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