Skip to content

Spot image is leading the PARAGE project, funded by the French ministry of agriculture and fisheries. Project partners are IRD, which is lead science organization; CIRAD, and private firm SIGbea.

Spot image is leading the PARAGE project, funded by the French ministry of agriculture and fisheries. Project partners are IRD, which is lead science organization; CIRAD, and private firm SIGbea.
Under land and resource management regulations, farming institutions urgently need reliable and current spatial information about farming systems. Such information must enable them to locate, characterize and track how these systems are evolving and interacting with urban and natural environments, and to assess their regulatory compliance.
The chief aim of the PARAGE project is to help public institutions and organizations to observe and analyse the impact of farming practices on the natural and urban environment using satellite data in combination with existing data and expertise.
The project’s 3 pilot sites in French Guiana, Martinique and Guadeloupe are expected to generate map products and build a demonstrator based on a geographic information system (GIS).
As well as project coordination and tracking, Spot Image’s main missions are to supply SPOT and QuickBird imagery and expertise, including:
• reviewing user needs and assisting drafting of map product specifications with CIRAD and IRD
• functional specifications for a prototype decision-support system with SIGbea
• disseminating and promoting results among the user community
SPOT imagery of French Guiana and the French West Indies will be acquired directly at the receiving station recently set up on site for the SEAS project.
We will be bringing you the latest news of key project milestones here in this section during the course of the PARAGE project, which is scheduled to run for 18 months.
(Credits Spot Image)

PCI Geomatics®, a world-leading developer of image-centric software and solutions for the geospatial industry, has achieved complete certification for its flagship software, Geomatica®, to be used for processing data from the CARTOSAT-1 satellite, from the Indian government-contracted ANTRIX Corporation.

The CARTOSAT-1 satellite was launched on May 5, 2005 by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO). With two panchromatic cameras that deliver a spatial resolution of 2.5 meters, CARTOSAT-1 provides stereo data suitable for advanced, large-scale mapping applications. The data are also optimal for generating digital terrain models (DTMs) and digital elevation models (DEMs).
“PCI Geomatics is pleased to have reached certification for CARTOSAT image correction,” said Peter Hazlett, Product Manager. “This reaffirms our leadership in providing accurate, efficient, robust, and affordable orthorectification solutions. It will be exciting to see users of CARTOSAT imagery save money and build better image products with our software.”
This certification states that Geomatica Version 10.0.2 has complied with all six identified levels, which include: image import and image processing, single image triangulation, stereo pair triangulation, block triangulation for mono imagery, block triangulation for stereo imagery, digital topographic mapping.
About PCI Geomatics
PCI Geomatics is a world-leading developer of geospatial software, specializing in remote sensing, digital photogrammetry, spatial analysis, cartographic production, and, more recently, automated production systems. Today, with our trusted Geomatica brand, PCI Geomatics provides all the image-centric solutions necessary to meet the expectations of a large and expanding industry. Since 1982, the company and its reputation have continued to grow as a result of innovative leadership, strong technology partnerships, active geomatics community involvement, and a dedication to earn the trust of customers who use PCI Geomatics technology.
For more information, visit www.pcigeomatics.com.
About Antrix
Antrix Corporation Limited, the commercial arm of Department of Space (DOS), was incorporated in September 1992 for the promotion and commercial exploration of products and services from the Indian Space Programme. The level of integration Antrix can provide is high, because of the total systems capabilities and by virtue of its position within the triad of government, industry, and the academia. With such an outlay of resources and activities, Antrix is the one source for all the user requirements in the field of Space.
To learn more about Antrix, visit www.antrix.org
Press Contact
Alysia Vetter
Marketing Communications Specialist
Tel: 819-770-0022, Ext. 233
Fax: 819-770-0098
Email: vetter@pcigeomatics.com
(Credits PCIgeomatics) www.pcigeomatics.com

We are pleased to announce that as of May 15, 2006 RSI will begin doing business as ITT Visual Information Solutions.

RSI has been a wholly owned subsidiary of ITT Industries, Inc. since August 2004. This name change is part of an ITT initiative to create a singular brand identity for all its global operations.
Our commitment to providing the highest quality remote sensing, image processing, data visualization and analysis software remains our top priority, and we will continue to develop IDL, ENVI, IAS and other complimentary products. Our services and support organizations will continue to offer you first class educational services, technical support, and consulting services.
(Credits ITT)

SUPERPOSER has been presented by the LATUV in the 5th European Congress on Regional Geoscientific Cartography and Information Systems held in Barcelona from 13th to 16th June.

SUPERPOSER is a software specifically orientated at the automatic co-registration of high, medium and low resolution images. Its great power and quality was highly praised by the attendees to the Congress, who also pointed out how easy it was to operate and at the large quantity of services it provides.
SUPERPOSER comes in three different versions:
• The Windows version presents an easy, intuitive interface with several uses: statistical analysis of the points calculated, manual adjustment of the transformation function, edition/ modification of the automatic processing algorithm, creation and recording of algorithms for different uses, previous visualization of the geometric adjustment and possibility of adjusting control points manually.
• The Console version has no graphic interface. Since it can execute different algorithms, it can be called in BATCH thus making image multiprocessing and the obtaining of simultaneous results possible. This version may be modified so that it can be executed in UNIX environments.
• The library version developed in (C++) allows us to include the different and remarkable characteristics of SUPERPOSER in any software development environment so that any user may include the automatic co-registration in his/her normal flux of image processing.
The versatility of SUPERPOSER allows us to develop specific versions adapted to the individual user’s necessities.
SUPERPOSER has been developed within the framework of a cooperation agreement between the LATUV, Remote Sensing Laboratory of the University of Valladolid, Spain, and the IKI, Russian Spatial Research Institute, and it is distributed solely and exclusively by the LATUV.
A demo version as well as two tutorials and comprehensive information on SUPERPOSER can be obtained at www.superposer.eu .
(Credits LATUV)

Telespazio recent news

Agreement between Basilicata University and Telespazio
The Basilicata University (Italy) and Telespazio have signed a Joint Agreement paper for mutual cooperation with the objective of the development of important research and educational projects in the field of tele-monitoring, thus allowing wider usage of modern techniques and scientific information for the environmental monitoring.
The agreement paper has been signed, at the Space Centre of Matera, by the Basilicata University’s Rector, Francesco Lelj Garolla Di Bard, and by the Telespazio’s Chief Executive Officer, Giuseppe Veredice.
Telespazio participates at Posidonia 2006
From June 5 to June 9, Telespazio will participate at Posidonia 2006, the 20th edition of this important international maritime exhibition, to be held at the Hellenikon Exhibition Centre of Athens.
Telespazio will present its complete offer of satellite solutions and services for the maritime sector: from the cruising fleets to the maritime cargo, ferries, oil & gas operators.
In particular Telespazio present details of the SeaOnNet services, solution proposed to navigation companies, and furthermore, will also be presenting Iridium, and Orbcomm services.
(Credits Telespazio)

The district fire and emergency services (SDIS) covering the French administrative department of Val d’Oise (north of Paris) has implemented a new computerised system from Thales to aid decision-making and manage emergency situations.

With the new system now operational, firefighting and emergency crews are able to provide a faster and more effective response.
At the heart of the Val d’Oise district fire and rescue operations centre (CODIS) and call handling centre (CTA), the computerised system receives and processes all 18 (emergency) calls within the department. It also alerts local fire and rescue stations and enables real-time management and tracking of routine operations and more complex emergency situations. Dubbed ISIS 95, the project is now operational.
Development and completion of the new facility involved management of four major areas:
• implementation of a LAN and WAN network architecture covering the entire administrative department
• implementation of administrative IT solutions for dynamic management of personnel, equipment and infrastructure
• integration of operational IT solutions for processing of emergency calls and automated management of response assets
• deployment of an HF network for transmission of alerts to all local fire and rescue centres within the department
The system, operated by around a dozen CODIS/CTA personnel, incorporates a powerful decision-support function that proposes the most appropriate solution to each situation in terms of assets and facilities (equipment, infrastructure, geographic proximity, handling of 18 emergency calls, management of deployed assets, etc.) and personnel. A mapping system provides the geographic location of the caller/situation in a matter of seconds and defines a security perimeter around the site. It also provides a visual display of the local environment (buildings, roads, specific risks, etc.).
“The type of system we decided to implement is a highly effective solution that enables us to anticipate the most appropriate responses, save valuable time and deploy crews and equipment as effectively as possible — ultimately helping us to save more lives,” said Colonel Delannoy, Director of the SDIS 95 district fire and emergency services. “We now have one of the most advanced call handling centres in France.”
“We’re delighted to have contributed to the implementation of this project in Val d’Oise,”
said Pierre Maciejowski, Managing Director of Thales Security Systems. “The project is a prestigious showcase of Thales’ know-how in security solutions for firefighting and emergency services.”
SDIS: Service Départemental d’Incendie et de Secours
CODIS: Centre Opérationnel Départemental d’Incendie et de Secour

CTA:
Centre de Traitement des Alertes
ISIS 95: Informatisation du Service d’Incendie et de Secours (computerised solution for fire and rescue services, department 95)
About Thales
Thales is a leading international electronics and systems group serving defence, aerospace and security markets worldwide, supported by a comprehensive services offering. The group’s civil and military businesses develop in parallel to serve a single objective: the security of people, property and nations. Leveraging a global network of more than 20,000 high-level researchers, Thales offers a capability unmatched in Europe to develop and deploy critical information systems. Thales employs 60,000 people in 50 countries and generated revenues of €10.3 billion in 2005, with a record order book of over €20 billion.
Thales Security Systems business line designs, delivers and integrates high-technology solutions to protect critical infrastructures for local authorities and corporate and government customers worldwide. These solutions cover all aspects of security, including site and event security, security operation and crisis management centres, secure identification solutions, information system security and environmental security.
The company’s comprehensive services offering ranges from security consulting, architecture definition and complex systems integration to complete turnkey solutions including the design, installation, operation and maintenance of security systems.
Press contacts:
Thales Security Systems
Michèle Bogatirsky
Tel: +33 (0)1 40 83 23 51
(Credits Thales)

GeoID becomes distributor for Skyline products via an agreement with Skyline France.

Skyline software is the leading solution for streaming the 3D digital earth over the internet or an intranet. GeoID is an official reseller for Skyline FranceTM.
Skyline products are composed of three main product lines:
• TerraBuilder fuses large volumes of imagery, elevation and vector data, to create a terrain database with an accurate 3D model of a landscape.
• TerraExplorer is a desktop application that allows users to view and analyze the spatial data, and edit it, adding 2D and 3D information, routes, locations and GIS files. TerraExplorer connects to the terrain database generated by TerraBuilder, and accesses GIS layers directly over a network.
• TerraGate is a server that allows users to access the terrain database over the Internet. TerraGate streams spatial data in real-time, as the user flies over the landscape.
(Credits GeoID)

In response to a growing demand for sharpened census data, GeoVille Information Systems has developed ‘real-world population’ maps based on Earth observation, under a contract named EO-STAT awarded by ESA, which can assist the private and public sector in fields such as geomarketing, market research, business location analysis, risk assessment and transport and urban planning.

GeoVille, an Austrian company specialising in geo-information, and Tele Atlas, a leading provider of road networks worldwide, are providing detailed models of areas based on road network information, statistical population data – supplied by the German-based market research institute GfK – and Earth observation (EO) images from ESA’s Envisat, NASA’s LANDSAT and the French Space Agency’s SPOT satellites.
Results are then integrated into Tele Atlas’ digital geographic database, MultiNet, and can – among other applications – be used to spot the target groups for geomarketing campaigns.
Envisat artist‘s impression
Envisat
Geomarketing determines consumer profiles according to geographical zones based on market-specific data by using geographical information along with population and economic statistics. Companies can use this information to visualize the geographic location of potential target groups before implementing costly marketing campaigns and to envision future growth on a local or national scale. For instance, this information can be used to strategically choose a heavily-populated area in which to place a business in another country without ever placing a foot in the region.
Population data from zip codes has been used for decades to help companies reach their target audience, but that data has drawbacks because it standardises the information, conveying the erroneous impression of homogeneous population densities leading to misleading results. Data provided by EO-STAT (EO derived information for sharpening socio-economic STATistics) makes the transition from the current population statistics to the ‘real-world’ population situation.
“Models based on zip code data, for example, make areas look uniform, but in reality within a community you will have, for instance, some high rise buildings, single family homes, some green areas, lakes and parks,” Christian Hoffman of GeoVille said. “Our service is like a pencil sharpener because it sharpens the data already available by using a model that compiles three layers of information.”
Data development
Data development for density maps
Information on ‘real-world population’ distribution is already available through EO-STAT for all of Austria with extensions in Germany, but the largest potential of the project is in regions and countries where limited information on population distribution is available. Thus, EO-STAT is currently working to provide models for Eastern European countries, where the statistical data are sometimes fragmented not homogeneous. In light of the European Union’s expansion to the east, there is an increasing demand for geoinformation from this region to allow local and national businesses to make better informed decisions. GeoVille is also currently providing maps over the province of Shanghai in China.
GeoVille first employed this technique in Vienna, Austria, with a population of roughly 1.5 million, and illustrated a complex and heterogeneous settlement structure from low density single family neighbourhoods to modern high-rise buildings and large industrial and commercial areas.
The model produced was validated with aerial photographs and independent reference data and showed an accuracy of more than 95 percent. The EO data used provided recognition of urban features and separation of urban from non-urban features, as well as discrimination of urban site density based on the presence of vegetation.
Companies currently using this model expect to improve their existing data sets in regards of accuracy by a factor of 100 or more.
The EO-STAT service is organised in partnership with German-based Infoterra GmbH and Brockmann Consult. The EO-STAT contract was awarded by ESA within the framework of the Earth Observation Market Development (EOMD) programme. More information about EO-STAT activities is available from the EOMD website or can be obtained by contacting eomd@esa.int.
(Credits ESA and Geoville)

PCI Geomatics announced the release of Geomatica 10 for Linux and Solaris users.

The latest version of the company’s revolutionary image-centric geospatial software emphasizes automation, productivity, and support for more than 100 geospatial data formats. Geomatica 10 offers solutions for various geomatics processing requirements, while maintaining interoperability with outside software packages. Geomatica 10 offers significant new features and enhancements, including enhanced charting and new atmospheric correction algorithms for hyperspectral data. In particular, our strong alliance with Oracle® has enabled Geomatica 10 to take full advantage of Oracle 10g and make uploading and downloading multiple-formatted and large quantities of data effortless. As part of our commitment to continually improving our products, Geomatica 10 offers better performance, even more supported formats, and new satellite sensor support. Advancements in photogrammetry include automatic ground control point collection, automated orthomosaic workflows, and enhanced exterior orientation reporting and editing functionality for even greater accuracy and efficiency.
(Credits PCI)

Infoterra achieves 20 per cent growth in 2005
and secures further investment from EADS Astrium.

Infoterra Ltd., a leader in the provision of geographic information products and services, today announces that it achieved 20 per cent growth in 2005. This represents the company’s third consecutive year of growth, during which time it has doubled turnover to become a £19 million business.
Infoterra’s continuing success is based on its geographical information systems (GIS) products, services, consultancy and technology leadership. Infoterra is particularly active in the utilities, telecommunications and engineering marketplaces as well as the public sector.
During 2005, Infoterra secured a number of significant contracts including multiple projects on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA); comprising GIS consultancy and development services, airborne photography provision and digital map creation.
Additional flagship projects for Infoterra includes the management and hosting of geographical data for the European Space Agency (ESA), a four year framework agreement with the Highways Agency and the extension of the European Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) humanitarian relief project, Respond. 2005 also saw the signing of a multi-million pound partnership for the delivery of a national aerial photo layer with BlueSky International Ltd. and Infoterra’s launch of its market leading online service, GeoStore.com.
The ongoing success of Infoterra also prompted its parent company, EADS Astrium, to provide additional investment for the purchase of an ADS40 system (the latest in airborne digital camera technology).
Dave Fox, CEO, Infoterra Ltd. comments: “These figures confirm Infoterra’s strengthening position in the GIS market. Throughout the past year Infoterra has won both new contracts, across a number of sectors, as well as contract extensions from existing customers. In line with our strategy to extend Infoterra across the GIS value chain we have achieved growth across every facet of the business – from data provision to data hosting.”
About Infoterra Ltd.
Infoterra Ltd. is a leading provider of geographic information products and services. Its portfolio of geographic information solutions includes airborne and satellite data acquisition, geo-information creation, database management and outsourced hosting. Infoterra provides geospatial knowledge to companies worldwide to help them make informed decisions. The company has major customers in communications, utilities, engineering, agriculture, defence and oil, gas & mineral exploration.
Infoterra Ltd. is part of the Infoterra group which comprises companies in France, Germany and the United Kingdom, and is a wholly owned subsidiary of EADS Astrium Ltd.
For more information contact
- Simon Corbett,
Edelman,
+44 (0) 20 7344 1349,
simon.corbett@edelman.com
ellen.harrison@edelman.com
- Sarah Haslam,
Infoterra Ltd.,
+44 (0)116 273 2300,
sarah.haslam@infoterra-global.com
(Credits Infoterra Ltd)