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The USGS QA Plan for Digital Aerial Imagery Jon Christopherson SGT, Inc. at USGS EROS Sioux Falls, SD [email protected] Work performed under contract: 08HQCN0005 U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey Outline Background/History USGS QA Plan – A Four Part Plan Progress to Date & the Future Additional Efforts & Thoughts The 2 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 3 Four Parts to the Plan Four Major Parts of the Plan: Contracting Guidelines Sensor Type Certification Ensure that a metric camera/sensor will be used Data Provider Certification Properly specifying the data you want Ensure that the vendor can do this kind of work Data Quality Assessment Ensure that you got what you asked for initially 4 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 5 Progress: Data Provider Certification Process finally outlined Final Plan centers around Product Validation USGS to assess accuracy orthoimagery products Approved ranges to be built across US Much discussion & deliberation Reduced from original scope 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 6 Range Locations Sioux Falls Pueblo, CO Rolla, MO 7 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 8 S.F. Range 1st range Prototype Aerial + satellite Additional ranges may vary in size 9 12-inch (30cm) Imagery 10 6-inch (15cm) Imagery 11 3-inch (7.5cm) Imagery 12 Progress: Specification and Quality Assessment Addresses 1st and 4th 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 Helps to standardize inputs to industry Web based Help generate contract-ready specification language Follow with line-by-line checklist for products And standardize expectations! Initially for use by USGS Liaisons (and partners) Strongly User-Focused Beta fielded by Sep.’09 13 Prototype Screen 14 Spec & Check Tool Three Main Parts: Specification generator The Educational / Tutorial section is critical! Referred to throughout both halves of tool Good for general education also Continuous revision and improvement Assessment methods and tracking Education! Grows as our industry grows Got any good ideas for this? Good ideas, references, sources, partnerships always welcome! 15 Additional Efforts & Thoughts USGS EROS continues research into camera calibration Being approached more people, more varieties USGS Operates two large labs 16 Additional Efforts & Thoughts Some consumer cameras can be calibrated & used Smaller cameras can be calibrated easier Software improvements make calibration quicker & easier Chip densities growing, detector pitch shrinking Use smaller targets 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? 17 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 18