes attendees to ESRIs 29th annual International User Conference.
Also shown was the most recent version of
ESRIs GIS-viewer ArcGIS Explorer, entitled
ArcGIS Explorer 900. Here, collections of map
layers (called layer packages) can be imported
in ArcGIS Explorer and visualized in both 2D
and 3D. With a number of presentation tools
inside Explorer 900, a user can make presenta-
tions that enable one to search and view maps
interactively, with ArcGIS Server running in the
background.
Sharing data within a GIS environment with
groups of users will become much easier with
ArcGIS 9.4: by defining user groups, it will
become possible to edit data or maps from a
distance. The same goes for searching geoda-
ta on the internet. With crawling techniques,
GIS users will be able to search for geodata on
the web and share their work in the form of
user-generated content (such as mashups) with
others. ArcGIS maps can be exported to other
file types such as Geo-PDFs, .html, .xms and
others.
Spatial analysis in 9.4 will have a number of
extensions as well: from now on, it will be pos-
sible to visualize changes in time and analyze
these on a map, for instance climate changes
in a certain area. The extension of 3D visual-
izations and analyses offers interesting oppor-
tunities for users. You can edit spatial objects
not only above ground, but also beneath it.
Scenarios can be calculated in time and visu-
alized directly, such as the epicenter of an
earthquake in San Francisco. A video of an
eruption was generated and added to the leg-
end as a separate map layer, to show maps
Smart Grids
Tuesday July 14 started off with a very interest-
ing session entitled Enterprise GIS Powers the
Smart Grid. In this session, the role of enter-
prise GIS was examined and demonstrated as
one of the key technologies of the next gener-
ation of electric utilities. A Smart Grid is a grid
that is more intelligent , allowing customers to
have a better understanding of their electric
use, to better integrate renewable energy and
to reduce outages. According to Bill Meehan,
Director of ESRIs Utility Solutions, GIS can play
a strong role in helping utilities implement
Smart Grid technologies, including self-healing
systems, smart meters that control devices with-
in homes and businesses to manage loads, and
phone home technologies that detect weak-
nesses in the system.
Smart Grid is a term used for a lot of things.
Here, a Smart Grid consists of two systems,
namely the electronic power delivery system
and the telecommunications system including
smart meters. These two systems have to be
fully integrated to make a Smart Grid work well.
In delivering a Smart Grid, the requirements of
both systems need to be understood. GIS can
provide an information framework for corporate
decision making, of which Smart Grid is a part.
It can also provide and receive real-time data
from the Smart Grid for modeling, visualizing,
planning and analyzing the Smart Grid. GIS can-
not do everything, however: it will not control
and monitor the Smart Grid, or process sensor
data, or manage smart meter data.
Eric van Rees is editor in chief of GeoInformatics.
For more information on the ESRI UC 2009, have a
look at http://www.esri.com/events/uc/index.html.
becoming fully 3D, dynamic and interactive.
New was ESRIs announcement of a non-GIS
product called MapIt. This product is not meant
for ESRI users but Microsoft users who want
to host their spatial data (SQL Server 2008)
without having to use ESRIs software. The soft-
ware was not demonstrated but could be
downloaded the very same day the announce-
ment was made. On the exhibition floor how-
ever, I was able to toy around with the soft-
ware.
Latest News? Visit www.geoinformatics.com
Event
65
September 2009
Dr. Krishnaswamy Kasturirangan receives the Making a
Difference Award from Jack Dangermond, ESRI President, at
ESRIs 29th annual International User Conference.
Dr. Henk Scholten receives the Lifetime Achievement Award from
Jack Dangermond, ESRI President, at ESRIs 29th annual
International User Conference.
Combined GIS Event and Symposium in Salzburg
The annual Computer Oriented Geology (COG) and Geoinformatics Forum
(GI-Forum) conferences take place during the AGIT at the University of Salzburg,
Faculty for Natural Sciences. The Working Group "Computer Oriented Geology"
serves as a forum for discussion of up-to-date geo-software, software
applications and development trends. The interdisciplinary GI-Forum focuses on
an international GIScience audience, communicating in English, and sharing an
interest in translating new methods and tech-niques into a broad range of
application domains in geoinformatics.
By Robert Marschallinger, Fritz Zobl, Adrijana Car & Petra Jenewein
The AGIT (www.agit.at), organized by the
Centre for Geoinformatics at University of
Salzburg, is the biggest annual event of the
German-speaking GIS world. From July 8 to 10
more than a thousand participants attended
this event in Salzburg where GI-scientists and
participants from industry and academia met
with users from the public and private sectors
for presentations of papers, tutorial workshops
and product presen-tations.
The AGIT EXPO, organized parallel to the AGIT
Symposium, offered in 2009 a total of 60 com-
panies, organizations and institutions as well
as users of spatial information technologies and
geoinformatics, a great opportunity to exchange
ideas, learn about developments and present
innovations. AGIT 2010 will be held from July 7
to 9.
The beautiful world cultural heritage city of
Salzburg was the setting for the third Geoin-for-
matics Forum and Computer Oriented Geology
symposium jointly organized by Sal-zburg
University Centre for Geoinformatics (Z_GIS) and
the Institute of Geographic In-formation Science
(GIScience) at the Austrian Academy of Sciences.
The Institute for GIScience investigates concepts
and methods for modeling, organizing, analyz-
ing and communicating geospatial information.
In close cooperation with interna-tional part-
ners, the institute aims at achieving substantial
progress in two major areas critical for current
and future developments across GIS applica-
tion domains: Spatial Analysis and Modeling,
and Spatial Data Infrastructures. These core
research areas are enhanced and complement-
ed by two transversal research themes: Time &
Space and Learning to Think Spatially. As the
science supporting the development and appli-
cation of GI Systems, GIScience has a signifi-
cant impact on professional disciplines, public
administration and, increasingly, everyday lives
(www.oeaw-giscience.org).
The Centre for GeoInformatics at Salzburg
University is a well-established center of com-
petence in GIScience. Z_GIS is active in
research, continuing education and industry
cooperation. With the competence being built
from basic and applied research funded primar-
ily through international programs, Z_GIS
engages in educational and capacity-building
activities, outreach initiatives and international
collaboration projects. In particular the Centre
promotes the practical implementation of
geospatial tools re-flected in collaboration
agreements with leading enterprises in the GI
sector. At the same time the team of GI special-
ists contributes their skills and expertise to
study-programs and research at Salzburg
University as well as a range of international
partner organizations (www.zgis.at).
COG @ AGIT 2009
The Working Group Computer Oriented
Geology of the Austrian Geological Society
(GG) is a forum for discussing the application
and development trends of geo-software,
specifically in the fields of geology, engineering
geology and hydrology. The Computer Oriented
Geology meeting brings together practitioners,
researchers and stu-dents from these fields, as
well as producers of dedicated software. The
COG thematic sessions include a broad range
of topics: in 2007, emphasis was on ground-
water mod-eling, hydrothermal modeling and
modeling river bound sediment transport. In
2008, the COG sessions centered on geomoni-
66
Event
September 2009
Computer Oriented Geology &
GI-Forum @ AGIT 2009
One application of computer
oriented geology:
Development of a three-
dimensional
subsurface model derived
from seismic reflection data.
Latest News? Visit www.geoinformatics.com
Event
67
September 2009
toring and geotechnical finite element-, rock
fall- and landslide modeling.
The 2009 sessions highlighted on-line data
acquisition, general geological 3D modeling
and geotechnical analysis. This years poster
session included flash poster presenta-tions,
targeting emerging scientists and geological or
geotechnical offices in particular. The presenta-
tions at all sessions proved fruitful for present-
ing ideas and facilitated the exchange of expe-
rience from geological, geotechnical and
scientific projects. Sixty par-ticipants visited this
years COG; as in the years before, the presen-
tations have been published in extended form
in a peer-reviewed book available via
www.amazon.de .
Due to the provenance of the attendees who
come mainly from Austria, Germany and
Switzerland, the COG conference language has
been German. In 2010, the COG will also
address eastern European countries and English
will therefore be added as a sec-ond confer-
ence language.
For the 2010 COG meeting, the following the-
matic sessions are planned: geotechnical doc-
umentation and monitoring, 3D visualization in
geology and geotechnics, geostatis-tics and
environmental remediation. More information
on the COG 2010 is available at www.oeaw-
giscience.org.
GI-Forum @ AGIT 2009
The interdisciplinary GI_Forum (www.gi-
forum.org, July 7 to 10, 2009) focused on an
international GIScience audience, communicat-
ing in English, and sharing an interest in trans-
lating new methods and techniques into a
broad range of application domains in geoin-
formatics. GI_Forum has become an annual
event for the vibrant GI community from
academia, industry, and government to analyze
progress and explore new re-search directions.
The proceedings of the GI_Forum09 consist of
papers on emerging topics and re-search out-
comes related to geoinformatics methodology
(www.wichmann-verlag.de/product/3ba16ad815
4.html). These topics range from geospatial
data acquisi-tion and GI-technology, advanced
spatial analysis, knowledge extraction and
geovisu-alization, to standards and spatial data
infrastructure, distributed and mobile services,
and dynamic modeling and simulation.
GI_Forum09 also attracted contributions
per-taining to the following specific topics:
Digital Cities
Digital cities are meant to provide
collaborative environments built upon a
fine-resolution 3D digital city and its infras-
tructure in the present and the future. Re-
spective contributions address these issues
both at conceptual and computa-tional lev-
els
Sustainable Environments
Developing and managing our
natural, societal and technical
environments in a sustainable
way is one of today's major
challenges. This includes the
generation of renewable ener-
gy as well as integrated
approaches to mobility and
regional development and the
use of geoinformatics as an
indispensable set of tools
Global Monitoring - Observing,
Understanding and Visualizing
Planet Earth
Global initiatives such as Global Earth
Observation System of Systems (GEOSS)
and the EU-ESA joint program Global
Monitoring for Environment and Security
(GMES) provide the open stage for creating,
developing and implementing a range of EO-
based information services. They build on
cutting-edge technology in data integration
and processing, spatio-temporal analysis,
information extrac-tion and visualization,
while addressing users needs
Learning with Geoinformation
Learning with Geoinformation attracted con-
tributions discussing various issues related
to geoinformation in education. The bilin-
gual conference on Learning with
Geoinformation hosted contributions in
respective sessions shared with GI_Forum
and in cooperation with the Herodot net-
work (www.herodot.net). These contribu-
tions are published in separate proceedings.
The quality of all the contributions greatly
depends on critical and constructive feedback
from the GI_Forum program committee mem-
bers an internationally-acknowledged team of
experts from academia and industry. The pro-
gram committee selected over 50 contributions
to be presented as publications, in a discussion
session or as poster pres-entations at the
GI_Forum09. At the GI_Forum08 we introduced
the thematic discus-sion session format to facil-
itate the exchange of experience and further
enhance dis-cussion among the presenters and
the audience, which proved particularly fruitful
for presenting early ideas. Due to excellent feed-
back by both presenters and audience we
decided to organize a number of sessions in
this manner again and summaries of the respec-
tive contributions are available as extended
abstracts in these proceedings.
The GI_Forum program was significantly
enriched by two keynote speakers, distin-
guished researchers in the area of GIScience.
Sucharita Gopal from Boston University, USA,
focused on geosocial networking, considered
one of the hottest application areas in 2009. In
her keynote Mrs Gopal examined the evolution
and technology of geosocial networking, its
implications, as well as its place in creating a
more socially relevant and friendly GIS.
Claire Jarvis from the University of Leicester, UK,
addressed spatial literacy. Spatial literacy has
become increasingly important in order to
achieve effective teaching and learning in
GIScience. In her keynote Mrs Jarvis first inves-
tigated a spatial literacy con-tinuum based on
a synthesis of research from a range of
disciplines.
Robert Marschallinger
robert.marschallinger@oeaw.ac.at, Fritz Zobl
fritz.zobl@oeaw.ac.at, GIScience, Institute for
Geographic Information Science, Austrian
Academy of Sciences. www.oeaw-giscience.org
Adrijana Car adrijana.car@sbg.ac.at, Petra Jenewein
petra.jenewein@sbg.ac.at, Z_GIS Centre for
Geoinformatics. University of Salz-burg, www.uni-
salzburg.at/zgis
Marschallinger, R.,
Wanker, W., Zobl. F. (2009): Online
Datenerfassung, berhrungslose Messverfahren,
3D-Modellierung und geotechnische Analyse in
Geologie und Geotechnik, Beitrge zur COG-
Fachtagung, 254 p, Salzburg 2009, ISBN 978-3-
87907-490-7, Wichmann
Car, A., Griesebner, G., Strobl, J. (2009):
Geospatial Crossroads @ GI_Forum 09.
Proceedings of the Geoinformatics Forum
Salzburg, 254 p, Salzburg 2009, ISBN 978-3-87907-
481-5, Wichmann
Strobl, J., Blaschke, T., Griesebner, G. (2009):
Angewandte Geoinformatik 2009, Beitrge zum
21. AGIT-Symposium Salzburg 2009, XVI, 858 p,
ISBN 978-3-87907-480-8, Wichmann
[A]
[B]
[C]
ADL Series
Pacific Crest has launched a radio
telemetry product line called the ADL
series. Pacific Crests radios are used
in the GNSS industry where it is used
for example to transmit RTK
corrections.
By our editorial staff
The new products all are based on a core
module called the ADL Foundation. The ADL
Foundation can be used as an OEM module
for manufacturers and system integrators and
also forms the basis of the following prod-
ucts:
ADL Vantage (display, up to 4W)
ADL Vantage Pro (display, up to 35W)
ADL Sentry (no display, dual com port,
up to 4W)
Historically Pacific Crest has a focus on the
GNSS industry but also service other mar-
kets. With the new product range more
markets could be even better accessible, such
as Marine, SCADA, remote sensing and con-
trol of various systems.
The ADL Foundation is fully programmable for
output power between 0.1 and 1W. The radio
comes in a 40MHz wide band which is good
news for internationally operating companies
who are not willing to keep stock of many dif-
ferent radios covering only a limited frequen-
cy band. With only two 40MHz wide radios
the whole of the UHF band is covered from
390 430 MHz and 430 470 MHz. Also the
channel spacing is programmable between
12.5kHz and 25kHz.
Improvements in the radio protocols used
have made it possible to increase the max-
imum speed over the air to support 19k2
when selected a 25kHz channel for both
GMSK and 4LFSK modulation based
protocols. This will support the ever
increasing need for data telemetry
bandwidth due to the constantly
increasing availability of position-
ing satellites. The number of pro-
tocols have also been updated
and increased to be compati-
ble with all generally used
standards. The new product
line will still remain compat-
ible with earlier Pacific
Crest radio products.
The ADL Vantage will
become the successor of
the current PDL LPB radio
and the ADL Vantage Pro
will replace the PDL
Ar t i cl e
September 2009
Pacific Crest New Product Line
Pacific Crest's new Advanced
Data Link series.
Heart of the new ADL products, the ADL
Foundation. This product is also available for
system integrators
68
HPB. The output power of the ADL Vantage is programmable up
to 4W and the ADL Vantage Pro can be programmed up to 35W.
To support European regions where higher output power is accept-
ed, the ADL Vantage Pro is ETSI certified and can be used with
having a proper frequency licence in place. New on the ADL
Vantage and ADL Vantage Pro is the display that is an easy tool
for doing in-field programming of the settings. When different val-
ues and readings need monitoring, the display is also of help.
The buttons on the ADL Vantage and Vantage Pro allow the user
easy access to the different functions of the radio.
SCADA Business
To allow intensive use in the field, the unit is designed with a
Heavy Duty enclosure that also offers optimum EMI resistance. To
make sure that the unit can be used in all weather conditions
without additional casing all products are IP67 rated. This means
they can be installed and kept outside.
The form factor has changed to increase the mounting options. A
limited number of smart brackets are available to allow mounting
of the product on a tripod, a pole, a wall or a mast.
Interfacing to all GNSS products that exist in the market place
and to auxiliary devices is done through the same robust LEMO
connector as the previous products while the ADL Sentry is
equipped with a Turck connector. The reason for this is the mar-
ket for which the ADL Sentry is designed for which is amongst
others; Machine Automation, SCADA, Marine, Mining, etc. These
markets typically require the most robust design and cabling. To
support the SCADA business, the Sentry offers two serial ports
that allows for simultaneous data transmission and Quality
Control.
Other improvements are the wide input voltage range up to 30VDC
and the TNC connector. Internally the firmware is updated with
the latest technology in data transcription allowing for transmis-
sion over even longer distances than before. Different quality
parameters are available through either serial port or display.
Internet: www.pacificcrest.com
Latest News? Visit www.geoinformatics.com
Key exhibition areas: Transport and logistics
Trafc and automotive I Machine control
Satellite surveying I Terrestrial SatNav technology
and services I Satellite-based technology
With the help of modern satellite navigation
systems, transport companies are able to manage
their vehicle eets and farmers are sowing their
seeds. Other industries are only now discovering
the various application benets of this new tech-
nology which already has an inuence on practi-
cally all branches of the economy and areas of life.
With POSITIONALE, Messe Stuttgart is creating the
rst European industry platform, which will bring
technology suppliers, service providers and users
together.
Find your position! Secure your trade fair parti-
cipation at POSITIONALE 2010.
The industry is positioning itself
New Stuttgart Trade Fair Centre
18 to 20 May 2010
www.positionale.de
ADL Vantage in a Mobile Base Station set up
69
70
Revi ew
September 2009
From Search Engine to Omnivore
Google is famous all over the world. The company that started as a web page
search engine is now a billion dollar company that is a serious competitor to
Microsoft. But above all, its the company that wants to manage all the knowledge
in the world. What strategies underlie this megalomaniacal wish? And how did
Google manage to get as big as it is now? Professor of economics and New York
Times columnist Randall Stross tells all in his book entitled Planet Google: One
Companys Audacious Plan To Organize Everything We Know.
By Eric van Rees
Google is a success story, a company start-
ed by two American Ph.D. students in a stu-
dent apartment at Stanford University. In ten
years it has grown to be one of the most
defining IT companies in the world. Today,
Googles annual statistics are seen as an indi-
cator of the IT sector, since it is by far the
most profitable search engine on the internet.
And nowadays Google is much more than just
a search engine, because Google thinks big:
in 1999 the companys ultimate target was to
manage all information on this planet. The
company immediately started to do as much
as it could to reach this goal quickly. Stross
describes in his book the activities the com-
pany has undertaken so far and how it has
got as big as it is now. He is also interested
in how managing this information is perceived
by the rest of the world.
Succes
Googles success can be attributed to the
combination of a refined search technology
and lucrative advertisements that are shown
with the search results. The revenues from
these advertisements enable Google to
deploy new acquisitions and activities in the
search for new information sources such as
books, news, video and email. By unlocking
these information sources in some kind of
digital form, they come within reach of
Googles search engine, which is exactly what
Googles founders are up to. The more infor-
mation Google has access to, the better the
search results, since the software has more
information to choose from. Data capacity is
not a problem for Google: a lot has been
invested to make quick and numerous search-
es available at any given moment. The user
does not notice anything that is going on
inside Google when a search has been done.
The search engine is so popular because it is
so empty, advertisements being shown the
same way search results are, instead of in
annoying and colorful banners.
Stross spends a lot of pages explaining how
Google has refined its search engine. It was
hired back in the days when Netscape was
the most popular browser, and it was for this
company that it started to refine its search
capacities, that is, based on pure mathemat-
ics without any human intervention in the
search results. The discussion of what results
in better search results -- man, machine or
Title: Planet Google: One
Company's Audacious Plan To
Organize Everything We Know
Author: Randall Stross
Publisher: Free Press
No. of pages: 288
ISBN: 978-1416546917
Planet Google
72
Revi ew
September 2009
maybe a combination of both -- is later picked
up in the book. Stross is also interested in
the question, can Google come up with good
human language translation capabilities?
Surprisingly, Google can achieve good trans-
lation results, but only when there is a lot of
rough material to choose from. Again, quality
can only be guaranteed by quantity: Googles
mantra. After internet page searching, Google
applied its search concept to email (Gmail),
geographical information (Google Maps,
Google Earth) and books, to name a few.
Geospatial
Googles geospatial activities make up one
chapter of the book. Keyhole, a small Silicon
Valley-based company that specializes in
streaming satellite imagery for a broad audi-
ence, was bought by Google after the com-
pany realized that geography is just another
way to structure information and its users. For
them, it was much more than just route plan-
ning and maps. In 2005, Google launched
Google Earth, a freely-available software pro-
gram that is now used all over the world.
Users can make their own mash-ups and
share them over the internet. With the avail-
ability of Google Street View, privacy issues
were raised again when individuals were rec-
ognizable in the streets and had to be
removed later, something Google now does
automatically.
Verdict
Everyone interested in learning more about
Google, its origins and history should read
this book. Without taking a stand, Stross
offers some nice insights into the companys
activities over the last ten years. The problem
with the book is that the analysis part is not
very good: theres a lot of information, but
hardly any analysis. Stross is not always to
blame for this, since much relevant informa-
tion is, of course, not public (which is some-
what ironic in light of the companys goal to
manage all information). Stross asks a lot of
questions about Googles activities, but fails
to answer them all.
Part of the problem lies in the fact that Stross
tends to look at a company only in terms of
financial successes and failures, forgetting to
consider the technological side of the soft-
ware and hardware that Google uses. Its obvi-
ous that Stross is not an IT professional, but
an economist. This becomes painfully clear in
the first chapter when he tries to explain the
difference between open and closed software,
but loses the thread almost immediately. Also,
there is a lot more to say about Google and
geography than Stross does here in only thir-
ty pages. Google has had a tremendous
impact on the geospatial industry by bringing
geography to the masses, but Stross seems
to have taken no notice of this.
The biggest complaint I have about this book
is that it is incomplete in describing Googles
products and services. Why is there no infor-
mation, for instance, on SketchUp or Google
News Groups? Also, how serious is Google
about cloud computing with Google Chrome?
I suspect Stross skipped these questions
because they need a technical answer as well,
not merely an economics-oriented one.
Despite all these shortcomings, this is a good
read, with over 60 pages of notes and sources
on the internet.
Eric van Rees evanrees@geoinformatic.comis
editor in chief of GeoInformatics.
This text refers to the Dutch translation
of the book.
Today, Google is much more than just a search engine of internet pages: their search capacities are also
used for managing email, video and books.
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Calendar 2009
Advertiser Page
Applanix www.applanix.com 47
CHC www.chcnav.com 31
ERDAS www.erdas.com 9
GeoEye/Telespazio www.e-geos.it 12, 13
ESRI www.esri.com 37
ESRI www.esri.com/euc 33
Geomax www.geomax-positioning.com 2
inpho www.inpho.de 15
Intergeo www.intergeo.de 59
Jena www.jena-optronik.com 36
Leica Geosystems www.leica-geosystems.com 43
Magellan www.pro.magellanGPS.com 75
PCI Geomatics www.pcigeomatics.com 23
Positionale www.positionale.de 69
Novatel www.novatel.com 53
Racurs www.racurs.ru 42
Riegl www.riegl.com 57
ScanEx www.transparentworld.ru 58
Sokkia www.sokkia.net 27, 73
Supergeo www.supergeotek.com 71
Topcon www.topcon.eu 49
Trimble www.trimble.com 76
Microsoft www.microsoft./ultracam 16
Cardinal Systems LLC www.cardinalsystems.net 72
Advertisers Index
06-08 October 10th Austrian Geodetic
Congress
Schladming, Austria
E-mail: office@ogt2009.at
Internet: www.ogt2009.at
07-09 October ESRI Latin American User
Conference
Bogot, Colombia
Tel: 57 1 650 1575
E-mail: lauc09clombia@prosis.com
Internet: www.procalculoprosis.com/lauc09
11-14 October Electric & Gas User Group
(EGUG) Conference
Atlanta, GA, U.S.A.
Tel: +1 909 793 2853, ext. 4347
E-mail: prattanababpha@esri.com
Internet: www.esri.com/egug
14-16 October ESRI European User
Conference
Vilnius, Lithuania
Tel: +270 5 2150575
E-mail: conference@euc2009.com
Internet: www.esri.com/euc
18-21 October Pictometry FutureView 2009
Lake Buena Vista, Florida, U.S.A.
Internet: www.pictomery.com
19-22 October 7th FIG Regional Conference
Hanoi, Vietnam
Internet: www.fig.net/vietnam
November
03 November Springl 2009
Seattle, WA, U.S.A.
E-mail: daij@leda.nvc.cs.vt.edu
Internet: www.cs.purdue.edu/homes/daic/
springl09
04-06 November 17th ACM GIS 2009
Seattle, WA, U.S.A.
Internet: www.acmgis09.cs.umn.edu
04-05 November 4th International
Workshop on 3D Geo-Information
Ghent, Belgium
E-mail: 3dgeoinfo2009@geonet.ugent.be
Internet: www.3DGeoInfo.org
10-12 November ESRI Middle East and
North Africa User Conference
Manama, Bahrain
Tel: +973 1726255
E-mail: meauc2009@esri.com
Internet: www.esri.com/meauc
16-19 November ASPRS/MAPPS 2009 Fall
Conference
San Antonio, TX, Texas Crowne Plaza
Hotel, U.S.A.
Internet: www.asprs.org
25-27 November Remote Sensing of Land
Use and Land Cover
Bonn, Germany
E-mail: zfl@uni-bonn.de
Internet: www.sfl.uni-bonn.de
December
01-03 December 4th International
Conference "Earth from Space - The Most
Effective Solutions"
Moscow, Russia
Tel: +7 (495) 739 73 85
Fax: +7 (495) 739 73 53
E-mail: conference@scanex.ru
Internet: www.transparentworld.ru/
conference
02-04 December 5th gvSIG Conference
"We keep growing"
Valencia, Spain
E-mail: contacto-jornadas-gvsig@gva.es
Internet: www.jornada.gvsig.org/home/
view?set_language=en
07-08 December Web & Wireless GIS,
W2GIS 2009
Maynooth, Ireland
Tel: 353 1 402 32 64
E-mail: carswell@dit.ie
Internet: www.w2gis.org
16-20 December International Congres
Geotunis 2009
Tunis, Tunisia
Tel: + 216 71 341 814
Fax: + 216 71 341 814
E-mail: info@geotunis.org
Internet: www.geotunis.org
2010
01 January 2010 FIG Sydney
Sidney, Australia
Tel: +61 (02) 6285 3104
Fax: +61 (02) 6282 2576
E-mail: info@isaust.org.au
Internet: www.isaust.org.au
02-04 February Gi4DM 2010 Conferenc
Torino, Italy
E-mail: info@gi4dm-2010.org
Internet: www.gi4dm-2010.org
12-16 April SPIE Photonics Europe
Brussels, Belgium
Internet: www.spie.org
26-30 April 2010 ASPRS Annual Conference
San Diego, CA, Town and Country Hotel,
U.S.A.
Internet: www.asprs.org
25-29 May Fourth International Scientific
Conference BALWOIS 2010
Ohrid, Republic of Macedonia
E-mail: secretariat@balwois.com
Internet: www.balwois.com
25-27 January DGI Europe 2010
London, United Kingdom
Internet: www.dgieurope.com
24-29 April GITA 2010 Geospatial
Infrastructure Solutions Conference
Phoenix, USA
Internet: www.gita/org/cfp
September
07-09 September The Society of
Cartographers Annual Summer School
Southampton, United Kingdom
Tel: 0208 411 5355
e-mail: steve8@mdx.ac.uk
Internet: www.soc.org.uk/southampton09
09-12 September 6th International
Symposium on Digital Earth
Beijing, Peoples Republic of China
Internet: www.isde6.org
10 September RISK Management -
International, Interdisciplinary Workshop
Berlin, Germany
Internet: www.codata-germany.org
16-17 September GIS in the Rockies 2009
Loveland, CO, U.S.A.
E-mail: chair@gisintherockies.org
Internet: www.gisintherockies.org
17 September First Annual Blue Marble
Users Conference Event
Houston, Texas, U.S.A.
E-mail: bmuc@bluemarblegeo.com
Internet: www.bleumarble.com
21 September International Workshop on
Presenting Spatial Information: Granularity,
Relevance and Intergration (in cojunction
with COSIT '09)
Aber Wrac'h, France
Tel: +61 3 8344 7875
Fax: +61 3 9347 2916
E-mail: winter@unimelb.edu.au
Internet: www.sfbtr8.spatial-cognition.de/
cosit09-psi
21-23 September ESRI Health GIS
Conference
Nashville, TN, U.S.A
Tel: +1 909 793 2853 ext. 3743
E-mail: ctveten@esri.com
Internet: www.esri.com/healthgis
21-25 September Conference on Spatial
Information Theory (COSIT '09)
Aber Wrac'h, France
E-mail: claramunt@ecole-navale.fr
Internet: www.cosit.info
22-24 September InterGeo 2009
Karlsruhe, Germany
Internet: www.intergeo.de
23-24 September AGI Geocommunity 2009
Stratford-upon-Avon, United Kingdom
Tel: +44 20 7036 0430
Fax: +44 20 7036 0301
E-mail: clarie.huppertz@agi.org.uk
Internet: www.agi2009.com
23-27 September International Summer
School for Cultural Heritage Documentation
Mrida, Spain
Tel: + 34 666 278 798
Fax: + 34 924 314 205
E-mail: administracion@gavle.es
Internet: www.doparex.com
28-29 September Infoterra GeoImaging
User Group Conference 2009
Oxford, United Kingdom
Internet: www.infoterra.co.uk/geoimaging
2009.php 2009.php
October
05-08 October IXth International Scientific
and Technical Conference "From imagery
to map: digital photogrammetric
technologies"
Attica, Greece
Tel: +7 495 720 5127
Fax: +7 495 720 5128
E-mail: conference@racurs.ru
Internet: www.racurs.ru
Please feel free to e-mail your calendar notices to:calendar@geoinformatics.com
74
September 2009
MobileMapper

6
True Mobile GIS for Everyone
MobileMapper 6 provides a complete set of all necessary features required of a
mapping device for anyone who needs productive data collection and efficient
asset management in the field. Through post-processing, the positions of every GIS
feature you collect can be better than meter-level accuracy.
Unlike consumer-grade units, the low-cost easy-to-use MobileMapper 6 offers full
compatibility with popular GIS software to enable companies to select and use GIS
software of their choice.
The MobileMapper 6 comes with Microsoft Windows Mobile 6, a color touch-screen,
and has Bluetooth for wireless connectivity. This handy feature-rich GPS includes an
integrated 2-megapixel camera, an embedded speaker and microphone to enrich
the collected data with pictures and voice notes.
With MobileMapper 6, Magellan Professional innovates and fills a market gap in GIS
data collection between high-cost devices and consumer-grade products.
Contact us today to receive the white paper
and read how MobileMapper 6 beats its competition.
Visit www.pro.magellanGPS.com or email
professionalsales@magellanGPS.com
2009 Magellan Navigation, Inc. All rights reserved. Magellan, the Magellan logo and MobileMapper are trademarks of Magellan Navigation, Inc.
All other products and brand names are trademarks of their respective holders.
Features

High-sensitivity GPS

Rugged and waterproof

Windows Mobile 6

2-megapixel digital camera

Bluetooth connectivity

Submeter post-processing
For more information:
France (HQ) +33 2 28 09 38 00
Russia +7 495 980 5400
Netherlands +31 78 61 57 988
Affordable GIS/GPS with
nothing missing
Submeter accuracy with
post-processing
TRIMBLE R8 GNSS
+

TRIMBLE ACCESS
You dont get ahead by thinking about features.
You think about efciency.
As a stand-alone instrument the new Trimble

R8 GNSS saves time and money. Its unmatched
ability to acquire signals and transmit data
means your teams are hard at work even near
canopy or in urban environments where
traditional receivers cant get the job done.
Partner it with Trimble Access

software, and
youll see its also a system that enables your
teams to send, receive, and conrm data
immediately. So your ofce has everything it
needs in one place, the rst time. Every time.
Sharing real-time information leads directly to
your bottom line. Thats why this efcient
system is the latest step in our commitment to
do more for your business than ever before.
See this powerful system at work:
www.trimble.com/Access
2009, Trimble Navigation Limited. All rights reserved. Trimble and the Globe & Triangle logo is a trademark of Trimble Navigation Limited, registered in the United States and in other countries.
Trimble Access is a trademark of Trimble Navigation Limited. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. SUR-180