IMAGING

Drone flight over Lingaraj temple creates a flutter

A drone capturing images of the 11th century Lingaraj Temple drew attention of servitors of the shrine and led to suspicion over motive behind the photography.

Some of the temple officials also registered a complaint with the police but eventually, it turned out to be part of a Smart City Project work of the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation in India.

The photographer, Ranjit Kamble who represents Goregoan-based IBI Group, was questioned and the firm’s authorisation to capture images was verified by Lingaraj Police. After the authentication, Kamble was allowed to go along with his photography devices. www.newindianexpress.com

Indian student bags Germany’s Green Talents Award

Arun Prasad Kumar currently pursuing a PhD in Earth Remote Sensing and Geo-Information, Technology from the department of earth and space sciences of the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology is the only Indian among the 27 winners from more than 90 countries to bag a ‘Green Talents Award’ at the 7th Green Talents 2015.

Green Talents – International Forum for High Potentials in Sustainable Development, hosted yearly by the German federal ministry of education and research (BMBF), calls for applications from all over the world from young visionaries to come up with innovative concepts to make the planet sustainable.

Kumar’s thesis focuses on ‘specieslevel classification and biophysical characterisation of mangroves using hyperspectral remote sensing’. The thesis also incorporates socio-economic awareness initiatives to give more insight to the local community regarding the benefits of mangroves and to implement conservation activities in the study area. www.hindustantimes.com

ViviSat remote sensing license approved

ViviSat LLC has announced that the Commercial Remote Sensing Regulatory Affairs Office of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, an agency of the Department of Commerce, has granted it a license to provide space based remote sensing on up to 10 of its Mission Extension Vehicles (MEVs).

ViviSat’s MEV will utilize these remote sensing capabilities to visually image its clients’ satellites during rendezvous and docking operations while providing on-orbit life extension services. The MEVs will operate in geostationary orbit. www.businesswire.com

China launches latest remote sensing satellite

China has successfully launched a remote sensing satellite, Yaogan—29 which will focus on experiments on survey of land, crop yields and disaster relief. The satellite will be used for experiments, land surveys, crop yield estimates and disaster relief.

However, western analysts believe the series of satellites are of a military nature, using electronic intelligence, electro—optical and synthetic aperture radar sensing equipment. www.thehindu.com

Correlator3D™ version 6.3 by SimActive

SimActive has announced Correlator3D™ version 6.3 with an expanded UAV enterprise offering. A new floating licensing option allows computers on the same network to seamlessly borrow licenses from a pool, increasing transferability for enterprise requirements. Multilanguage support is also introduced with this version. www.simactive.com

Phase One Industrial Releases Software Development Kit 8.3.3

Phase One Industrial has released Phase One Software Development Kit (SDK) 8.3.3 in Linux, Windows and Mac OS versions. This SDK provides tools that enable users to build custom applications to control the way Phase One aerial cameras capture and process images. It enables users to precisely control which parameters to apply — such as capture frequency, exposure values and white balance while capturing or processing images from a Phase One aerial camera. The Phase One SDK includes interface components for custom applications to work with the Phase One cameras in a production set up. http://industrial.phaseone.com/

Govt requests Japan to extend minerals surveying project

Remote sensing is a minerals prospecting technique using aircrafts or satellites.

Deputy permanent secretary in MMEWR, Obolokile Obakeng made the appeal at a seminar on sustainable development of mineral resources in Botswana’s mining sector. The seminar was co-hosted by MMEWR and the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), through the Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation (JOGMEC).

The remote sensing project started in July 2008 after the signing of a memorandum of agreement between Botswana Geological Survey and JOGMEC, as well as the establishment of the JOGMEC Geological Remote Sensing Centre in the Department of Geological Survey (DGS) premises in Lobatse and another one in Gaborone for use by SADC member states. www.mmegi.bw

Gwinnett commissioners renew aerial photography contract

Gwinnett Commissioners agreed earlier this month to the renewal of digital oblique aerial photographic imagery and viewing software on an annual contract with Pictometry International Corporation for $173,527. www.ajc.com

GAIL launches Bhuvan- GAIL Portal

In order to address the pipeline security concern, GAIL (India) Limited in collaboration with National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC), a unit of Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO, has launched an innovative surveillance geo-portal called “Bhuvan- GAIL portal” utilizing space technology for its pipeline application. Despite all challenges, GAIL has proved that the space technology can be efficiently used for monitoring the pipeline Right of Use (RoU). GAIL has over 13000 Km of Pipeline network wherein monthly monitoring of pipeline ROU at present is being carried out through Helicopter surveys. GAIL will start live satellite monitoring of the pipeline RoU by January 2016 and is also looking for alternative methods like advance Unmanned Ariel Vehicle (UAV) which can also be integrated with this system.

GAIL also developed an innovative mobile application, from which the pictures of the exception taken locally from any mobile describing the actual scenario can be uploaded instantly to the portal. A report system integrated with this Bhuvan-GAIL portal can send alerts to the relevant executives via SMS and email regarding the changes noted along the ROU and also arrival of any new satellite imagery. To establish the technical feasibility of utilizing space technology for its pipeline applications, GAIL started the study with Imageries from Indian Satellites and later shifted to very high resolution foreign satellites. www.gailonline.com/

FAA recommends drone registration

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has released a list of recommendations for how to better monitor recreational use of the machines.

Under the proposal, most drone owners would have to register the machines with the federal government, which would place the information in a national database in what would be the first time for such requirements. https://nakedsecurity.sophos.com

DJI Introduces Company’s First Agriculture Drone

DJI has announced the launch of a smart, crop-spraying agricultural drone.

The DJI Agras MG-1 is dustproof, water-resistant and made of anticorrosive materials. It can be rinsed clean and folded up for easy transport and storage after use.

The eight-rotor Agras can load more than 10 kilograms of liquid for cropspraying and can cover between seven and 10 acres per hour. It is over 40 times more-efficient than manual spraying. The drone can fly up to eight meters per second and adjusts spraying intensity to flying speed, ensuring even coverage.

The Agras features DJI’s industryleading flight-control system and microwave radar to ensure centimeterlevel accuracy. www.dji.com

Netherlands donates U.S.$7 Million

The Netherlands and FAO are expanding their collaboration in the area of water management with a $7 million donation by the Dutch government to support the use of remote sensing technology in helping water-scarce countries in the Near East and Africa monitor and improve the way they use water for crop production. http://allafrica.com

NDRF inks pact with NRSC to get satellite data

In order to obtain the vital “third eye” to tackle disasters, the NDRF has inked a pact with the National Remote Sensing Centre which will provide the force with geo-spatial and other satellite data for sharpening its relief and rescue operations.

A MoU was signed in this regard by National Disaster Response Force chief O P Singh and senior NRSC Scientist Bhanumurthy. The new partnership will allow the force to access the NRSC, Hyderabad and the Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) technical database on disaster management support to not only prepare for the onslaught of a natural disaster but also while preparing the physical response to such calamities. http://newsworldindia.in

Drone register features app detailing permitted flying areas

Every drone or remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) over one kilo in weight would be required to sign up, with the legislation also applying to model aircraft, Mr James, formerly Defence Forces deputy chief of staff, told the Drones, Data X conference in Westport, Co Mayo. The new drone register, which will be one of the first of its kind in Europe, will be up and running soon, according to Irish Aviation Authority director of safety regulation Ralph James. www.irishtimes.com

A deal at UN meet paves way for satellite tracking of aircraft

A deal reached at a U.N. meeting opens the way for satellite tracking of airliners, a major breakthrough motivated by the mystery disappearance of a Malaysia Airlines jetliner last year.

The agreement allows nations to set aside radio frequencies so that airplanes can be tracked by satellite – not just from the ground.

Under current radar-based systems, the movement of planes is monitored by land-based systems, leaving around 70 percent of the world’s surface uncovered, according to the International Telecommunications Union, the U.N. communications agency. Modern planes that can send what are known as Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast, or ADS-B, signals to the ground are now on track to send signals to satellites too — with implementation expected by 2017.

The accord to set aside the 1087.7- 1092.3 MHz radio frequency for satellite tracking of planes came at the World Radiocommunication Conference, an international gathering organized every four years by the ITU. International civil aviation regulator ICAO has pushed for satellite tracking of aircraft, as long as current safety measures aren’t jeopardized. www.asianage.com

NISAR mission biggest collaboration of ISRO and NASA

The NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) mission will be the biggest collaboration between the two space agencies yet, said a senior scientist from NASA recently. The mission involves building a 2,600 kg satellite that will “effectively make a time-lapse movie of the earth” while keeping a close eye on disturbances in the ecosystem, ice-sheet collapses and natural hazards. http://indianexpress.com

Rapidlasso receives “Green Asia Award” at ACRS 2015

At the Asian Conference on Remote Sensing 2015 (ACRS 2015) held in Manila, rapidlasso GmbH was honored with the “Green Asia Award” by the Chinese Society of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (CSPRS). This award is given to a paper that directs Asia towards a greener future using remote sensing technology. This year’s award commends rapidlasso GmbH on advancing the area of LiDAR processing through their PulseWaves effort. PulseWaves is a vendor-neutral full waveform LiDAR data exchange format and API that simplifies access to full waveform data and allows researchers to focus on algorithms and share results. In the future this technology may prove valuable to improve biomass estimates for carbon credit programs such as the TREEMAPS project of WWF. http://rapidlasso.com

ISRO-ASI initiative for remote surveillance of heritage structures Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and Archeological Survey of India (ASI) have joined hands to create a repository of satellite-based surveillance photographs on 3,000- plus nationally protected monuments initially and later add 1,50,000-odd heritage structures across the country. ISRO has also been entrusted with the job of filing high resolution digital images of each site and its peripheral areas to spot illegal structures that have mushroomed in the neighbourhood of protected monuments and heritage buildings in the last 50 years. These satellite pictures will come handy for ASI to identify the worst affected areas and take corrective action. The ISRO-ASI combine will be carry out remote sensing surveillance of all the monuments and prepare maps that clearly demarcate the prohibited and regulated zones around these monuments. A standard operating procedure (SOP) using high resolution satellite data as primary source and employing stateof the-art geo-spatial technology and open source tools has been developed for operational use by ASI. The project is already in advanced stage of completion in the state of Karnataka and soon will be extended to the rest of country. Data from Cartosat-1, Cartosat-2 and Resources at LISS IV are being used to create the database on heritage sites and monuments. Three management zones (protected, prohibited and regulated) around the heritage site are delineated using GIS tool after locating the site or monument on the satellite image. All land use features within each zone are precisely mapped. http:// timesofindia.indiatimes.com/

 

DOST eyes rice sufficiency via remote sensing technologies During the recent 2015 Asian Conference on Remote Sensing, Dr. Enrico Paringit, explained that through the said technology, experts can make an inventory of the agricultural resources and immediately discover any irregularities in the crops before these spread. Paringit is the program leader of the Department of Science and Technology’s (DOST) Disaster Risks Exposure Assessment for Mitigation (DREAM), Philipines. “The El Niño phenomenon was detected using remote sensing technologies,” says Paringit while explaining the benefits of remote sensing technologies in the areas of agriculture, forestry, and disaster mitigation. Remote sensing is the technology used in getting information on an object or phenomenon without making any physical contact. It is done through aerial scanning of a location or through satellite images. “We can say that remote sensing is more like feeling without touching,” says Paringit. Under the DREAM program which Paringit heads, DOST will be sending two microsatellites in two years starting 2016 to enable the remote transmission of data. These images will be verified using data coming from other sources.