Jon Christopherson

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The USGS QA Plan for Digital Aerial Imagery
Jon Christopherson SGT, Inc. at USGS EROS
Sioux Falls, SD jonchris_at_usgs.gov Work
performed under contract 08HQCN0005
2
Outline

• Background/History
• The USGS QA Plan A Four Part Plan
• Progress to Date the Future
• Additional Efforts Thoughts

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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

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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

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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
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

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Range Locations
Sioux Falls
?
?
Pueblo, CO
Rolla, MO
?
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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 _at_ 6 (15cm)
• City core at 3 (7.5cm)
• Complete lidar coverage at gt1m posting
• 80 signalized control points
• Much more non-signalized to be added

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S.F. Range

• 1st range
• Prototype
• Aerial satellite
• Additional ranges may vary in size

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12-inch (30cm) Imagery
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6-inch (15cm) Imagery
12
3-inch (7.5cm) Imagery
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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
• 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

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Prototype Screen
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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!

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Additional Efforts Thoughts

• USGS EROS continues research into camera
  calibration
• Being approached more people, more varieties
• USGS Operates two large labs

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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?

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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