GPS World

Tag: imagery

  • Why resolution of aerial imagery matters

    An oblique image with measurements of downtown Chicago, captured in June 2017. (Image: Nearmap)
    An oblique image of downtown Chicago, captured in June 2017, with measurements. (Image: Nearmap)

    Guest column by Sanchit Agarwal
    Vice President, Field Operations, Nearmap

    With high-resolution imagery comes the ability to model reality, creating real-life visualizations for engineers, planners, construction teams and many others.

    A quantum leap in computing capacity has allowed us to model and analyze the real world — all from our desktop and mobile devices. In days past, maps were purely for visualization and direction.

    Today, they have graduated to full-blown analytics platforms empowering users to make decisions faster than ever before.

    Why?

    They closely represent truth on the ground — truth created from high-resolution aerial imagery captured at heights of up to 18,000 feet. Camera systems mounted in the bellies of planes can efficiently map the real world in incredible high detail. These aerial photographs are updated continuously.

    In years past, access to aerial mapping content and services was reserved for more significant players.

    Today, with easy access to scalable high-definition mapping content, anyone can utilize the power of maps in applications that extend far beyond directions and navigation.

    There are two essential attributes of aerial maps driving this transformation — image resolution and model density. Today, most users are applying low-resolution satellite images that lack the detail needed for accurate decisions. But, as resolution increases, the imagery becomes more detailed; the visualizations, more vivid.

    Ground features have gone from fuzzy satellite photos to clearly identifiable homes, buildings, roads, lakes and more — all captured using powerful cameras that have found the perfect pixel. With high-resolution comes added benefit.

    Aerial image of the Aria Resort in Las Vegas captured in May 2017. (Image: Nearmap)
    Aerial image of the Aria Resort in Las Vegas captured in May 2017. (Image: Nearmap)

    Users can manipulate the imagery — zoom closer and closer without losing the details. Computers can classify the features, distinguishing skylights from solar panels, walking paths from sidewalks, and pools from ponds.

    Rich imagery is yielding richer data used to instantly query massive databases and return results that answer complex questions for businesses and government.

    With high-resolution imagery comes the ability to model reality, creating real-life visualizations for engineers, planners, construction teams and others.

    These models of landscapes, cities and neighborhoods are portrayed inside design tools and mapping systems, saving the analyst countless days of traveling to the site only to be surprised that the outdated low-resolution imagery does not depict what’s actually on the ground.

    Imagery can vary greatly in resolution. Pixel resolution refers to the actual distance on the ground that each pixel represents in the orthophotography — the vertical image. For example, one-foot pixel resolution means that each pixel in the image covers one foot on the ground.

    Common resolutions include three-inch, six-inch, one-foot and one-meter. The higher the imagery resolution (for instance, three inches per pixel), the greater the visible detail within the photograph. Clearly, a three-inch resolution is much better than a one-foot resolution.

    Most mapping content currently consumed is two-dimensional and generated from low to mid-resolution nadir imagery. In other words, you see the land as if you were staring straight down at it, not height-of-ground features and certainly not change over time.

    While that was adequate for some users, others reached for higher resolution and, while they were at it, decided they needed a third and fourth dimension — namely, height and time. These new perspectives provide more analytical options, more insights and a variety of new use cases that show change over time, height and multi-perspectives of the same property or landscape.

    With the democratization of mapping products and services and the general trend toward consumption of multi-dimensional experiences, there is an implicit need to increase resolution, detail, dimensions and perspectives in mapping content and services as well.

    The Rancho Mirage community of California, captured with QGIS in February 2017. (Image: Nearmap)
    The Rancho Mirage community of California, captured in February 2017. (Image: Nearmap)

    Traditionally, satellite imagery has been used to monitor large areas of the earth at scale remotely. The resolution of the satellite imagery has graduated from multiple meters to feet with the advent of advanced mapping satellites.

    The challenge here is the resolution. Low-resolution satellite imagery, although scalable, is good for macro-analysis of cities and neighborhoods but is not detailed enough for accurate measurements and micro-analysis at the level of each individual property.

    On the other end of the spectrum come drone mapping solutions that offer the promise of delivering incredibly high-resolution datasets (sub-centimeter resolution) but fails to provide the scalability and repeatability.

    Let’s get specific. Why does resolution matter?

    • You cannot measure what you cannot see. The resolution of imagery provides a more detailed, zoomed in and richer view of the real world, thereby enabling desktop based reconnaissance, inspection, analysis and measurement of features that are not traditionally visible in satellite imagery.
    • Higher resolution means high fidelity and dependable measurements. With the added details and definition of features that high-resolution offers comes the much-needed advantage of clearly and legibly identifying feature boundaries and hence measuring the feature with high precision and accuracy.
    • Higher resolution map content means fewer site visits. Rather than travel onsite to inspect and measure, many organizations are now relying on high-resolution imagery and, in the process, not having to waste resources sending team members on site.
    • High resolution means more detailed documentation of reality. Gamers have experienced reality-like landscapes for quite some time. Now, 3D and 4D mapping content allows users to immerse themselves in the landscape, navigate through street views, and fly like a bird to inspect rooftops with ease.
    • High resolution and refreshed content means more accurate change analysis. Identifying how locations have changed over time through multiple captures that embody leaf-off and leaf-on imagery allow users to not only visualize detail but also notice progress, changes in construction, degradation of property features, growth in vegetation and more.
    • High-resolution content means more automated workflows. High-resolution content allows for better feature definition models resulting in higher success rates in interpreting and analyzing the reality algorithmically. Higher success rates of automated algorithms results in efficient exploitation of datasets to solve real world problems.
    • Machine learning thrives on high-resolution content. There’s no shortage of news on the use of machine learning and artificial intelligence in data science. With the advent of high-resolution maps, machine learning is now able to differentiate skylights from solar panels, decks from patios and pavement from pavers. In turn, the ground features identified are being stored in databases for lightning fast queries to complex problems.

    The higher the resolution, the higher your confidence will be.

  • TCarta delivers surface models for Caribbean disaster recovery

    TCarta, a global provider of marine geospatial products, has delivered pre- and post-disaster surface models for the Caribbean islands of Antigua and Barbuda for use in Hurricane Irma recovery efforts.

    The satellite-derived surface models contain seamless datasets of onshore elevation and offshore water-depth measurements for each island.

    The United Kingdom government commissioned the Hurricane Irma disaster mapping for Antigua and Barbuda as part of the Commonwealth Marine Economies Programme. TCarta won a competitive tender, which specifically requested end products derived from satellite imagery.

    “By specifying satellite-derived data as the deliverable in its tender, the U.K. government acknowledged the speed and cost advantages this technology offers compared with traditional shipborne surveying or airborne lidar collection,” said TCarta CEO David Critchley.

    Hurricane Irma devastated the Caribbean in September 2017. The governments of Antigua and Barbuda requested accurate data for onshore land elevations and offshore water depths from before and after the storm hit.

    The datasets will be used in digital change detection analyses to determine how Irma altered the surfaces of the land and seafloor. This will be vital information in repairing onshore drainage systems and updating coastal navigation charts.

    “A seamless onshore-offshore dataset is crucial for the hydrographic computer modeling to accurately visualize the integrated nature of the dynamic terrestrial and near-shore environments,” Critchley said.

    For the seafloor dataset, the TCarta team generated satellite-derived bathymetry products by extracting accurate water-depth measurements from high-resolution multispectral imagery acquired by the DigitalGlobe WorldView satellites. In the clear Caribbean waters around Antigua and Barbuda, bathymetric points were delivered on a 2-meter spacing to deeper than 20 meters.

    The TCarta team created digital surface models of the terrain on Antigua and Barbuda, using a technique to derive surface elevations at 0.5-meter point spacing from multiple WorldView images captured over the islands. Vegetation was then removed from surface models to yield bare-Earth elevation models.

    TCarta delivered the high-quality before-and-after datasets to the UK government which in turn distributed them to scientists on Antigua and Barbuda for damage assessment and planning for the coming hurricane season.

  • Teledyne Optech to showcase survey systems at GEOINT 2018

    Teledyne Optech will exhibit at the United States Geospatial Intelligence Foundation’s GEOINT Symposium April 23-25 in Tampa, Florida.

    Technology partners from Teledyne Scientific & Imaging, Teledyne DALSA and Teledyne CARIS will exhibit together as part of Teledyne Imaging – Space & Defense in booth 1148.

    At GEOINT 2018, visitors can discover the advanced capabilities of the Optech Galaxy PRIME, the latest model of Teledyne’s Galaxy airborne laser terrain mapper, with enhanced range performance, collection efficiency, vegetation penetration and low-reflectance target detection.

    The Polaris Terrestrial Laser Scanner (TLS) will be on hand so that visitors can experience its highly automated and user-friendly interface and see its performance at ranges from 1.5 to more than 2,000 meters.

    In addition, attendees can learn about the Optech Maverick, the company’s first wearable mobile-mapping system that fits on a backpack.

    The Teledyne Imaging – Space & Defense initiative brings together the experience and capabilities of Teledyne Optech, Teledyne Scientific and Imaging, Teledyne DALSA, Teledyne e2V and Teledyne CARIS to expand the breadth of Teledyne Imaging solutions for geospatial intelligence. Representatives of end-user agencies, integrators or original equipment manufacturers (OEM) can visit booth #1148 to learn about a range of new developments and offerings.

  • Imaging tech from Australia’s Spookfish heads to North America

    Australian geospatial startup Spookfish has won a major Asia Pacific industry award for exporting imaging technology to the North American market.

    Spookfish has partnered with U.S.-based EagleView Technology Corporation, a North America provider of aerial imagery, and the two companies have collaborated to develop new technologies to meet the demands of the North American market.

    In mid-2017, EagleView placed its first large order for multiple Spookfish platforms following an extensive flight-test program. Spookfish is now building the platform in significant volumes to meet EagleView’s demands.

    Meanwhile, rollout of the Spookfish imaging technology for Australian customers is underway. Perth-based Spookfish offers high-resolution imagery of Perth, Melbourne and Adelaide online, with Sydney and Brisbane in the works.

    Spookfish’s technology enables rapid imaging of vast areas in high resolution from a multitude of angles at a fraction of the cost of contemporary systems, the company claims. Spookfish aims to use these capabilities to make it easy for organizations of all sizes to gain access to premium imagery content and pervasive 3D models allowing concise, accurate and cost effective decision-making.

    The Asia Pacific Spatial Excellence Awards (APSEA) showcase excellence within the spatial industry. Presented at Locate & GeoSmart Asia Conference in Adelaide, Australia, the APSEA award recognizes Spookfish’s success in innovating, commercializing and exporting its imagery capture and processing technology. Spookfish took home the APSEA Export Award after competition from companies around the Asia Pacific region.

    “This is an exciting achievement for Spookfish and the beginning of a substantial export opportunity for Australia,” said Spookfish CEO Jason Waller. “The award is a testament to the entire Spookfish team and their ability to research, innovate and successfully bring new technology into operation.

    “Spookfish has begun delivering multiple systems to our strategic partner, EagleView Technologies, with the export program generating significant revenue from capture systems and expected future royalty payments.

    “More importantly, the partnership with EagleView delivers extensive benefits to our Australian customers because as our world-leading technology continues to develop, it immediately becomes available in the domestic market.”

  • SpaceDataHighway starts full Copernicus service

    The Airbus-operated SpaceDataHighway has begun regularly relaying data from the Sentinel-2A satellite, after the successful end of the commissioning period.

    SpaceDataHighway-WThis marks the start of the SpaceDataHighway service using all four Copernicus Sentinel satellites and the beginning of a new era for space-based imagery users.

    The first two sets of Earth-observing Copernicus Sentinels-1A and -1B and -2A and -2B are signed up to this service as SpaceDataHighway’s anchor customers under an agreement between the European Union and the European Space Agency (ESA) as owners of the Copernicus programme, and Airbus as the owner and commercial operator of SpaceDataHighway.

    Since using the SpaceDataHighway, the Sentinel-1 constellation has increased the amount of data it produces by about 50%. The service is also able to bring operational added-value to Sentinel-1 users by greatly improving the data timeliness for observations outside Europe. This is an important asset for users, especially when it comes to the routine monitoring of remote areas in the domain of maritime applications or assessment of natural disasters and first line response for emergency.

    The SpaceDataHighway is the world’s first “optical fibre in the sky” based on cutting-edge laser technology. It will be a unique system of satellites permanently fixed over a network of ground stations, with the first — EDRS-A — already in space.

    Each day, it can relay up to 40 terabytes of data acquired by observation satellites, UAVs and manned aircraft, at a rate of 1.8 gigabits per second.

    The relay satellites are designed to lock on to low-orbiting satellites via laser and collect their data as they travel thousands of kilometres below, scanning Earth. SpaceDataHighway then immediately sends the collected data down to Europe from its higher position hovering in geostationary orbit, acting as a go-between.

    This process allows the lower satellites to continuously downlink the information they are gathering, instead of having to store it until they travel over their own ground station. That way, they can send down more data, more quickly.

    The SpaceDataHighway is a public-private partnership between ESA and Airbus, with the laser terminals developed by Tesat-Spacecom and the DLR German Space Administration. EDRS-A, the first SpaceDataHighway relay satellite launched in January 2016, offers coverage from the American East Coast to India. A second satellite will be launched in 2018.

    It will double the system’s capacity and extend the coverage and redundancy of the system. Airbus is willing to expand the SpaceDataHighway with a third node, EDRS-D, to be positioned over the Asia-Pacific region.

  • Wingtra launches WingtraOne PPK precision mapping drone

    wingtraone_septentrio.OEMboard-WWingtra has officially launched the WingtraOne PPK high-precision mapping drone. Wingtra said its drone, which features vertical take-off and landing, is designed to set a new benchmark for large-scale surveying and mapping applications.

    WingtraOne PPK offers large area coverage, ultra-high accuracy and brilliant image resolution. It features an advanced PPK module and high-quality cameras like the 42-megapixel full-frame camera Sony RX1RII, it is now possible to reach down to 1-centimeter absolute accuracy in aerial mapping.

    To prove this accuracy claim, the Wingtra team performed test flights in a gravel quarry. The process was documented and is now explained in a white paper on the company website.

    Conventional drone mapping on centimeter accuracy requires ground control points (GCPs) to correct the final map. Besides requiring additional surveying equipment and being extremely time consuming, setting up GCPs might be downright risky or just not possible in the area of interest.

    More advanced solutions achieve similar levels of accuracy by using GPS correction technology for the georeferencing of the aerial imagery: namely RTK (real-time kinematics) or PPK (post processed kinematics).

    RTK requires real-time base station connectivity and corrects GPS signals during the flight, while PPK corrects them after the flight and therefore offers greater robustness and consistency.

    Moreover, PPK is independent from base stations or base station networks. It is highly reliable, accurate and time saving to use, Wingtra said. Neither special flight preparations nor intensive post-processing steps are required to achieve down to 1-cm accurate aerial maps.

  • USGIF extends partnership with DigitalGlobe Foundation

    USGIF’s 14 accredited collegiate programs granted DigitalGlobe imagery access

    The United States Geospatial Intelligence Foundation (USGIF) has furthered its partnership with the DigitalGlobe Foundation.

    Together, they will grant 14 schools under USGIF’s Collegiate GEOINT Accreditation Program access to DigitalGlobe’s satellite imagery archive and cloud-based service Basemap.

    USGIF-Accredited_Schools_generalThrough the agreement, students and faculty at USGIF’s 14 accredited schools will have DigitalGlobe imagery at their fingertips, with access to high-resolution, high-accuracy imagery and better answers to their research questions.

    USGIF’s Collegiate Accreditation Program prepares students with the necessary knowledge and skills for entering the professional geospatial intelligence (GEOINT) workforce.

    USGIF-accredited GEOINT programs include Fayetteville State University, George Mason University, James Madison University, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Northeastern University, Pennsylvania State University, the University of Texas at Dallas, the University of Utah, the U.S. Air Force Academy, the University of Missouri of Columbia, the University of Redlands, the University of South Carolina, the University of Southern California and the U.S. Military Academy.

    “DigitalGlobe Foundation’s partnership with USGIF on promoting the geospatial tradecraft creates a force multiplier in our common objective to reach out to educational institutions worldwide,” said Kumar Navulur, DigitalGlobe Foundation president. “Under this partnership, students in USGIF-accredited academic institutions are now able to access DigitalGlobe’s vast library of processed global imagery.”

    “Imagery access helps faculty, researchers, and students map and analyze trends in infectious disease, threatened ecosystems, crop yields, or archeological sites,” said Camelia Kantor, USGIF’s Director of Academic Programs. “Our collaborative efforts bring the academic community into a new era of innovation in which high-quality imagery products will allow students enrolled in GEOINT programs to make educated decisions and provide solutions to a wider range of problems.”

    USGIF has had a long-standing partnership with DigitalGlobe Foundation, and USGIF CEO Keith J. Masback is a member of DigitalGlobe Foundation’s Board of Directors.

  • South Korea defense agency selects SimActive's Correlator3D

    The Republic of Korea Agency for Defense Development (ADD) has selected SimActive’s Correlator3D software. The agency’s use of the software will include processing UAV and satellite imagery.

    SimActie-Correlator3DThe transaction was facilitated through a SimActive partner in the region, GeoFocus Inc.

    “The software was originally developed for military clients, which is reflected in the processing speed and rigorous mapping standards the technology adheres to,” said Philippe Simard, president of SimActive. “We are proud to welcome ADD as they join governments worldwide using Correlator3D.”

  • Satellite imagery aids rescue efforts for Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria

    MODIS Image of Hurricane Harvey. This natural color image of Hurricane Harvey was acquired by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer on NASA's Terra satellite as the hurricane reached the Gulf Coast of Texas at 12:25 p.m. local time on Aug. 25, 2017. (Image: USGS)
    MODIS Image of Hurricane Harvey. This natural color image of Hurricane Harvey was acquired by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer on NASA’s Terra satellite as the hurricane reached the Gulf Coast of Texas at 12:25 p.m. local time on Aug. 25, 2017. (Image: USGS)

    Free and rapid imagery was provided through the USGS Hazard Data Distribution System.

    The calls for assistance started days before Hurricane Harvey came barreling across America’s doorstep this summer. First responders and government officials needed answers to prepare and protect communities.

    How strong is this storm going to be? What kind of damage occurred on its path through the Caribbean? How might it impact southeast Texas once it makes landfall?

    Remotely sensed imagery was provided — at no cost and almost daily — through the U.S. Geological Survey’s (USGS) Hazard Data Distribution System (HDDS) for analysis on the extent, severity and evolution of hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria.

    “USGS staff worked around the clock to keep HDDS populated with satellite and aerial imagery,” said Brenda Jones, who is the disaster response coordinator for the USGS Earth Resources Observation and Science Center (EROS).

    15,000 images were downloaded from HDDS following the three storms. Requests came from 48 government agencies, including the U.S. Senate, Foreign Agricultural Service, Department of Homeland Security and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

    For example, Harvey dropped as much as 52 inches of rain in Houston. The Federal Emergency Management Agency used data from HDDS to identify roads and other infrastructure that were under water in an effort to better direct rescue efforts.

    “Quick, easy and centralized access to high-quality imagery made it possible to create maps that were useful to disaster management authorities,” Jones said. “We haven’t had a hurricane season like this for a very long time, and the HDDS system proved invaluable to rescue efforts.”

    In addition to hurricanes, HDDS is useful for numerous hazard situations. For example, following the recent earthquake near Mexico City, imagery provided through HDDS allowed first responders to see collapsed buildings, blocked roads and damaged infrastructure.

    During fire season, HDDS makes it possible for first responders to have wide-scale pictures of situations.

    HDDS acquires imagery and data from several sources, including the International Charter for Space and Major Disasters, of which the USGS is a member. Once the hurricane season began, USGS EROS staff began pulling data acquired by space and aerial systems and loading them into HDDS.

    GEOS-13 Image of Hurricane Maria and Tropical Storm Jose. Image of Hurricane Maria and Tropical Storm Jose acquired by the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite 13 at 1:15 p.m. local time on Sept. 19, 2017. The satellite is operated by NOAA while NASA helps develop and launch the GOES series of satellites. (Image: USGS)
    GEOS-13 Image of Hurricane Maria and Tropical Storm Jose. Image of Hurricane Maria and Tropical Storm Jose acquired by the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite 13 at 1:15 p.m. local time on Sept. 19, 2017. The satellite is operated by NOAA while NASA helps develop and launch the GOES series of satellites. (Image: USGS)

  • OnTerra offers new version of MapSavvy web map service

    mapsavvy-logoOnTerra Systems has introduced a new version of its MapSavvy aerial imagery service and a corresponding new website, www.MapSavvy.com.

    MapSavvy is an affordable Web Map Service providing OGC-compliant images for anyone who needs aerial images in the course of their work or research.

    The new version of MapSavvy offers users access to two versions of Bing Maps aerial imagery: original Bing Maps imagery and the recently updated aerial imagery updates introduced in 2017.

    Typical users of MapSavvy are GIS and CAD professionals from business, research, or government organizations that need to use aerial imagery as part of projects, presentations, reports, or visual analysis of trends.

    Examples of MapSavvy users include:

    • Architects and developers: Architects and developers use MapSavvy in GIS and CAD applications to obtain aerial imagery of construction sites to incorporate into projects, proposals and presentations that show where new buildings or structures would be located in the context of an existing built environment.
    • Research teams: Research teams use MapSavvy in GIS and CAD applications to access aerial imagery that will be incorporated into research reports, or to be able to spot trends by visually depicting information on top of an aerial image. MapSavvy is used for wildlife tracking, hydrology, environmental programs and a host of research activities.
    • Public safety: Law enforcement teams use MapSavvy to access base map where crimes are occurring, either to spot trends or to help solve a specific criminal case.
    • City planning: City planners use MapSavvy to see base map aerial views of cities, municipalities and unincorporated areas as part of their process of planning city infrastructure and new developments.
    • Oil and gas: Oil and gas companies use MapSavvy in GIS and CAD applications to view aerial imagery  to plan for pipeline facilities placement.

    The new MapSavvy aerial imagery service offers the flexibility of access to original Bing Maps imagery as well as the new updated aerial imagery introduced in 2017. The original Bing Maps imagery offers the highest resolution. The newly updated Bing Maps imagery offers the most up-to-date imagery of developed areas that have undergone changes to streets and buildings, or wild land areas that have seen changes due to geological shifts or wildfires.

    “By offering MapSavvy users access to the original Bing Maps imagery and the new updated imagery, users get the best of both worlds,” said Steve Milroy, OnTerra Systems president. “This new version of MapSavvy lets users access original Bing Maps imagery if their application requires high-resolution images, or access recently updated Bing maps imagery if they require the most up-to-date images showing changes to cityscapes or wild lands.”

  • SimActive introduces new technology for true orthophotos

    SimActive Inc., a developer of photogrammetry software, has released Correlator3D version 7.1 with new technology for true orthophotos.

    Users can now automatically generate enhanced true orthomosaics through a technological breakthrough that significantly minimizes artifacts, the company said.

    This major release successfully addresses the industry-wide challenges of generating true orthophotos without artifacts, such as distortions around buildings and vertical structures. Along with the enhanced output quality, the overall mosaicking speed of the software has increased five-fold, furthering the gap with competing tools.

    “While DTM-based orthophoto generation has been the norm for decades, we observe a shift toward true orthos,” said Louis Simard, CTO of SimActive. “The advancement provides consistent quality of results without any manual intervention.”

    For a live demonstration at the Geospatial World Forum (Jan. 17-19, Hyderabad, India), send an email to [email protected].

    To register for an online training session on how to generate high-quality orthomosaics with Correlator3D (Nov. 30, 10 a.m. Eastern Time, sign up at the website.

  • Remote Geosystems geoDVR deployed for search and rescue

    Remote GeoSystem, North Shore Rescue and Talon Helicopters have successfully deployed a geoDVR Gen2 with a FLIR daylight EO/IR gyro-stabilized video camera on an Airbus TwinStar (AS355) for search-and-rescue (SAR) missions.

    NSR and Talon team operate the geoDVR and FLIR during ground training in October 2017.
    NSR and Talon team operate the geoDVR and FLIR during ground training in October 2017.

    The geoDVR Gen2 is an advanced mil-spec DVR for recording multiple channels of HD & Standard-Definition geospatial full motion video in airborne and rugged vehicle environments.

    The geoDVR’s ability to reliably record HD color and infrared, along with continuous GPS data and Live Moving Maps, make it suited for professional airborne search and rescue, law enforcement and infrastructure inspection applications that utilize multi-sensor gimbal video cameras.

    “Remote Geo has a reputation for building one of the industry’s most dependable and user-friendly airborne geospatial video recorders, complete with flexible post-flight mapping tools. So the geoDVR Gen2 was an obvious choice when we were asked to fly the FLIR on the TwinStar for mountain search and rescue,” says Peter Murray, Founder/Operations Manager at Talon Helicopters.

    “Adding the FLIR camera to North Shore Rescue’s toolbox has been a great enhancement to NSR’s capabilities,” said Jim Loree, North Shore Rescue SAR manager and air operations coordinator. “Having the ability to record and geo-track the location of the video seemed essential to maximizing the full potential of the FLIR camera. The geoDVR allows searchers to review recorded video for clues that may or may not have been observed during the flight.”

    “This feature could also be highly valuable in a large-scale disaster such as an earthquake where widespread areas are surveyed for damage,” Loree said. “Emergency Operation Centers would be able to use the data to help them make decisions on where and how to deploy resources based on the exact location and extent of damages provided by the video recording.”

    North Shore Rescue and Talon Helicopters will use the geoDVR with a FLIR generously donated by Port of Vancouver to perform helicopter-based SAR operations with color and infrared. Then, using LineVision™ software post-flight, North Shore Rescue will review the geoDVR videos and flight tracks overlaid on Google Earth and Esri maps for training mission planning and recovery operations.

    Because North Shore Rescue is an all volunteer organization, Remote GeoSystems donated 18 LineVision Esri Maps and LineVision Google Earth licenses as part of the implementation.