PCI Geomatics Announces Support for Skybox Imaging’s Imagery in Geomatica 2013 SP3

RICHMOND HILL, Ontario, Canada—February 24, 2014: PCI Geomatics, a world leading developer of remote sensing and photogrammetric software and systems, announced today it supports data analysis of images from SkySat-1, the first in a planned constellation of 24 satellites from Skybox Imaging. Support for SkySat-1 is currently available in the company’s new software, Geomatica 2013 (Service Pack 3 – SP3).

SkySat-1 is a high-performance satellite capable of providing 4-band, high-resolution sub-meter class imagery. Operating in a sun-synchronous orbit of 600 km, SkySat-1 also provides the first commercial high-resolution, full-motion video from space at 30 frames per second.

“We are thrilled to be partnering with PCI Geomatics to ensure that our imagery products are seamlessly incorporated into user’s workflows,” said Matt Wood, Skybox Senior Director of Enterprise Solutions. “It is important that our imagery is easily accessible and can be used to derive information in a timely, operational manner. We’ve worked closely with PCI Geomatics to ensure speedy correction is possible in a way that is both highly accurate and automated.”

“Our customers have come to expect Geomatica to support new sensors as imagery becomes available, and Skybox is no exception,” said Terry Moloney, President and CEO of PCI Geomatics. “SkySat-1 and other future sensors that will make up Skybox’s constellation will open new and exciting possibilities for the operational use of imagery. We are pleased to be able to offer support very early on in this exciting new era of commercial earth observation where pervasive coverage and imaging is becoming increasingly possible.”

About PCI Geomatics

PCI Geomatics is a world-leading developer of software and systems for remote sensing, imagery processing, and photogrammetry.  With more than 30 years of experience in the geospatial industry, PCI is recognized globally for its excellence in providing software for accurately and rapidly processing both satellite and aerial imagery.  PCI has installed more than 30 thousand licenses, in over 150 countries worldwide. Find out more about PCI Geomatics at www.pcigeomatics.com.

About Skybox Imaging

Skybox Imaging empowers global businesses to make better decisions with timely, high fidelity imagery and infinite analytics. By combining the power of web technologies and a constellation of high-resolution imaging satellites, Skybox is generating a unique data source describing daily global activity with timely, accessible, sub-meter color imagery and high definition video of the Earth. Founded in 2009, Skybox Imaging is backed by leading venture firms and comprised of Internet and aerospace professionals. For more information, visit www.skybox.com.

Press Contact

Kevin R. Jones
Director, Marketing and Communications
T: 819-770-0022 x 214
E: jones@pcigeomatics.com
Web: www.pcigeomatics.com

Twitter: @pcigeomatics

PCI Geomatics Delivers Historical Airphoto Processing (HAP) System to USDA Forest Service

RICHMOND HILL, Ontario, Canada—February 6, 2014: PCI Geomatics, a world leading developer of geo-imaging software and systems, announced today that it has successfully delivered its high-speed and automated Historical Airphoto Processing (HAP) system to the USDA’s Forest Service office in Region 5 (California and Pacific Islands).

“Having orthorectified historic imagery will allow us to better understand how ecological processes and disturbance patterns have shaped the ecosystems we manage,” said Carlos Ramirez, Team Leader of the Remote Sensing Laboratory at USDA Forest Service’s Region 5. Nathan Amboy, an analyst at the lab, states that “Using HAP, we plan to generate digitally mosaicked datasets from the archived historical imagery that can be used to conduct change detection and analysis. In our archives, we have access to imagery dating back to the 1930’s that can analyzed; the first steps to make this possible include scanning, correcting and orthorectifying the historical imagery to ensure that the information extracted is accurate and can be used for change detection.”

“The HAP system automates what used to be a very manual process, providing typical processing capability on the order to 1,000 to 1,500 orthos per operator, per week,” said Clark Selby, US Regional Solutions Manager for PCI Geomatics. “Our HAP system is increasingly being adopted since it provides a viable method to process historical imagery and bring it into modern day geospatial systems.”

In recent years, the Forest Service has seen an increasing demand for historical imagery from local Forest Service offices, as well as internal and University based forest researchers. Historical imagery is currently stored on hardcopy prints within the Forest Service’s facilities. Local officials and researchers are limited to accessing and analyzing historical information on the physical prints, which greatly restricts their utility. The historical imagery provides a record of the changes which the Forest Service can use to better understand the delicate balance between naturally occurring changes and the anthropogenic forces that are having an impact on the landscape. Fire frequency and intensity have been on the rise in the last decade, which scientists believe is linked to fire suppression activities that have interrupted natural forest regeneration cycles.

Region 5’s GIS and Remote Sensing professionals are greatly improving access to the valuable historical imagery across the organization. Through the use of the HAP within their facility, they are making the hardcopy prints more readily accessible to internal and external parties who have expressed a need to work with the imagery.

About PCI Geomatics

PCI Geomatics is a world-leading developer of software and systems for remote sensing, imagery processing, and photogrammetry.  With more than 30 years of experience in the geospatial industry, PCI is recognized globally for its excellence in providing software for accurately and rapidly processing satellite and aerial imagery.  There are more than 30,000 PCI licenses, in over 150 countries worldwide. Find out more about PCI Geomatics at www.pcigeomatics.com.

Press Contact

Kevin R. Jones
Director, Marketing and Communications
T: 819-770-0022 x 214
E: jones@pcigeomatics.com
Web: www.pcigeomatics.com
Twitter: @pcigeomatics

PCI Geomatics and the SATREC Initiative sign Memorandum of Understanding

RICHMOND HILL, Ontario, Canada—February 3, 2014: PCI Geomatics, a world leading developer of remote sensing and photogrammetric software and systems, announced today that is has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Satrec Initiative, a leading solution provider for Earth observation missions, based in Daejeon, South Korea.

The agreement is intended to develop commercial relations between the two companies and promote the operational use of KOMPSAT imagery on a global basis, most notably the recently launched KOMPSAT-3 satellite. KOMPSAT-3 is an optical imaging satellite capable of imaging the Earth with a resolution of 0.70 m Panchromatic and 2.8 m Multispectral (Blue, Green, Red, Near-IR). KOMPSAT-3 includes the Advanced Earth Imaging Sensor System (AEISS), which is a high-resolution imager (Pan and MS). The imagery is commercially available through the Satrec Initiative.

Some of the key activities that will be implemented as a result of this agreement are the provision of sample KOMPSAT-3 imagery that can be distributed with Geomatica, PCI’s flagship software platform. In addition, the Satrec Initiative will provide imagery to applications specialists and scientists at PCI Geomatics in order to develop automated and highly accurate methods of correcting large volumes of the imagery, as well as to develop innovative application examples and demonstrations for operational applications.

Together with the Satrec Initiative, PCI Geomatics will host webinars that will showcase possible applications through the use of the imagery and the Geomatica software platform. “We are very pleased to be working with the Satrec Initiative to further develop operational uses KOMPSAT-3 imagery,” said Arnold Hougham, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at PCI Geomatics. “There is a great deal of synergy between the Satrec Initiative and our company, most notably with the recent launch of KOMPSAT-5, a Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) X-band satellite. Our existing Geomatica Suite is perfectly suited for end users working with KOMPSAT-3 imagery, and with the upcoming release of commercial imagery from KOMPSAT-5, our Geomatica Radar Suite will provide additional capabilities for viewing, and analysis of this new source of imagery.”

“We are so excited to be working with PCI Geomatics to introduce alternative earth observation resources from the KOMPSAT constellation to the remote sensing user society,” said Moongyu Kim, Vice President of Satellite Image Services at the Satrec Initiative. “KOMPSAT-2 and KOMPSAT-3 are cost-effective VHR optical satellites and KOMPSAT-5 is a new X-band SAR satellite. We are sure that Geomatica with KOMPSAT imagery will demonstrate the great combination of powerful analysis tools and cost effective imagery sources.”

For more information on KOMPSAT-3 and to learn more about Geomatica, please visit the following websites:

www.pcigeomatics.com/Geomatica

http://satreci.com/  

About PCI Geomatics

PCI Geomatics is a world-leading developer of software and systems for remote sensing, imagery processing, and photogrammetry.  With more than 30 years of experience in the geospatial industry, PCI is recognized globally for its excellence in providing software for accurately and rapidly processing both satellite and aerial imagery.  PCI has installed more than 30 thousand licenses, in over 150 countries worldwide. Find out more about PCI Geomatics at www.pcigeomatics.com.

About the SATREC Initiative

Satrec Initiative is the leading solution provider for Earth observation missions, offering customers worldwide high performance, cost-effective turnkey satellite platforms, electro-optical instrument, ground systems and components as well as training and consultancy services. Focusing sincerely on the customers’ needs with innovative technologies, Satrec Initiative has delivered optimized high quality solutions to over 20 customers in the Middle East, Asia and Europe. 

Founded in 1999, the Satrec Initiative is a private company listed in KOSDAQ. The company currently has over 130 employees with corporate headquarter in Daejeon, South Korea. Additional information about the company can be found at www.satreci.com.  

Press Contact

Kevin R. Jones
Director, Marketing and Communications
T: 819-770-0022 x 214
E: jones@pcigeomatics.com
Web: www.pcigeomatics.com
Twitter: @pcigeomatics