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Remote sensing solutions provider DMC International Imaging Ltd (DMCii) has signed a contract with Brazil’s National Institute for Space Research (INPE) to deliver near real-time satellite imagery to monitor forest clearing in the Amazon rainforest and target illegal logging as it happens.

INPE is leading the world in the use of satellite imagery to monitor deforestation, providing information central to Brazil’s war on deforestation that has cut deforestation rates by 78% since 2004. The space agency’s groundbreaking DETER service uses regular satellite images to detect forest clearance as it happens – rather than surveying the damage afterwards – guiding Brazil’s enforcement officers to provide effective forest clearing control. However in recent years, the authorities have discovered that illegal loggers are clearing smaller areas to evade detection by the 250metre-pixel MODIS data that is currently in use.

The new £2.1m contract signed with DMCii will enable INPE to downlink higher resolution 22metre resolution data directly from the UK-DMC2 satellite to its groundstation at Cuiaba, Brazil. With approximately 130 times as many pixels per hectare as the MODIS images currently in use, the data will detect these smaller clearings and provide more detailed maps. The UK-DMC2 satellite will image the entire Amazon basin every two weeks, so that the authorities are alerted as soon as possible after logging is detected. In a unique agreement, the data covering Brazil will be made freely available on open licence through the INPE website so the general public can follow progress against deforestation.

Dr. Gilberto Camara, Director General of INPE said: “With the recent failure of Landsat 5 it became urgent to increase the supply of satellite imagery to operate our forest monitoring system, and DMC data provides a very cost effective tool. The 650km wide swath DMC imagery provides a frequency of coverage and level of detail which enhances the ability of our DETER system to identify deforestation at an early stage. I am particularly pleased that DMCii has agreed to an open licence so that INPE can make the data freely available through its website – an innovation which has enhanced public monitoring of forest management in Brazil.”

The contract builds on seven years of cooperation with INPE. Paul Stephens, Director of Sales & Marketing at DMCii commented: “DMCii has a commitment to improved forest governance and management through the provision of timely and reliable information.  This is especially important for development of effective REDD+ programmes in tropical forested countries. I am delighted to extend our long standing work with INPE, which is the world leader in the fight against deforestation.”
Fig. Forest clearing in Rondonia on 21st July 2011. UK-DMC2 Image supplied by © DMCii 2011

About DMC International Imaging Ltd

DMC International Imaging Ltd (DMCii) is a UK based supplier of remote sensing data products and services for international Earth Observation (EO) markets. DMCii supplies programmed and archived optical satellite imagery provided by the multi-satellite Disaster Monitoring Constellation (DMC). DMCii’s data is used extensively in a wide variety of commercial and government applications including agriculture, forestry and environmental mapping.

In partnership with the UK Space Agency and the other Disaster Monitoring Constellation member nations (Algeria, China, Nigeria, Turkey and Spain), DMCii works with the International Charter ‘Space and Major Disasters’ to provide free satellite imagery for humanitarian use in the event of major international disasters such as tsunamis, hurricanes, fires and flooding.

DMCii was formed in October 2004 and is a subsidiary of Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL), the world leader in small satellite technology. SSTL designed and built the Disaster Monitoring Constellation with the support of the UK Space Agency and in conjunction with the other Disaster Monitoring Constellation Consortium member nations listed above.

DMC International Imaging Ltd is not affiliated in any way with Intergraph Corp., Z/I Imaging Corp., or their registered trade mark DMC.

Notes to editor:
This press release can be downloaded from http://tinyurl.com/dmciipr
High-resolution multi-spectral satellite images showing agriculture in Rio Grande do Sul and forest clearing in Rondonia are available upon request from .

Press contacts:
-Robin Wolstenholme, bcm public relations, www.bcmpublicrelations.com
Tel: +44 (0)1306 882288 Email:r.wolstenholme@bcmpublicrelations.com
-Paul Stephens, Sales & Marketing Director, DMC International Imaging Ltd., www.dmcii.com
Tel: +44 (0)1483 804299 Email:p.stephens@dmcii.com

UK satellite imaging company DMCii has successfully led a multi-disciplinary consortium to win a place on the Department for International Development (DfID) Forest Governance Markets and Climate (FGMC) Framework Agreement.

This means they will be able to bid for projects to monitor forest governance and deforestation globally, and its effects on local communities.

Coordinating a constellation of remote Earth observation satellites, DMCii has the unique capability to survey and classify vast areas of forest and to monitor changes in land use over time. This highly effective imaging system has been employed by the Brazilian space agency (INPE) since 2005, helping the authorities to quantify deforestation in the Amazon Basin and pro-actively intervene to deter illegal logging – itself advising the consortium. It is this expertise that has been crucial in helping the consortium win a place on the framework agreement.

Professor Jim Lynch, DMCii Forestry Director, commented, “We are delighted to have been accepted to the FGMC – helping reduce poverty in developing countries while combating climate change is the reason we formed our consortium. We look forward to addressing the many challenges of such rewarding and innovative projects.”

The UK’s FGMC programme supports developing countries in strengthening their governance of forest resources. Under the FGMC Framework, the consortium can now compete for projects to monitor land use and forests, to understand and build methods for forest protection, to introduce a financial results-based payment system for carbon, and to analyse the impact of forest management scenarios. This could help support communities whose livelihoods depend on forest resources, whilst supporting broader UK efforts to Reduce Emissions Deforestation and forest Degradation (REDD+) and the EU Forest Law Enforcement Governance and Trade (FLEGT) action plan.

The inFORm consortium comprises commercial and academic partners, providing a nucleus of relevant expertise with which to develop local capabilities and support for sustainable forest management in communities around the world. Members complement each other with skills such as forest mapping, deforestation assessment, broad ranging Earth observation technologies, carbon accounting, timber tracking, policy development, new ideas for financial environmental markets – and a proven track record in the development of native capabilities in countries such as Colombia, D.R Congo, Indonesia and Nigeria. Amazon burn scar, Mato Grosso, Brazil. UK-DMC2 Image supplied by © DMCii 2010.

Notes to editor:
1. Find out more about REDD+ here http://www.un-redd.org/
2. Satellite imagery is available upon request. Image caption: Amazon burn scar, Mato Grosso, Brazil. Credit: UK-DMC2 Image © DMCii, 2010
3. The consortium is made up of:
-DMCii International Imaging Ltd: Satellite Data and value-added services provider and consortium lead.
-Helveta: Leader in supply chain and asset management software.
World Resources Institute: Non-profit environmental think tank with goal of protecting the Earth and improving people’s lives.
-Astrium GeoServices: Provider of radar/optical data, GIS products and services.
-University of Leicester: University leading in research into the nature and dynamics of human-environmental systems.
-University of Surrey: The inter-disciplinary Centre for Environmental Strategy (Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences) has a global focus, and works closely with the Faculty of Management and Law.
-Carbon Auditors: Expert in carbon monitoring and verification in Land Use Change and Forestry sector.
-Z/Yen: Commercial think tank promoting societal advancement through finance and technology.
-Quarry One Eleven: Geospatial sales and marketing agency.
4. DMC International Imaging Ltd (DMCii) is a UK-based supplier of remote sensing data products and services for international Earth Observation (EO) markets. DMCii supplies programmed and archived optical satellite imagery provided by the multi-satellite Disaster Monitoring Constellation (DMC). DMCii’s data is used extensively in a wide variety of commercial and government applications including agriculture, forestry and environmental mapping. In partnership with the UK Space Agency and the other Disaster Monitoring Constellation member nations (Algeria, China, Nigeria, Turkey and Spain), DMCii works with the International Charter ‘Space and Major Disasters’ to provide free satellite imagery for humanitarian use in the event of major international disasters such as tsunamis, hurricanes, fires and flooding.

DMCii was formed in October 2004 and is a subsidiary of Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL), the world leader in small satellite technology. SSTL designed and built the Disaster Monitoring Constellation with the support of the UK Space Agency and in conjunction with the other Disaster Monitoring Constellation Consortium member nations listed above.

DMC International Imaging Ltd is not affiliated in any way with Intergraph Corp., Z/I Imaging Corp., or their registered trade mark DMC.

Press contacts:
Robin Wolstenholme, bcm public relations, www.bcmpublicrelations.com
Tel: +44 (0)1306 882288 Email: r.wolstenholme@bcmpublicrelations.com

In the framework of the FP7 SPACE Project GEO-PICTURES, AnsuR and United Nations (UNOSAT) collaborated on using a smartphone App for crowdsourcing geo-referenced in-situ images for the purpose of improving flood assessment from Radar EO Images.

Summary

In the framework of the FP7 SPACE Project GEO-PICTURES, AnsuR and United Nations (UNOSAT) collaborated on using a smartphone App for crowdsourcing geo-referenced in-situ images for the purpose of improving flood assessment from Radar EO Images. The approach was a great success and has lead to initiatives with Statoil for using the same approach for improved Environmental Monitoring within the Oil and Gas industry.


AnsuR Server view with example of crowd sourced in-situ photo, used for validation of EO data during the flood in Bangkok.

Project Background
During the 2011 monsoon season in Thailand, severe flooding occurred. Over 800 people died, 77 provinces were declared disaster zones and the world bank estimated the total cost approaching 50 billion USD, ranking it as the 4th most costly disaster in the world. The flood lasted close to 6 months, from July 2011 to January 2012. Close to 15 million people were directly affected.

In order to prevent further damages, accurate monitoring of the extent of the flood was required, and UNOSAT provided periodically updated flood maps based on using radar satellite images every few days for a period. The flood maps were offered publicly. Both the Thai government, the Asian Disaster Prevention Center (ADPC) and Google.org used them in their disaster management.

When the flood approached the larger cities, and specifically Bangkok, a larger disaster was possible. More frequent and more accurate flood predictions were needed than in the rural areas, as much more was at stake.


Updated, online mapping of the radar EO derived flood assessment with the help of crowd sourced in-situ photos.

Issues and Needs

While the importance of up-to-date monitoring of the flooding in the city areas increased, the quality of the radar observations was reduced due to increased backscatter from objects and infrastructure in the urban areas, making it very difficult under a flood with rainy conditions daily to determine if an area was flooded or if reflections were just from wet surfaces like a motorway.

In a satellite radar image, the intensity of each pixel represents the proportion of microwave backscattered from that area on the ground which depends on factors like types, sizes, shapes and orientations of the objects providing scatter in the target area as well as the moisture content, frequency, radar polarization and incident angles of the radar beam.

This makes interpreting a radar image not a straightforward task. It very often requires some familiarity with the ground conditions of the areas imaged. In-situ observations and validations become essential. This can be done best using geo-referenced photos, and make them available to the experts interpreting the satellite images in close to real time. Bot how does one get access to a large set of in-situ photos over such a long duration as a 6-month flood?

UNOSAT sent a team to observe the situation and provide geo-referenced field photos in order to validate the satellite observations. However, they could not remain in Bangkok for more than a week, and travelling around was very difficult. Thus, the professional field photos were taken in a limited geographical area and over a limited time. More photos were needed over a larger area and over a longer time. Via the collaboration between AnsuR and UNOSAT in the FP7 SPACE project GEO-PICTURES we found a better solution.

Solution

AnsuR has for many years worked with efficient communications of geo-tagged pictures, commonly using traditional cameras and a specialized smartphone application as a tool for communicating photos quickly and reliably. Over in May 2011, a few months before the flooding started, AnsuR released a Crowdsourcing version of the ASIGN application for UNOSAT at the GDACS stakeholder meeting in Bergen, Norway. This tool was meant for use of people associated with UN. However, AnsuR suggested during the Thai floods to release this application for the public in Thailand, in order to provide input to the validation of satellite images as well as allow other use of the images that were input.

The announcement of the availability of the crowdsourcing solution, how to obtain it and how to use it was done in Thai by AnsuR partners, and already the following day the first photos came in. Over the following months close to 1000 geo-referenced photos from the greater Bangkok area came in to the AnsuR server, and was shared with UNOSAT whom were able to provide better flood maps that in turn helped manage the disaster better.

Results and Perspectives

The crowdsourcing using the smartphone application had achieved the broader geographic distribution of photos over time that was needed, and improved the reliability of the space-based observations. Since this use on 2011 this was a very first attempt, and since flooding is expected to occur every year to some degree, from now on one is more prepared and can use the technology both earlier and broader.

The success-story was announced by UNOSAT in their website and picked up by a large number of other media. Google offers more then 11000 hits for “UNOSAT Thailand Crowdsourcing”. UNOSAT also has the QR code for the app on their website, front page. In addition to the Android App, and iPhone version called “UN-ASIGN” has been released by AnsuR at the Apple App Store.

Also the Bangkok post had a large article, which also be found online here, titled “Android Lends a helping hand”.

The results offer an interesting idea for Oil & Gas, that AnsuR and Statoil currently are working on, namely environmental monitoring with the support of the same technology. Earth Observations play a major role on the Oil and Gas industry, and so does environment, and so does public concern. The concept being that the Oil & Gas industry welcomes public participation in identifying any environmental concerns and (also) complementing their use of satellite observations in this respect. Public data input could also be made available to the public, thus creating a transparency that in turn may enhance credibility of the conclusions.

The use of crowdsourcing for obtaining in-situ data for EO, whether it is for an immediate emergency, a more slowly evolving disaster as a flood or general environmental concern is but one set of ways for using the described approach here.

In addition to the crowdsourcing approach described about, the ASIGN technology is still used with professional in-situ validation photos, sent via smartphones, PC, satellite or 3G or other means. In this context the use of small unmanned aerial vehicles is interesting, and another topics for EO and Oil & Gas. AnsuR has a project with Statoil that targets the same environmental monitoring as mentioned above. In this context the crowdsourcing also complements the aerial observations.

About AnsuR
AnsuR is a Norwegian technology developer for visual situational awareness, initiator and coordinator for the FP7 SPACE project GEO-PICTURES and developer of ASIGN for emergency and disaster management. ASIGN, available for PCs and smartphone, sends geo-refererenced images quickly and reliably from the field to an ASIGN server at CERN over even unreliable networks. ASIGN offers image analysts access to full photographic details, and supports using any satellite or mobile communications.
About UNOSAT
UNOSAT is a technology-intensive programme delivering imagery analysis and satellite solutions to relief and development organisations within and outside the UN system to help make a difference in critical areas such as humanitarian relief, human security, strategic territorial and development planning. UNOSAT develops applied research solutions keeping in sight the needs of the beneficiaries at the end of the process.
About Statoil
Statoil is a major Norwegian oil and gas company.
About GEO-PICTURES is an FP7 SPACE project, coordinated by AnsuR, where both AnsuR and UNSOAT developed, tested, validated and used the ASIGN technology for rapid access to in-situ images and the online real-time mapping based on latest satellite imagery.


BACKGROUND

PRIMET was originally established in November 1999 under the name “Association of Environmental Data Users in Europe” (AEDUE) and changed its name to PRIMET in September 2003. With effect from 4th August 2010, PRIMET became a Company registered in England and Limited by Guarantee. The Company Number is 7335206 and the Directors for the time being are the members of the PRIMET Board.The association currently has 20 Corporate Members in 14 European countries.

Could you briefly explain your daily activities at the Association of Private Meteorological Services? What exactly is the role of your team?

The Meteorological Sector in Europe is still quite small and some of the major players are the commercial arms of the larger National Meteorological Services (NMS), (notably those of UK and France). These NMS are, of course, also the national monopoly suppliers of the basic observational and numerical output data that are essential for any value adding commercial operation to produce its products and services. On such a distorted commercial playing field there is a constant need for all of the players in the private sector (but especially the smaller companies) to have a voice in the battle to establish a timely, unrestricted flow of data at the marginal cost of re-distribution, and a genuine single market in which competition is open, fair and unrestricted across national boundaries. PRIMET provides that voice. However, the very high costs currently levied for much of the essential data and the embryonic state of the market in many countries means that funding such a voice is very difficult and so PRIMET keeps its costs very low – contracting only one staff member on a part time basis. As General Secretary, I spend most of my time interacting with members and on their behalf with organisations such as the European Commission, ECOMET (which is the data suppliers trade association), other trade organaisations (such as the PSI Alliance), national governments, and other international organisations.

How is the liaison with other international organizations as Eumetsat or ESA?

We currently have almost no contact with Eumetsat or ESA but we interact on a regular basis with ECOMET and are seeking to extend contacts with such as WMO, ECMWF and similar bodies.

Could you comment on the possible European policies which helped the private meteorological services to develop the meteo market?

The main European policies that contribute in this way are the drive towards a single market, the framework provided by the PSI Directive (which is currently under review, a process to which PRIMET is contributing) and the competition policies. However, the clear precedence of subsidiarity in the implementation of European policies is a severe restraint on the overall development of the market.

PUBLIC SECTOR INFORMATION

In the US, open and unrestricted access to public sector information has resulted in the rapid growth of information intensive industries particularly in the geographic information and environmental services sectors. Similar growth has not occurred in Europe due to restrictive government information practices. The scenario is being changed nowadays

In few words, how has PRIMET responded to the recent Commission Communication and proposals for amendments to the PSI Directive ?

PRIMET has a long record of drawing attention publicly to the benefits that would arise within the national economies of member states if the concept of “free” PSI were fully implemented. This has included, over several years, papers published in the open literature of peer reviewed journals, papers and presentations made to a wide range of conferences, consultations given to several formal enquiries set up by the likes of the European Ccommission and formal submissions to the Commission and to the European Parliament during their review of the Directive. It is vital that the evidence for the overall economic benefit that would accrue across the EU from the removal of “profit making” charges for PSI in all sectors is fully and robustly set out.

How do you see the evolution in Europe to open data policy?

There are some encouraging signs but there is still a long way to go. Increasing amounts of data have been and are being made available at the marginal cost of re-distribution but there remains a very great deal of data that is protected behind high tariff barriers. In the meteorological sector in particular it is important to distinguish the basic observational and numerical output data which are needed to generate value added meteorological products, from the issue by public bodies of processed (value added) products such as site specific general weather forecasts provided free to the public under the provisions of the National Meteorological Services’ “public task”. These latter are often claimed by governments to be part of the “free PSI” but in reality they do very little to add to the economic benefit arising from the sector. Only the “free” issue of the basic, underlying data can achieve that.

How could PSI affect the economic impact in making new business out of the meteo information?

The current high charges for the necessary basic data are a massive barrier to the development of new business and new businesses. These charges make the provision of weather services at the low price, high volume end of the market uneconomic for small players and prevent new businesses from breaking into the market. They are a form of the traditional “defensive marketing” ploy of erecting high entry barriers to exclude new competition. A small, start-up company located in, say, Luxembourg, would need to pay an absolute minimum of around 250,000 Euro annually to acquire the most basic set of data necessary to service a few contracts each likely to be worth around 10,000 Euro. If this data cost were reduced to the cost of re-distribution, such a company would have a chance to establish itself and to generate further business through innovative product development.

Will the private sector intermediaries be increasingly important players in the rapidly developing information economy?

While the present data charging regime remains in place, the prospect of rapid growth in the meteorological sector arising from innovative, entrepreneurial enterprise remains small.

How is the preservation of intellectual property rights treated in the re-use of PSI data?

The IP in the basic data belongs to the taxpayers who paid for it to be generated, collected and held. This right is vested in governments who have the power to license the use of the data at the cost of re-distribution. All re-users need licenses for the re-use so that they can establish clear contractual relationships with their customers and so that the data suppliers have clear obligations to supply the data. The IP in the value added products created from these data is vested in the producer and can be exploited as those producers see fit.

PRIVATE SECTOR

Meteo services providers are typically a team of highly qualified meteorologists who understand the effect that the weather has on the day to day operations of businesses of all kinds.

The majority of the people employed within the commercial meteorological sector are employed by the National Meteorological Services. These (principally the UK and France) also dominate the total turnover of the market. I can speak only for PRIMET members to which the figures below refer.

To understand the figures:
Estimated size (companies) of the European market, 30
Number of employees, They employ around 600 persons
The actual revenues? The most recent estimate (2009) for this is around 150 million Euro/year.
Range of meteorologically related products and services in different segments The range of products is very considerable, from media products (both print and on-line) to retail sector products to off-shore operational products and products to support a very wide variety of industry and commerce including sport and leisure.

How much time has the meteo industry taken to understand the business model, to give the information to other sectors in order to manage their business effectively and efficiently by offering solutions that are innovative, tailored, flexible and responsive?

There has been an active commercial meteorological sector in Europe for at least 20 years and the business model has been developed and refined more or less continuously for most of that time, reacting to changes in the trading environment such as the development of the internet, personal computing and mobile communication systems among many other market drivers.

Industries such as farming, construction, insurance, and transportation are all cashing in on the benefits of industry-specific weather information – the kind of information provided only by the private industry. In your opinion who is the key to access to those sectors?

This type of weather information is not provided only by the private sector. The commercial arms of the large National Meteorological Services compete fiercely and protect their market position vigorously in these markets. The key to access these (and indeed all) markets is to know the customer requirements and to provide high quality products that match those needs at a price that is commercially attractive. As in any sector, this means being close to your customers and understanding the economic structure of their business; there is no magic bullet!

Cost and effect analyses are crucial for companies in the infrastructure business where accurate forecasts for specific locations become crucial to companies financially. (Construction projects are only allowed a certain number of working days. When weather causes delays, companies can face late penalties…) how could these “cost and figures numbers” help to develop awareness of the capabilities of earth observation?

I am not really well qualified to comment on how earth observation products of the type you deal in can be applied within these areas. The need for accurate meteorological information, especially predictions, is more or less self evident. What is less clear is the true economic value of such products to the customers and this is where the need for good marketing information becomes vital.

QUALITY SCHEME AND STANDARDIZATION

How important is it for your industry to have standardized products?

In terms of the basic data, “standardization” is vital. Fortunately within meteorology there is an international structure of standards for observations to which all governments conform. There is much less requirement for standardization in value added products such as forecasts and these can be tailored to individual customer requirements.

Is there any development of a quality scheme for the meteo products? How important is the liaison with the users?

There is no general quality scheme associated with the sector. In the UK, the Royal Meteorological Society is pioneering a form of “kite mark” for companies who produce value added weather products but this is at an early stage and progressing very slowly.

How do you feel about the idea to have a library/ taxonomy of meteo custom tailored products?

Such a library/taxonomy already exists for the basic data. It is organised and managed by the National Meteorological Services through the World Meteorological Organisation . But for value added products the concept does not have much traction within the meteorological sector.

COOPERATION & PARTNERSHIP WITH EO INDUSTRY

In your opinion:

What type of dialogue mechanism could take place between “meteo” and “EO service industry” to develop innovative products and services?
This would be a matter between individual companies who have ideas and feel there may be merit in co-operation. It is possible that organisations such as PRIMET and EARSC could play a role in bringing such companies together but this has not been explored so far to my knowledge.

Do you have a view on the impact of possible new alliances of space companies on the competitiveness of European space industry? Did the meteo community experienced some similar business models?
The meteorological sector is quite small and fragmented. Amalgamation across national borders is very difficult because of the problems of data supply, which is held as a monopoly by the National Meteorological Services within their own national boundaries. This may be a lesser problem for the EO world given the international nature of much of the basic data and such alliances might make access to the data less complex in this case.

What are the lessons to be learnt from the meteo community?
Don’t expect rapid progress – the time frame for every initial business plan should be extended by at least 100%!

GMES

How importance is GMES for your business activities?

In general not very but this could change if there was a free flow of data available

What is the model of the meteo companies to access the data and deliver the products?

The model is peculiar to the Meteorological sector. The data are generated world wide under internationally accepted protocols and are exchanged freely between all National Meteorological Services. Some such services (notably the USA and Japan) make all of the data they have available free to any re-user but in order to protect their value-adding commercial business many of the European National Meteorological Services forced through a resolution of the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO Resolution 40) that prevents, with the exception of certain agreed data sets, Services in one country giving away free data from any other country. They then set up an organisation, ECOMET, (very similar to a cartel but not quite) which controls the supply of all data to commercial players. Each Meteorological Service sets the price for its own data and anyone wishing to receive it can apply to ECOMET to set up the appropriate supply arrangements. This in theory provides all the commercial players with a single point of contact but also protects the National Services from the requirement to supply at a published price any data that they have not declared to be in the ECOMET catalogue. They sometimes will supply such data but negotiate prices on a case by case basis. No other sector has such a “closed” data supply system. It is unlikely that a similar data supply system would apply to GMES data as a whole.

FUTURE

In your opinion, what are the biggest challenges the commercial earth observation industry is facing in the years to come? What kind of downstream service industry would Europe benefit from?

Probably the biggest challenge in the next few years is going to be sustaining the funding that keeps the EO satellite systems running.

As for the kind of downstream industry that would benefit Europe, the scope is almost endless; from pollution episodes and control to land use and hundreds more. I am no expert in these sectors so would not wish to be more prescriptive than this.

BIOGRAPHY
Dr Richard Pettifer is the General Secretary of PRIMET. Richard has been a professional meteorologist throughout his entire career. He is a Fellow of the Royal Meteorological Society, a Chartered Meteorologist and a Chartered Environmentalist. After 28yrs working in the UK Met Office he moved into industry and was for 13 years the Managing Director of Vaisala (UK)Ltd. He then started his own Consultancy business. For 8 years he served as the Executive Director of the Royal Meteorological Society and also undertook a wide range of consultancy contracts. He now runs the PRIMET secretariat under contract to the PRIMET Board.

eomag.eu-articles-1855-interview-with-mr-richard-pettifer-secretary-general-of-t.pdf

Events Spring 2012


Start Date End Date Event Web Venue
15-apr-12 18-apr-12 SPAR International, Conference on 3D Imaging & Positioning for Engineering/Construction/Manufacturing/Security web The Woodlands (Houston), TX, U.S.A.
16-apr-12 19-apr-12 Global Aerospace Summit 2012 web Abu Dhabi, U.A.E.
17-apr-12 18-apr-12 6th International Satellite Navigation Forum – NAVITECH 2012 web Moscow, Russia
23-apr-12 27-apr-12 Geospatial World Forum web Amsterdam, The Netherlands
23-apr-12 27-apr-12 Sentinel-2 Preparatory Symposium web Frascati, Italy
23-apr-12 27-apr-12 10th ICSHMO web Nouméa, New Caledonia (France)
25-apr-12 27-apr-12 VI International Conference «Remote Sensing – the Synergy of High Technologies» web Moscow , Russia
25-apr-12 29-apr-12 Workshop and International Conference on Regulation of Aviation and Space Applications web Delhi, India
30-apr-12 02-may-12 ESRI: Meeting the energy challenge web Houston, USA
03-may-12 04-may-12 GMES: new opportunities for Eastern Europe web Bucharest, Romania
06-may-12 10-may-12 Working Week 2012 – Knowing to manage the territory, protect the environment, evaluate the cultural heritage web Rome, Italy
06-may-12 09-may-12 Innovation for Sustainable Production 2012 web Bruges, Belgium
07-may-12 09-may-12 3rd China International Disaster Reduction and Emergency Service Show (The 3rd IDRES CHINA 2012) web Beijing, China
07-may-12 09-may-12 4th International Conference on Geographic Object Based Image Analysis – GEOBIA 2012 web Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
07-may-12 11-may-12 44th International Liege Colloquium on Ocean Dynamics Remote sensing of colour, temperature and salinity – new challenges and opportunities web Liege, Belgium
08-may-12 10-may-12 2nd International Conference and Exhibition on Mapping and spatial Information (ICMSI 2012) and 19th National Geomatics Conference web National Cartographic Center (NCC), Teheran, Iran
13-may-12 16-may-12 Geospatial Intelligence Middle East web Abu Dabi, UAE
13-may-12 18-may-12 World congress on water, climate and energy web Dublin, Ireland
14-may-12 17-may-12 Global Geospatial Conference 2012 (GSDI 13 World Conference, GEOIDE Annual Scientific Conference and Canadian Geomatics Conference) web Québec City Convention Center, Québec City, Canada
14-may-12 14-may-12 Polish presidency of European Interparliamentary Space Conference (EISC) web Cracow, Poland
14-may-12 18-may-12 International Digital Earth Symposium (TIDES 2012) web Taipei, Taiwan
16-may-12 18-may-12 20th International Conference on Modelling, Monitoring and Management of Air Pollution web A Coruña, Spain
16-may-12 18-may-12 Workshop on Use of Space Applications in Humanitarian Operations web Warsaw, Poland
21-may-12 23-may-12 International Forum on Satellite Earth Observation for Geohazard Risk Management web Santorini, Greece
21-may-12 24-may-12 32nd EARSeL Symposium 2012 web Mykonos, Greece
22-may-12 24-may-12 GIS Talk, ESRI web Munich, Germany
23-may-12 24-may-12 e-GEOS International Conference 2012 “Developing New Business Relations” web Rome, Italy
23-may-12 24-may-12 Taza GIS_Days, International Symposium of GIS users web Taza, Morocco
24-may-12 25-may-12 Remote Sensing and Geology web Mykonos, Greece
24-may-12 25-may-12 Joint Workshop on Radar, 3D and Urban Remote Sensing web Mykonos, Greece
27-may-12 01-jun-12 Modes of Variability in the Climate System: Past-Present-Future web Obergurgl, Austria
28-may-12 02-jun-12 5th International Conference BALWOIS 2012 on Water, Climate and Environment web Ohrid, Republic of Macedonia
29-may-12 31-may-12 MundoGEO#Connect 2012 web São Paulo, Brazil
30-may-12 02-may-12 Geodetic Science and Technology Conference EUROmatyka2012 web LOS Puszczykowo, Poland
04-jun-12 05-jun-12 Introduction to GIS web Newcastle, U.K.
04-jun-12 05-jun-12 GMES in Action web Copenhagen, Denmark
05-jun-12 05-jun-12 Debate on Horizon 2020 and Space Research web Brussels, Belgium
04-jun-12 06-jun-12 Earth Summit 2012 web Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
04-jun-12 07-jun-12 HEXAGON 2012 web Las Vegas, NV, U.S.A.
04-jun-12 08-jun-12 Small Satellites Systems and Services – The 4S Symposium 2012 web Portorož, Slovenia
06-jun-12 07-jun-12 Intermediate GIS web Newcastle, U.K.
08-jun-12 08-jun-12 Spatial Analysis web Newcastle, U.K.
11-jun-12 14-jun-12 33rd Canadian Symposium on Remote Sensing web Ottawa, Canada
13-jun-12 14-jun-12 Geo Maritime Conference web London, U.K.
17-jun-12 23-jun-12 12th International Multidisciplinary Scientific Geo-Conference and Expo – SGEM 2012 (Surveying Geology & mining Ecology Management) web Albena, Bulgaria
18-jun-12 18-jun-12 Mobile GIS web Newcastle, UK
18-jun-12 18-jun-12 Life in Space for Life on Earth Symposium web Aberdeen, United Kingdom
18-jun-12 22-jun-12 Atmos: Atmospheric Science Conference 2012 web Bruges, Belgium
18-jun-12 22-jun-12 SeaSAR 2012 Workshop web Tromso, Norway
18-jun-12 22-jun-12 4th International Conference on Cartography and GIS web Black Sea Summer Resort, Albena, Bulgaria
18-jun-12 22-jun-12 CALIPSO, CloudSat, EarthCARE Joint Workshop web Paris, France
20-jun-12 21-jun-12 European Space Imaging. WorldView Global Alliance. User Conference 2012 web Munich, Germany
22-jun-12 2-jun-12 G-spatial EXPO 2012 web Yokohama, Japan
23-jun-12 27-jun-12 INSPIRE Conference – “Sharing environmental information, sharing innovation” web Istanbul, Turkey
25-jun-12 28-jun-12 Toulouse Space Show web Toulouse, Francia
25-jun-12 28-jun-12 14th International CARIS User Conference web Vancouver, Canada
25-jun-12 30-jun-12 “The World GIS Summit” web Istanbul, Turkey
26-jun-12 28-jun-12 1st EARSeL Workshop on 4D Radar Applications for Young Researchers web Prague, Czech Republic
01-jul-12 06-jul-12 SDEWES – 7th Conference on Sustainable Development of Energy, Water and Environment Systems web Ohrid, Republic of Macedonia
02-jul-12 06-jul-12 EUROSOIL 2012 Soil Science for the Benefit of Mankind and Environment web Bari, Italy
03-jul-12 06-jul-12 GI FORUM 2012, Linking Geovizualisation, Society & Learning web Salzburg, Austria
10-jul-12 10-jul-12 EO Instrumentation Challenges for UAVs & CubeSats – CEOI/RSPSoc Challenge Workshop web Nottingham, UK
10-jul-12 12-jul-12 Water Pollution 2012 web New Forest, UK
10-jul-12 13-jul-12 10th International Symposium on Spatial Accuracy Assessment in Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences (Accuracy 2012) web Florianópolis, SC, Brazil
14-jul-12 22-jul-12 COSPAR 2012: 39th Scientific Assembly of the Committee on Space Research web Mysore, India
22-jul-12 27-jul-12 IGARSS 2012 web Munich, Germany
23-jul-12 27-jul-12 Esri International User Conference web San Diego, CA, U.S.A.
30-jul-12 10-aug-12 Earth Observation Summer School on “Earth System Monitoring & Modelling” web Frascati, Italy
06-aug-12 10-aug-12 8th International Conference on Urban Climate web Dublin, Ireland
12-aug-12 16-aug-12 SPIE Optics + Photonics 2012 web San Diego Convention Center, San Diego, CA, U.S.A.
15-aug-12 17-aug-12 Latin America Geospatial Forum web Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
17-aug-12 21-aug-12 European Space Expo in Helsinki web Helsinki, Finland
25-aug-12 01-sep-12 ISPRS Congress 2012 web Melbourne, Australia
26-aug-12 30-aug-12 4th International Disaster and Risk Conference IDRC Davos 2012 web Davos, Switzerland
28-aug-12 01-sep-12 3rd European Congress of Conservation Biology web Glasgow, UK
03-sep-12 05-sep-12 GRSG/EAGE Remote Sensing Workshop web Paris, France
03-sep-12 07-sep-12 2012 EUMETSAT Meteorological Satellite Conference web Sopot, Poland
06-sep-12 08-sep-12 State of the Map 2012 web Tokyo, Japan
10-sep-12 11-sep-12 Satellite Data for Storm Surge Modelling and Forecasting web Copenhagen, Denmark
10-sep-12 12-sep-12 5th International Urban Design Conference web Melbourne, Australia
11-sep-12 11-sep-12 Renewable energy: the added value of satellite solutions for SMEs web Graz, Austria
11-sep-12 14-sep-12 ForestSat web Oregon, USA
12-sep-12 14-sep-12 SimHydro 2012 web Nice, France
13-sep-12 14-sep-12 GMES Academy web Salzburg, Austria
13-sep-12 15-sep-12 4th Earth Observation Symposium, Euroconsult web Paris, France
14-sep-12 14-sep-12 Water resources and wetlands web Tulcea, Romania
14-sep-12 14-sep-12 3rd OGEO workshop web Perth, Australia
17-sep-12 17-sep-12 Joint NCEO/CEOI Science Conference web Nottingham, UK
17-sep-12 20-sep-12 IceTech web Alberta, Canada
17-sep-12 19-sep-12 Asian Geospatial Forum web Hanoi, Vietnam
19-sep-12 22-sep-12 3rd EARSeL Workshop Advances in Remote Sensing for Archaelogy and cultural heritage management web Ghent, Belgium
20-sep-12 21-sep-12 6th Coastal Altimetry Workshop web Riva del Garda, Italy
21-sep-12 26-sep-12 FOSS4G 2012 web Beijing, China
24-sep-12 26-sep-12 International Conference on Managing Protected Areas under Climate Change web Dresden, Germany
24-sep-12 27-sep-12 SPIE, Remote sensing 2012 web Edimburgh, UK
24-sep-12 29-sep-12 20 Years of Progress in Radar Altimetry web Venice, Italy
25-sep-12 30-sep-12 European Space Expo in Brussels web Brussels, Belgium
26-sep-12 27-sep-12 Space Days 2012 – Space on Earth web Liege, Belgium
27-sep-12 28-sep-12 Implementing Flood Resilience web Athens, Greece
30-sep-12 04-oct-12 GIS-Pro 2012: URISA’s 50th Annual Conference for GIS Professionals web Portland, OR, U.S.A.
02-oct-12 04-oct-12 African Geospatial Forum web Accra, Ghana
08-oct-12 08-oct-12 Bringing GMES and regions closer web Brussels, Belgium
08-oct-12 11-oct-12 GeoInt 2012 Symposium web Orlando, FL, USA
09-oct-12 11-oct-12 2012 INTERGEO web Hannover, Germany
15-oct-12 17-oct-12 Esri European User Conference web Oslo, Norway
15-oct-12 19-oct-12 MERIS/AATSR and Sentinel-3 (OLCI/SLSTR) Workshop web Frascati, Italy
08-oct-12 10-oct-12 CAMUSS, the International Symposium on Cellular Automata Modeling for Urban and Spatial Systems web Oporto, Portugal
12-oct-12 16-oct-12 6th URISA Caribbean GIS Conference web Montego Bay, Jamaica
16-oct-12 17-oct-12 International Symposium on Assessing the Interplay: Climate Change, Development and Human Rights web Bergen, Norway
18-oct-12 18-oct-12 Valuing and managing biodiversity: how satellite applications can help web Lille, France
22-oct-12 22-oct-12 ITS Vienna 2012 web Vienna, Austria
24-oct-12 26-oct-12 IIM Conference: Knowledge Discovery from Earth Observation Data web DLR-Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany
29-oct-12 02-nov-12 9th AARSE Conference web El Jadida, Morocco
10-nov-12 16-nov-12 European Space Expo in Cyprus web Larnaca, Cyprus
13-nov-12 13-nov-12 Earth Observation and Cryosphere Science web Frascati, Italy
15-nov-12 16-nov-12 FP7 Space Conference:Let´s embrace the Space web Larnaca, Cyprus
20-nov-12 20-nov-12 Challenge Workshop – Challenges in Calibration of EO Instrumentation web Oxford, UK
01-dec-12 06-dec-12 European Space Expo in London web London, UK
03-dec-12 05-dec-12 European Space Solutions web London, UK
11-dec-12 13-dec-12 GRSG AGM 2012: Monitoring and Managing the Earth’s Resources web London, UK
17-dec-12 19-dec-12 Paris Space Week web Paris, France
07-jan-13 09-jan-13 IPWE 2013 web Izmir, Turkey
29-jan-13 29-jan-13 European Space Conference web Brussels, Belgium

Eomag launched 16April2012
Eomag Event Spring 2012.pdf

ESA is inviting 20 developers to its ESRIN location in Frascati and offers them the opportunity to meet with other developers, create mobile applications using satellite data, and gain insight into ESA’s work.

The goal is to come up with a concept for mobile apps using Earth monitoring data on smartphones, in particular by leveraging the possibilities offered by the GMES.

Registration is open from 6 April to 6 May 2012.

More information is available at APP-CAMP

(2 April 2012) DigitalGlobe, a leading global provider of high-resolution earth imagery solutions, today announced their agreement with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to provide statewide Precision Aerial imagery that exceeds the requirements of the Massachusetts state Geographic Information System (MassGIS) Department.

In order to improve response time and preparedness for natural disasters and to enhance information about state geography, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation and the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency will use DigitalGlobe’s Precision Aerial imagery to create superior baseline maps at a lower cost and higher resolution.

“DigitalGlobe’s aerial imagery can be shared across any state agency under this agreement, enhancing its value to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts,” said Rafay Khan, senior vice president at DigitalGlobe. “Using this model, these images can offer the flexibility to benefit any state government for land management, disaster relief, and zoning and elevation data.”

DigitalGlobe’s Precision Aerial product offers complete leaf-off coverage, meaning that before the spring leaves arrive, the imagery displays a clear view of buildings, new developments and transportation routes. This off-the-shelf product delivers the most recent imagery with a faster turnaround rate and delivery. These features make procurement easier within the state, speeding the procurement process and lowering the overall cost.

About DigitalGlobe Precision Aerial Imagery The Precision Aerial product has a 30 cm resolution and 60 cm color infrared aerial mosaics with seamless coverage in the U.S. and Western Europe. Complete coverage of the U.S. will be mapped by June 2012, with additional refreshed coverage over the next few years. It integrates directly into any GIS workflow to provide application-ready imagery with high-resolution and best-in-class accuracy levels. With current, relevant, and broad coverage, Precision Aerial imagery becomes the one-stop-shop for any government agency or enterprise looking to tackle tough issues, from land use and zoning, to transportation and the environment.

About DigitalGlobe DigitalGlobe is a leading global provider of commercial high-resolution earth imagery products and services. Sourced from our own advanced satellite constellation, our imagery solutions support a wide variety of uses within defense and intelligence, civil agencies, mapping and analysis, environmental monitoring, oil and gas exploration, infrastructure management, Internet portals and navigation technology. With our collection sources and comprehensive ImageLibrary (containing more than two billion square kilometers of earth imagery and imagery products) we offer a range of on- and off-line products and services designed to enable customers to easily access and integrate our imagery into their business operations and applications.

(source: DigitalGlobe)

(10 April 2012) ITT Exelis Geospatial Systems has delivered GeoEye’s next-generation commercial imaging system for the GeoEye-2 satellite to Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company in Sunnyvale, Calif.

When operational in 2013, GeoEye-2 will deliver the highest resolution and most accurate color imagery to GeoEye’s commercial, government and international customers.

The Exelis-built imaging payload for GeoEye-2 includes a telescope, sensor subsystem and outer barrel assembly and has the potential to capture panchromatic ground sample distance imagery of the Earth’s surface at 0.34-meter, or 13.38-inch, ground resolution.

“Exelis was instrumental in helping Lockheed Martin revolutionize the commercial remote sensing market by designing and manufacturing the imaging system for GeoEye’s IKONOS satellite, launched in 1999. More than a decade later, Exelis is proud to deliver the imaging system for GeoEye’s next-generation satellite,” said Rob Mitrevski, vice president and general manager, Environmental Intelligence and Integrated Geospatial Sensing Systems at Exelis Geospatial Systems. “Exelis has long relationships with Lockheed Martin and GeoEye, and together, we look forward to the next phase of integrating the Exelis-built imaging system into the GeoEye-2 spacecraft.”

GeoEye-2 will have significant improvements in capability compared with current systems, including enhanced tasking; longer focal length, which enables better resolution; advancements to the sensor subsystem, which improves image quality; and the ability to collect more imagery at a faster rate. The GeoEye-2 satellite will provide cost-effective, increased coverage and easier access to high-resolution satellite imagery for intelligence analysts, warfighters, map producers and commercial customers.

Bill Schuster, GeoEye’s chief operating officer, said, “We commend Exelis for completing this next milestone of our GeoEye-2 program with a superbly performing camera and an on-time delivery of the imaging system to Lockheed Martin. Commercial satellite imagery plays a fundamental and essential role in our country’s national security, disaster response and humanitarian efforts. Soldiers depend on it on the battlefield every day for the most up-to-date situational awareness and to meet many of their operational mission requirements. Commercial imagery is unclassified, and as such, is easily shared with coalition forces.”

The GeoEye-2 satellite bus is being assembled at Lockheed Martin in Sunnyvale, Calif. Its propulsion system has been installed and many of the subsystems are completed and being integrated into the spacecraft.

“Delivery of the imaging payload is a major milestone for the team and another critical step forward in our objective to deploy this cutting-edge satellite in a timely fashion,” said Allen Anderson, GeoEye-2 program director for Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company. “We look forward to integrating the payload with the GeoEye-2 space vehicle and achieving mission success for our customer.”

GeoEye-2 will surpass the performance of the GeoEye-1 satellite, launched in 2008, in resolution, capacity and agility. GeoEye-1 currently is the world’s highest resolution imagery satellite. GeoEye selected Exelis to begin work on the GeoEye-2 imaging system in October 2007.

About GeoEye

GeoEye is a leading source of geospatial information and insight for decision makers and analysts who need a clear understanding of our changing world to protect lives, manage risk and optimize resources. Each day, organizations in defense and intelligence, public safety, critical infrastructure, energy and online media rely on GeoEye’s imagery, tools and expertise to support important missions around the globe. Widely recognized as a pioneer in high-resolution satellite imagery, GeoEye has evolved into a complete provider of geospatial intelligence solutions. GeoEye’s ability to collect, process and analyze massive amounts of geospatial data allows our customers to quickly see precise changes on the ground and anticipate where events may occur in the future. GeoEye is a public company listed on NASDAQ as GEOY and is headquartered in Herndon, Va. with more than 700 employees worldwide.

About ITT Exelis

ITT Exelis is a diversified, top-tier global aerospace, defense and information solutions company with strong positions in enduring and emerging global markets. Exelis is a leader in networked communications, sensing and surveillance, electronic warfare, navigation, air traffic solutions and information systems with growing positions in cyber security, composite aerostructures, logistics and technical services. The company has a 50-year legacy of innovation and technology expertise, partnering with customers worldwide to deliver affordable, mission-critical products and services for managing global threats, conflicts and complexities. Headquartered in McLean, Va., the company employs about 20,500 people and generated 2011 sales of $5.8 billion.

(source: ITT Exelis)

The Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (NPP) spacecraft was launched successfully already in October 2011.

The Suomi NPP High Rate Data (HRD) Broadcast has recently been activated. Since Friday, February 23 2012 the 2met! Satellite Reception systems located at SCISYS in Bochum, Germany, have received the NPP HRD data.

Suomi NPP is carrying various payloads of scientific instruments to monitor the atmosphere, land and oceans of the Earth. The data will be sent to earth via X-Band transmission.

SCISYS’ digital satellite receiver for X-Band missions (DSRIII) has been successfully upgraded to enable the reception of Suomi NPP HRD. The new 2met!® POLAR Acquisition software V4, running on a Linux server, has been used to decode the data stream and store data from the instruments VIIRS, CrIS and ATMS in Level-0 files – compliant to NASA’s raw data record (RDR) format as defined for NPP.

These Level-0 files could be used as input for higher level processing software, like the International Polar Orbiter Processing Package (IPOPP; NASA Direct Readout Laboratory) or the Community Satellite Processing Package (CSPP; CIMSS University of Wisconsin-Madison). SCISYS supports the integration of those processing packages with 2met! Acquisition POLAR Software.

The data from the VIIRS instrument has been visualised and verified with the software tools Simulcast Services and Viewer v5.0 offered by NASA Direct Readout Laboratory.

More information

Additional Links

2met!® Products and Solutions from SCISYS
NASA Suomi NPP Mission
NASA Direct Readout Laboratory
Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies, University of Wisconsin-Madison

SUNNYVALE, Calif., April 6, 2012—Trimble (NASDAQ:TRMB) announced today that it has acquired privately-held Gatewing of Gent, Belgium, a provider of lightweight unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) for photogrammetry and rapid terrain mapping applications. The acquisition broadens Trimble’s industry-leading platforms for surveying solutions. Financial terms were not disclosed.

UAVs in combination with photogrammetry are an emerging technology providing an innovative platform for flexible aerial imagery acquisition. Easy to use and flexible, UAVs provide users the ability to create orthophotos and Digital Surface Models (DSM) from aerial imagery for mid-sized areas previously only accessible at higher costs and with longer planning cycles. UAVs are used in a variety of applications including preliminary surveys for corridors and rights-of-way, volumetric surveys, high-level topographic surveys, land fill inspection, and much more.

Gatewing’s solutions include the X100 UAV and Stretchout desktop software for digital image processing and analysis. The X100 is an ultra-light, 2 kg (approximately 4.4 lbs) class UAV that allows fast and simple image acquisition. It consists of an airframe; an integrated GPS, inertial system and a radio; a 10 megapixel camera; and battery. Using the Trimble® Yuma® tablet computer, a predefined area is planned and the flight of the UAV is fully automated from launch to landing. The terrain is mapped through parallel flight paths and consecutive, overlapping camera shots during flight. The ground control station (GCS) is used to monitor the mission and allows an on-site image quality check. In addition, the GCS provides the operator with the option to intervene and abort the flight if needed. The image set consists of a number of digital images that are tagged with the GPS coordinates.

Designed to be intuitive and easy to use, Gatewing’s Stretchout desktop software uses advanced computer vision technology which automates raw image processing to deliver georeferenced orthophotos and accurate DSM. As an alternative to the desktop software, users can upload images to Gatewing’s cloud solution, which automatically processes the images based on the users’ requirements. After a few hours, users can download their georeferenced orthophotos and DSMs from the cloud server including feedback about the results for quality assurance.

“The combination of UAVs and low-altitude photogrammetry as an image collection platform opens up new opportunities for surveyors to use aerial imagery for the rapid acquisition of high-density geospatial data,” said Anders Rhodin, director of Trimble’s Survey Business. “We are excited to add Gatewing’s unique aerial mapping system to Trimble’s portfolio of survey solutions.”

“The Gatewing team is excited about the new ownership,” said Maarten Vandenbroucke, CEO and one of three founders of Gatewing. “For Trimble to see the value in unmanned aerial systems for surveying and mapping applications means that the industry is truly ready for this exciting new technology. We are enthusiastic about how UAVs can revolutionize the landscape and open a complete new spectrum in remote sensing applications. I believe that being a part of Trimble will accelerate the pace in which UAVs will further be adopted by professionals.”

The Gatewing business will be reported as part of Trimble’s Engineering and Construction segment.

About Gatewing

Founded in 2008, Gatewing designs and provides one of the world’s fastest and easiest to use remote sensing solutions for the surveying and mapping industry. Based on its revolutionary X100 lightweight unmanned aircraft, Gatewing has built a solution for rapid terrain mapping that consists of image acquisition field operation and fully digital and automated image processing. By making this technology highly accessible in terms of price and ease of use, Gatewing’s goal is to revolutionize the surveying and mapping industry.

For more information, visit.

About Trimble

Trimble applies technology to make field and mobile workers in businesses and government significantly more productive. Solutions are focused on applications requiring position or location—including surveying, construction, agriculture, fleet and asset management, public safety and mapping. In addition to utilizing positioning technologies, such as GPS, lasers and optics, Trimble solutions may include software content specific to the needs of the user. Wireless technologies are utilized to deliver the solution to the user and to ensure a tight coupling of the field and the back office. Founded in 1978, Trimble is headquartered in Sunnyvale, Calif.

For more information, visit Trimbles Web site.

Certain statements made in this press release are forward looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements involve risks and uncertainties, and actual events and results may differ materially from those described in this news release. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to: whether the emerging technology of UAVs combined with photogrammetry will be adopted by the survey market; regulations that may impact the ability to use UAVs in particular countries; and Trimble’s ability to develop and expand Gatewing solutions. Additional risks and uncertainties include: the risks inherent in integrating an acquisition; unanticipated expenditures, charges or assumed liabilities that may result from the acquisition; and retaining key personnel and commercial relationships. Information about potential factors which could affect Trimble’s business and financial results is set forth in reports filed with the SEC, including Trimble’s quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and its annual report on Form 10-K. All forward looking statements are based on information available to Trimble as of the date hereof, and Trimble assumes no obligation to update such statements.

Investor Relations Contact:Willa McManmon of Trimble: 408-481-7838
Media Contact: LeaAnn McNabb of Trimble: 408-481-7808