1. U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey Jon Christopherson SGT, Inc. at USGS EROS Sioux Falls, SD jonchris@usgs.gov Work performed under contract: 08HQCN0005 The USGS QA Plan for Digital Aerial Imagery

2. 2 Outline Background/History The USGS QA Plan – A Four Part Plan Progress to Date & the Future Additional Efforts & Thoughts

3. 3 Background & History 2000 - ASPRS study asks USGS to work with digital 2005 – Formed Inter-Agency Digital Imagery Working Group (IADIWG) 2005 – First presentations of the four-part QA Plan 2005 – Held workshop w/ industry to get feedback 2007 – Began Sensor Type Certifications 2008 – Completed first four sensor certifications

4. 4 Four Parts to the Plan Four Major Parts of the Plan: Contracting Guidelines  Properly specifying the data you want Sensor Type Certification  Ensure that a metric camera/sensor will be used Data Provider Certification  Ensure that the vendor can do this kind of work Data Quality Assessment  Ensure that you got what you asked for initially

5. 5 Progress: Sensor Type Certification Sensor Type Certification initiated first Certified seven camera/sensors to date:  Applanix: DSS-322, DSS-422, DSS-439  Intergraph: DMC  Leica: ADS-40 w/ SH40, SH50, & SH52 heads  Microsoft Vexcel: UltraCam-D and UltraCam-X Three additional vendors have systems in process More in discussion Working with EuroSDR to harmonize efforts

6. 6 Progress: Data Provider Certification Process finally outlined  Much discussion & deliberation  Reduced from original scope Final Plan centers around Product Validation  USGS to assess accuracy orthoimagery products Approved ranges to be built across US  Sioux Falls range nearing completion  In discussion with next two ranges  Goal is 6 or more ranges Accuracy assessment tools to be developed  Removes human error, better results

7. 7 Range Locations Sioux Falls Rolla, MO Pueblo, CO

8. 8 Sioux Falls Range 34 mi (54.7 km) E-W 53 miles (85.3 km) N-S Complete 12” (30cm) Orthoimagery cover Sioux Falls city @ 6” (15cm) City core at 3” (7.5cm) Complete lidar coverage at >1m posting 80+ signalized control points Much more non-signalized to be added

9. 9 S.F. Range 1 st range  Prototype  Aerial + satellite Additional ranges may vary in size

10. 10 12-inch (30cm) Imagery

11. 11 6-inch (15cm) Imagery

12. 12 3-inch (7.5cm) Imagery

13. 13 Progress: Specification and Quality Assessment Addresses 1 st and 4 th part of QA Plan 1) How to properly specify data 4) How to assess that product meets those specs The “Spec & Check Tool” now under development  Web based  Help generate contract-ready specification language  Follow with line-by-line checklist for products Helps to standardize inputs to industry  And standardize expectations! Initially for use by USGS Liaisons (and partners)  Strongly User-Focused  Beta fielded by Sep.’09

14. 14 Prototype Screen

15. 15 Spec & Check Tool Three Main Parts: Specification generator  Assessment methods and tracking  Education! The Educational / Tutorial section is critical!  Referred to throughout both halves of tool  Good for general education also Continuous revision and improvement  Grows as our industry grows Got any good ideas for this?  Good ideas, references, sources, partnerships always welcome!

16. 16 Additional Efforts & Thoughts USGS EROS continues research into camera calibration Being approached more people, more varieties USGS Operates two large labs

17. 17 Additional Efforts & Thoughts Some consumer cameras can be calibrated & used Smaller cameras can be calibrated easier  Use smaller targets Software improvements make calibration quicker & easier Chip densities growing, detector pitch shrinking  Calibrate more often?  Opportunities for calibration services?  Operators/flyers do their own calibrations? Where will it all go? What are future sensors, platforms, and operations?

18. 18 Final Thoughts The industry continues to advance  Technology not slowing down!  The USGS trying to keep up (& keep abreast) More work needed More research needed And more collaboration, communication, and cooperation