The Infoterra Group, a leading geo-information service provider comprising companies in the United Kingdom, Germany and Hungary, has been significantly strengthened by the formation of Infoterra France – integration of ISTAR and teams from EADS Astrium’s Earth observation division. Infoterra’s parent company, Europe’s leading satellite system specialist EADS Astrium, has reinforced its commitment to expand activities in Earth observation services by gathering complementary assets and competences to enhance the group’s operational capabilities.
The Infoterra group, with over 300 staff and a turnover of around 50 M€, is one of the Worlds’ leading providers of geo-information products and services for managing the world’s environment, development and security.
Capability
Customers will benefit directly from the pooling of assets under the Infoterra brand and with the launch of TerraSAR-X (the new German radar satellite, developed in partnership with the German Aerospace Agency (DLR) and EADS Astrium GmbH, for which Infoterra holds the exclusive commercial exploitation rights) later this year, the Infoterra Group will expand the range of resources it can offer customers.
Artist´s view of TerraSAR-X. © EADS Astrium GmbH
TerraSAR-X adds to an established comprehensive range of airborne sensors and access to a variety
of spaceborne data sources. Infoterra’s ADS40 digital sensor, as well as lidar, radar, hyperspectral and thermal instruments, are operated around the globe to provide accurate and cost effective aerial data. Furthermore, access to data from a huge range of established spaceborne sensors, including IKONOS, QuickBird, ENVISAT and SPOT satellites (Spot Image is affiliated with Infoterra through EADS Astrium’s 40% ownership) is available through Infoterra.
of spaceborne data sources. Infoterra’s ADS40 digital sensor, as well as lidar, radar, hyperspectral and thermal instruments, are operated around the globe to provide accurate and cost effective aerial data. Furthermore, access to data from a huge range of established spaceborne sensors, including IKONOS, QuickBird, ENVISAT and SPOT satellites (Spot Image is affiliated with Infoterra through EADS Astrium’s 40% ownership) is available through Infoterra.
After acquiring data Infoterra offers the foremost data processing and interpretation services. The unique multiple sensor processing chain, the Pixel Factory™, automatically processes spatial or digital airborne images, enabling a thorough control of 2D and 3D geometry, creation of specific products and the seamless merge of data from different scales and sources, compliant to various applications.
Aerial Photography. © GeoStore.com
In addition to supplying datasets, Infoterra offer sophisticated geospatial solutions through the interpretation of both satellite and airborne data. Infoterra is accomplished at turning data into useful business information for a wide range of applications around the world: telecommunications network planning, environmental & land management, risk assessment, infrastructure planning and geological mapping. Further examples include:
• Infoterra’s solutions for defence and security support the entire life cycle of geospatial data as used in any defence and intelligence process: tasking commercial satellite imagery assets, turning geospatial data into mapping products and hosting & dissemination enabling users to access data. As an example, TerraSAR-X‘s high radiometric accuracy, weather/daylight independence, quick access time and the possibility to receive 1m resolution data around the globe, will make it an ideal sensor to support time-critical situations.
• To help monitor crops and optimize harvest, Infoterra’s crop management service, FARMSTAR, provides growers with a series of recommendation maps. This service – based on a unique process combining satellite and aerial imagery, agronomic models and meteorological data – is currently helping more than 10,000 farmers in France, and is now being used in many countries including the UK, Spain, Brazil and Argentina.
FARMSTAR crop management service.
• Infoterra’s offshore and onshore geo-information solutions are used widely for the exploration of oil, gas and minerals. From satellite and airborne imagery, Infoterra’s team of geologists can interpret the data to produce onshore structural and geological mapping, and also oil seeps data for global offshore basins.
Over the last few years Infoterra has invested in technologies and developed systems to enable geospatial data to be easily managed, while providing rapid delivery. Today Infoterra operates one of Europe’s largest commercial geospatial hosting service centres, storing thousands of terrabytes of data. This facility is being utilised by a range of organisations, along with the online service, GeoStore® – a flexible online service for businesses to access geospatial data.
GMES Services
Infoterra has established a leading role in the GMES (European Global Monitoring for Environment and Security) programme – a joint initiative of the European Space Agency (ESA) and the European Commission (EC).
Infoterra provides efficient, reliable services in three significant GMES priority areas:
• European land use/land cover state and change: Infoterra‘s monitoring and periodical mapping of European landuse serves as a basis for a variety of applications, which are developed together with partners across Europe. This data enables improved sustainable planning and successful management of water quality, soil erosion, nature protection and urban/regional planning.
www.gmes-geoland.info
www.gmes-geoland.info
GMES Basic Landcover Mapping. Catchment of river Weser, GE2006.
• Risk management: combining the use of satellite and exogenous data with modelling techniques and information systems, Infoterra and its partners are developing enhanced information services and tools, to help monitor all types of risk and manage crises situations. www.risk-eos.com www.preview-risk.com
• Humanitarian relief: Infoterra, with an alliance of organisations, is working with the humanitarian community to improve access to maps, satellite imagery and geographic information, with the aim to increase the effectiveness of the relief process.
www.respond-int.org
www.respond-int.org
Summary
Marc Tondriaux, chairman of the joint Infoterra Management Board, says: “We are all excited about sharing knowledge and experience throughout the group, and the benefits this brings to our customers. Profiting from synergies among the established entities, we are able to offer a portfolio ranging from data acquisition and processing to sophisticated geo-information services – something only a few companies in this market are able to offer. I am confident that Infoterra will endorse and strengthen its position as a leading provider of geo-information products and services for managing our world’s environment, development and security.”
For more information contact
Sarah Haslam, Infoterra Ltd,
+44 (0)116 273 2300
(Credits Infoterra Group)