Geospatial Technology

Satellite Images for GIS Applications

Geographic Information System or GIS is technology that offers a radically different way in which we produce and use the maps required to manage our communities and industries. GIS creates intelligent super maps through which sophisticated planning and analysis can be performed at the touch of a button.

0.6m QuickBird - Little Rock, Arkansas GIS Tax Mapping	3D Seismic of Berat, Albania - ArcGIS

Satellite imagery can greatly enhance a GIS mapping project. Imagery is a powerful visual aid and serves as a source of derivative information such as planimetrics and classification schemes to derive such information as land cover and change detection or vegetation classification.

Satellite Imaging Corporation combines orthorectified satellite images and digital aerial photography mosaics with extracted vector and client-supplied attribute data to create single, data-rich images for GIS and other mapping applications to achieve a multi-layered result for many types of analysis such as:

• GIS base mapping
• Corridor mapping
• Land cover classification
• Urban development
• Pre and post 2D/3D seismic surveys
• Environmental Impact Studies (EIS)
• Environmental monitoring
• Coastal erosion studies
• Property and tax mapping
• Flood analysis

One of the primary services provided by Satellite Imaging Corporation during the implementation of a GIS project is the georeferencing of various data layers for mapping projection. An ongoing quality control program is also maintained for this data.

SIC's Expertise Prevents Potential Problems

Problematic Coordinates for Vector and Well Data Displayed on
Orthorectified IKONOS Satellite Image

The expertise and accuracy of our services precludes nearly all potential problems associated with GIS projects. Some GIS projects are hampered by coordinate problems of different image and vector data layers, which are caused by one or a combination of the following:

• Improper orthorectification of satellite or aerial image mosaics
• Poor quality GPS derived ground control points (GCPs)
• Improper rectification of digital source raster maps
• Importation of vector data or shape files for source data with incorrect coordinates
• Improper use of units or unit convergence factors for source data
• Utilization of source data from a corrupt coordinate database

Our imaging, Geographic Information System (GIS), Global Positioning System (GPS) and geodesy experts are experienced in extraction, manipulating and supplementing satellite images and imaging data. These projects provide invaluable information to a broad spectrum of industries.

Satellite Imaging Corporation offers satellite imaging acquisition from various commercial satellite sensors providing different resolutions including:

Satellite Sensor Resolution at Nadir

GeoEye-1, 0.5m/2.0m

Worldview-2, 0.5m/2.0m

Pleiades-1A, 0.5m/2.0m

Pleiades-1B, 0.5m/2.0m

QuickBird, 0.6m/2.4m

IKONOS, 0.8m/3.2m

SPOT-5, 2.5m/10m

SPOT-6, 1.5m/8.0m

LANDSAT 7 +ETM, 15m/30m

LANDSAT 8, 15m/30m

ASTER, 15m/30m

GIS — Geographic Information System

Today there are thousands of geospatial applications in use. Organizations, agencies and companies throughout the world are using the technology to transform manually produced maps and associated descriptive records into powerful digital databases. Once a tool that was affordable only to the largest organizations, geospatial systems have become a cost-effective option for even the smallest organizations.

Geographic information system technology is widely used for scientific investigations, natural resource management such as forestry, agriculture, mining, oil and gas exploration and environmental impact assessment, urban planning, natural hazards, land cover and change detection, law enforcement, cadastre and habitat mapping.

The key advantage to GIS is the ability to share maps. State and federal agencies, along with utility companies, which create their own respective maps, can, for example, share maps with each other. This not only saves money, but provides the ability to create hundreds of new maps, many of which never existed before, for minimal cost.

For a free consultation, please contact us and provide detailed information regarding your specific coordinate problems.