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CAPABILITY FOR DATA FUSION BY AIRBORNE SENSING 
T. Sasagawa, B. Babu Madhavan, A. Ozawa and K Tachibana 
GIS Institute, PASCO Corporation 
1-1-2, Higashiyama, Meguro-ku, 153-0043, Tokyo, Japan 
tadashi_sasagawa@pasco.co.jp 
mb babu* pasco.co.jp 
atsumasa ozawa(a)pasco.co.jp 
kikuo_tachibana@pasco.co.jp 
KEY WORDS: Multispectral, Hyperspectral, LIDAR, Thermal, Fusion, Automation, GIS 
ABSTRACT: 
The recent advances of GPS/IMU have made it possible to perform the multisensor, multi-resolution and multi-spectral data fusion 
utilizing GIS technique. In the present study we utilized the Airbome Digital Sensor (ADS40) image and Digital Surface Model 
(DSM) by pixel matching techniques and studied the data fusion capability with LIDAR data from Airborne Laser Scanner (ALS40) 
and filtered Digital Terrain Model (DTM), Hyperspectral data from the Airborne Imaging Spectroradiometer for Applications 
(AISA) in the visible and thermal information by Thermal Airborne Broadband Imager (TABI). The study compared pixel matching 
of DSM by LIDAR data and reported: the compiled applications. On the other hand we observed the multispectral characteristics of 
the features by multi-sensing approach. The capability to extract features and automation in 3D Modelling has been reported. 
1. INTRODUCTION 
Integration of remote sensing and GIS is increasing. Given the 
ongoing trends of increasing spatial and spectral resolution of 
remotely sensed imagery and of the increased uptake of GIS by 
a diverse range of users, some degree of Integration of 
high-resolution image data and GIS is desirable because of the 
potential to facilitate the flow of information from imagery into 
GIS and also the image processing systems available for quick 
processing of the data. 
The fusion of multi-sensor, multi-resolution, and multi-date 
high-resolution images is an effective means of exploiting the 
complimentary nature of different data types for 
change-detection studies. The Multi-aspect-data fusion helps to 
generate an interpretation of the scene not obtainable with data 
from a single sensor and it diminish the uncertainty associated 
with the data from individual sensor. 
Datà from sensors such as TM, MSS, SAR, LIDAR, HRV, 
and LISS data have been integrated for different environmental 
applications. Some of the information extracted from them also 
integrated with GIS data. However, there are not many research 
reported on the fusion of information from high-resolution 
DSM, visible band, Infrared band, thermal and hyperspectral 
together with GIS map data such as road, building and NDVI 
for efficient change-detection studies. Fused information from 
the most recent scientific and technologically developed 
high-resolution sensors such as Airborne Digital Sensor 
(ADS40), Airborne Imaging  Spectroradiometer for 
Applications (AISA), and Thermal Airborne Broadband Imager 
(TABI) sensors through GPS/IMU was used in this study. An 
additional GIS analysis with other map data allowed the 
development of applications for environmental planning and 
land management. 
901 
The aim of present study is to combine automatically various 
subtle information derived from multiple airborne sensors' data 
fusion. Our data-fusion and change-detection research work 
utilised remote sensing and GIS data. Remote sensing data 
involves high-resolution DSM data generated from ADS40 
stereo matching, Thermal data and hyperspectral data where as 
the GIS data includes road network and building plans. A 
number of separate avenues of research have been suggested as 
future work. Examples given will include the detection of 
building (removed/newly constructed/under construction) in 
airborne imagery of urban and sub-urban regions, and use of 
GIS data such as road map for moving vehicles/objects 
elimination as well as the location of buildings regions for an 
autonomous land tax assessment. 
PASCO Corporation of Japan owns several latest technologies 
based high-resolution remote sensing sensors such as Airborne 
Digital Sensor (ADS40), Airborne Laser Scanner (ALS40), 
Large Format Digital Aerial Camera (UltraCam-D), Airborne 
Imaging Spectroradiometer for Applications (AISA), and 
Thermal Airborne Broadband Imager (TABI). For registering 
data, the key technology utilized has been GPS/IMU systems. 
The use of high precision GPS/IMU data combined with 
traditional triangulation techniques expedient the integration of 
all the sensors in a robust and very flexible mode. The 
navigation systems used for all the flight, APPLANIX POS, are 
integrated GPS/IMU systems, designed for direct determination 
of position and attitude of airborne sensors. They efficiently 
combine inertial sensors and GPS technology. 
2. DATA FUSION 
It is only recently that papers are appearing which consider the 
questions of combining images from disparate remote sensing 
sensors to improve their use and reliability on a wider variety 
of applications. : Data fusion techniques combine data from