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COST MODELS FOR PHOTOGRAMMETRIC PROCESSES 
OEEPE* RESEARCH TASK: PROGRESS REPORT 
H. G. Jerie and E. W. Holland 
ITC, Enschede, The Netherlands 
ABSTRACT 
The origin of the OEEPE cost modelling research task stems from the 
fact that little attention has been paid to the economic aspects of 
technological alternatives in the surveying and mapping profession. The 
background and objectives of the research task are discussed and the 
present phased approach using an invited international working group is 
outlined. Current work on the stereo plotting and primary data 
acquisition phases is reported. Functional production processes and 
sub-processes covering technological alternatives have been determined, 
factors which influence production rates identified and classified in a 
relation matrix by their effect on production rates. Cost models will 
be developed on one hand in terms of production rates and on the other 
in terms of cost standards. The models are being designed to link data 
from many different organizations using different production 
procedures and by combination the resulting data should be of maximum 
benefit to both individual organizations and to the profession as a 
whole. 
INTRODUCTION 
The main motivation for the OEEPE cost modelling project lies in the 
fact that research and development efforts in the surveying and mapping 
profession have been traditionally directed towards the solution of 
specific technical problems with little, if any, attention paid to 
economic considerations. It is remarkable that, contrary to other 
engineering disciplines, very little effort has been made by 
educational and research institutes, to answer the all important 
question of 'how the increasing variety of techniques and 
instrumentation can be applied in the most rational and economic way'. 
The prime objective of the OEEPE cost modelling research task is to 
contribute towards answering this question. Other contributions will 
come by establishing accuracy and semantic information performance 
models. 
Cost calculations form the basis of the search for an answer to the 
question. Indeed, in our professional field, cost calculations can be 
made with the following quite different objectives in mind: 
cost calculations as a criterion in project optimization 
cost calculations by commercial and semi-commercial organizations 
with the aim of determining the price for the execution of projects, 
(appreciating, of course, that market forces play a large part in 
determining the final price.) 
cost calculations as a criterion in the design of, and in decisions 
on, optimal procedures for the achievement of given product 
specifications. 
cost calculations in the form of sensitivity studies of processes, 
with the aim of enabling equipment manufacturers or organizations 
contributing to the development of new methods and procedures to 
make better decisions concerning the most promising objectives for 
new developments. 
* European Organization for Experimental Photogrammetric Research