Aerial Image Providers Adopt Intergraph Cameras

28 April 2010, 1:38pm

HUNTSVILLE, Ala., April 28, 2010 - Four aerial imagery providers around the world - Midwest Aerial Photography in the U.S., Kyodo Surveying Co., Ltd. in Japan, Beijing Guodian Jingwei Engineering Technology Co. in China and Geoplana Ingenieure in Germany - have acquired the new Intergraph Z/I Imaging DMC II camera to meet the ever-growing needs of the mapping and aerial photography industry.

The recently-announced DMC II is the first digital aerial camera in the industry to add a single monolithic panchromatic camera head to produce extreme wide-ground coverage for capturing large-scale, high-resolution imagery. The DMC II includes a total of five camera heads, less than any other frame-based, large-format camera system in the industry. The camera is part of Intergraph's new platform strategy, through which customized sensors are added to existing camera components to provide customers with cost-effective, modular options for various aerial acquisition needs while protecting previous investments. With three models to choose from - DMC II 140, DMC II 230 and DMC II 250 - even small and medium-sized companies can cost-effectively enter the digital imagery market, and customers can easily upgrade their systems as needed.

Midwest Aerial Photography, an aerial mapping photography specialist in the Midwestern United States, has acquired the DMC II for use in the USDA's National Resources Inventory (NRI) Program. The NRI is a statistically based sample of land use and natural resource conditions and trends on U.S. nonfederal lands. According to the USDA, it is the most comprehensive database of its kind ever attempted anywhere in the world. To support the program, Midwest Aerial Photography and others will acquire tens of thousands of aerial photos each year throughout the U.S.

"As a long-time user of Intergraph's film-based aerial cameras, our purchase of the DMC II marks our first foray into digital image acquisition," said Ken Scruggs, president of Midwest Aerial Photography. "Through high levels of data accuracy, four-band imagery and fast, efficient image production, the DMC II will play a critical role in cost-effectively delivering quality images to the USDA, while also being versatile enough to leverage for additional projects we undertake for government and private organizations across the country."

In APAC, Kyodo Surveying Co., Ltd. will implement a DMC II to conduct orthophoto production for the Geographical Survey Institute and Forestry Agency of Japan, while Beijing Guodian Jingwei Engineering Technology Co. in China has purchased two DMC II cameras for large-scale mapping and orthophoto generation.

"Due to the industry reputation of Intergraph and the tremendous local support available from Intergraph China, we are confident that the purchase of these two new cameras will significantly advance our image acquisition capabilities," said Mr. Xiao Xiaoliang, the general manager of Beijing Guodian Jingwei Engineering Technology Co.

Geoplana Ingenieure, a provider of imagery, mapping and GIS services in Germany, has also selected the DMC II as its first digital aerial camera, previously relying on film technology for aerial imaging. The camera will be used to provide mapping, GIS and photo flight services to mapping agencies, municipalities and utilities in Germany and surrounding countries, as well as to provide imagery to other users such as Google and Microsoft.

"The high system quality, attractive price point and protection of investment were key factors in our selection of the Intergraph DMC II," said Jens Knittel, CEO of Geoplana Ingenieure. "With the DMC II and Intergraph"s new camera platform strategy, we will be able to successfully and cost-effectively enter into the digital image acquisition market, as well as easily upgrade our technology as customer needs expand."

The DMC was the industry's first large-format frame digital aerial camera, the first to be certified by the United States Geological Survey and the first to offer an innovative Solid State Disk (SSD) storage technology to decrease camera weight and footprint.

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Geo: International