New solutions for image management

By Ian Spence

Virtual globes from Google and Microsoft have created enormous public interest in geographical information while making the task of handling large amounts of data seem easy. These technologies have raised expectations by serving up only data that has already been pre-processed, a costly and time-consuming procedure that the end user never sees. While the professional user is more aware of the hidden complexities, virtual globes have hinted at better things for them too.

Expectations are also growing of high data volumes. In Europe the GMES programme, the Sentinel satellites and numerous complementary multinational and national initiatives will increase the supply of geospatial imagery to unprecedented levels over the coming years. Many professional users will have petabyte archives and will face significant challenges in finding and making relevant data available for use in a timely fashion.

Against the background of emerging expectations and challenges, Spacemetric provides next-generation systems that enable fast and easy access to imagery directly from the sensor without the need for pre-processing. This technology can be applied to archives both large and small and offers very rapid access to imagery using on-the-fly technologies.

Spacemetric was founded in 1999 with a focus on desktop satellite image production systems but quickly saw the value of server-based solutions and web services. Its Keystone Image Management System can already meet tomorrow's challenges in an integrated enterprise-class solution that catalogues all of your imagery, whether from satellite or airborne sensors, and provides rapid access to processed imagery via online services.

Rigorous photogrammetric methods and physical sensor models underpin all of Keystone's geometrical transformations. Integration with other systems is through open standards, such as WMS and CSW from the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC), and through the SOAP-based Keystone API. An advanced client, the Keystone Console, uses a plugin architecture based upon Eclipse and NASA's World Wind SDK to provide a powerful platform for exploiting the Keystone Server's capabilities. Several of Spacemetric's customers are already adapting and extending the Console to suit their own needs.

The Keystone system was first delivered in 2005 to DMC International Imaging (DMCii) in the UK, a leading provider of satellite image data and services. Keystone provides an integrated ground segment for a constellation of several imaging satellites coordinated by DMCii. It has also been adopted by DMCii's parent company and leading smallsat supplier, Surrey Satellite Technology Limited (SSTL), for a number of imaging satellites including the forthcoming Nigeriasat-2.

The Keystone system is the core of a solution used by the European Commission's Joint Research Centre, one of Europe's largest users of satellite imagery. It forms the back-end of the Community Image Data Portal, where it is used to catalogue and process commercial satellite imagery for agricultural subsidy monitoring.

Three years ago, support was added to Keystone to process imagery from the Z/I DMC digital camera. The Swedish national mapping agency (Lantmäteriet) operates two such cameras and a Spacemetric solution now handles production of all their digital aerial orthoimagery.

Keystone is used for security applications such as image intelligence gathering by the Swedish Air Force. The Keystone system manages and serves reconnaissance data directly from the Gripen fighter to intelligence analysts. In The Netherlands, the National Aerospace Laboratory has adopted the Keystone system to manage and process airborne video imagery for its unmanned airborne vehicles (UAVs).

The latest developments within Keystone see it closely integrated with other elements of the European geospatial infrastructure. For the European Space Agency, the Keystone system delivers advanced browse services within ESA User Services. For DMCii and the Disaster Monitoring Constellation, it integrates multiple satellite missions within the GMES Space Component through the HMA (Heterogeneous Missions Accessibility) interfaces.

Over the coming year Spacemetric plans a significant expansion of Keystone uptake and continued technological development. Drivers of the growing demand for image management systems are clear, and Spacemetric is well placed to offer leading solutions that meet these challenges.

For more information, please visit  www.spacemetric.com

Biography

Ian Spence has over 20 years' experience in the space and earth observation sectors. He has worked in the UK, Sweden and Italy and over the past 10 years has filled senior management roles with an emphasis on business development.