Overview of USGS Calibration Activities

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Overview of USGS Calibration Activities
U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological
Survey
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ASPRS Camera Calibration Study

• Panel study completed in 1999
• Study findings and recommendations
• Standards development inherently governmental
• USGS should continue camera calibration
• USGS should develop methods for digital sensors

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Analog camera calibration upgrades

• Analog calibrations performed on custom-built
  colliminator instrument since 1973
• Over 100 analog calibrations per year
• Modified to accommodate super-wide angle lenses
• Lighting and electronics upgrade 2003
• Evaluating alternatives for Kodak glass plates
• Will keep present analog calibration process
  operational for the foreseeable future

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Interim Digital Capabilities

• Contract awarded to Pictometry to develop and
  build a laboratory calibration capability for
  small format digital cameras
• System delivered and operational at EROS Nat
• Calibration based on cage, Australis software,
  and the SMAC model
• Calibrations being performed on research basis

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OSU In-situ Calibration Study

• Grant awarded to OSU in 2003 to develop software
  to perform in-situ calibration
• In-situ range established in cooperation with
  Ohio DOT
• Software delivered in 2004 and being tested
• Currently testing in-situ calibration methods
• Need to establish standards for in-situ sites and
  policy for in-situ calibrations

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JACIE Activities

• Joint efforts by NASA, NGA, and USGS to perform
  characterization of commercial satellite products
• Space Imaging, Digital Globe, and Orbimage
• Annual JACIE Workshops to report system
  performance and applications by government,
  academia, vendors, and users

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Extension of Stennis Test Site for Product
Characterizations

• Stennis test range enhanced for airborne
  platforms and digital cameras
• Cooperative agreement with NASA to perform
  characterization of digital orthophoto products
• Geopositional accuracy and spatial resolution
  determination
• Acceptance letter and final report provided to
  vendor and posted on USGS Web site

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IADIWG Formation

• Inter-agency Digital Image Working Group
  established by BOR, BLM, COE, FSA, FWS, NIST,
  NGA, NOAA, NRCS, USFS, and USGS
• Kickoff meeting held and charter being drafted
• Broiler-plate specifications, guidelines, and
  standards for digital image acquisition being
  drafted
• Host workshop to review initial draft
• Final draft by October 2005 and presented at
  ASPRS Pecora 16

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Next steps

• Work with camera manufacturers to review and
  approval factory calibration methods
• Work with data providers on camera acceptance
  process and quality control guidelines
• Establish new policies on camera calibration for
  the United States
• Work with International groups
• Extend characterization methods to LIDAR and
  other sensors

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Long-range Plans

• Evolve camera calibration, product
  characterization and quality checking into a
  quality assurance program for The National Map
  and USGS partners

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Recall Spectrum

• Camera certification
• System certification
• Product characterization
• Quality control of deliverables
• Approved processing methods
• Best practices by data providers
• ISO certification

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Seeking ASPRS support

• Need to establish a formal certification process
  at several levels
• Sensor manufacturers
• Sensor acceptance by data provider
• Monitoring Data providers best practices and
  processes to maintain system calibration
• Product characterization of products offered
• Guidelines for quality control of data and
  product deliverables

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Web site and contacts

• See http//calval.cr.usgs.gov
• Greg Stensaas, 605-594-2569, stensaas_at_usgs.gov
• George Lee, 650-329-4255, gylee_at_usgs.gov