IMAGING

Ecometrica to provide platform for NASA’s latest Earth images

Sustainability and space data company Ecometrica is to help disseminate data from NASA’s latest ‘Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation’ (GEDI) LiDAR instrument, thanks to a new contract with the University of Maryland (UMD). The firm’s Ecometrica Platform will make processed maps more widely available to end users and reduce the need for additional processing of highly technical remote sensing LiDAR data.

GEDI is led by the UMD, in collaboration with NASA Goddard Spaceflight Center, and deploys a multibeam LiDAR instrument onboard the International Space Station to measure the forest vertical structure and biomass. Carried from Earth to the International Space Station atop a reusable SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, it is already providing valuable raw data, which will be crucial in better understanding climate change and the Earth’s ecosystems. The data has global potential but needs to be interpreted. Ecometrica’s Platform will display key findings on rapidly updating maps, allowing conservation organisations and government agencies around the world to tap into the findings and use the real-time data to monitor forest canopies and cover. www.ecometrica.com

NRL’s remote sensing division analyzes ground characteristics in Australia

U.S. Naval Research Laboratory physical scientists, engineers, and principal investigator Andrei Abelev visited Australia in May 2019 to validate their techniques for terrain characterization.

Using multiple types of sensors to gain understanding of different soils, the team used the trip to see how their models performed with the soils Down Under, digging into the homes of some of the most dangerous animals in the world.

To collect soil data, NRL researchers use multiple kinds of sophisticated sensors, also known as modalities, on the ground and in the air, including radar, hyperspectral instruments, and lidar. www.dvidshub.net

Image processing technology using sensor fusion for air- and space-based remote sensing

U.S. intelligence experts approaching industry for a image-processing project to blend data from satellite- and aircraft-based multispectral imaging sensors and visiblelight sensors to detect activities like heavy building projects and highway construction.

Officials of the U.S. Intelligence Advanced Projects Agency (IARPA) in Washington issued a broad agency announcement last week (IARPA-BAA-19-04) for the Space-based Machine Automated Recognition Technique (SMART) project.

SMART seeks to use sensor fusionto enable automated broad-area search, monitoring, and characterization the progression of natural or man-made activities using time-series spectral imagery from several different satellite- or aircraft-based electro-optical sensors. Examples include heavy construction, real estate or urban development, crop disease propagation, forest fire, flooding and mud slides, insect or battle damage, human migration, mining, logging, farming, earthquakes. SMART applications potentially could include geospatial intelligence, disaster recovery, humanitarian aid, and automated assessment of land-use trending. https://iarpa-ideas.gov

Vexcel Imaging unlocks new business With HPE And Qumulo

Qumulo, the leading provider of enterprise-proven hybrid cloud file storage, has announced that Vexcel Imaging chose Qumulo and HPE to store massive amounts of large-format digital images on a powerful hybrid cloud infrastructure.

In 2018, Vexcel launched the Vexcel Data Program (VDP), a cloud-based aerial imagery and data library covering entire states and countries. The VDP leverages the company’s advanced UltraCam aerial sensors and UltraMap software to allow organizations to make better strategic decisions through intelligent imagery in order to uncover crucial location insights.

In addition to “blue sky” data sets, Vexcel collects aerial imagery after catastrophic events such as floods, tornadoes or hurricanes as part of its “gray sky” program. Provided in collaboration with the Geospatial Intelligence Center (GIC), the imagery is made available within 24-hours after collecting to government organizations, rescue services and insurance companies.

Laser scanning in space utilization and facilities management

Pointfuse has launched a new toolkit specifically designed to make it easier to adopt laser scanning within space management, planning and utilization workflows. Pointfuse Space Creator automates the conversion of features such as walls, doors and windows to BIM LOD 200, and is compatible with the latest mobile mapping systems that are increasingly being used for as-built and as-used surveys within the facilities management sector. Pointfuse software converts the millions of individual measurements captured by laser scanning and photogrammetry into useable 3D models. pointfuse.com

Pléiades Neo well on track for launch mid-2020

The first two Airbus-built Pléiades Neo imaging satellites have started comprehensive environmental testing, to ensure they are ready for in-orbit operation.

During the tests, the satellites are subjected to extreme temperatures and vacuum, vibration and acoustic noise, as well as electromagnetic interference. This will ensure they can withstand the harsh conditions they will experience during launch and their mission in orbit. These first two new generation very highresolution satellites are on schedule for launch as planned in mid-2020. They will join the already world leading Airbus constellation of optical and radar satellites, improving both the revisit and resolution capacities.www.airbus.com