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IMPLEMENTATION OF DIGITAL PHOTOGRAMMETRIC TECHNIQUES 
AT THE SURVEY DEPARTMENT 
R.J. Wicherson 
Survey Department, Rijkswaterstaat, 
Delft, The Netherlands 
Commission IV, Working Group 4 
KEY WORDS: Experience, Organization, Development, Integration, Hardware 
ABSTRACT 
One decade ago big chances were predicted in using photogrammetry in changing from analytical to digital methods. These 
techniques would deliver opportunities for fast automatic generation of digital elevation models (DEM's), semi-automatic mapping 
procedures and automatic triangulation. 
During the last years, the Survey Department (MD) of Rijkswaterstaat has carried out many projects and pilot studies in the field of 
digital photogrammetry. These projects directed the MD to use di 
gital photogrammetry for accelerating aerotriangulation processes, 
for doing lower accurate mapping with cheap pc-systems, and generating new products like high dense digital elevation models, 
orthophotos and bird's-eye-views. 
1. INTRODUCTION 
One decade ago the time was ready for operationalization of 
digital photogrammetry in production environments. Big 
chances and changes were predicted, like fast automatic 
generation of digital elevation models (DEM's), semi-automatic 
mapping procedures and automatic triangulation. The dis- 
advantages perceived were the urge for the availability of mass 
computer power and huge data storage capabilities, but the 
photogrammetric world expected to get over these difficulties in 
the near future. 
In that time, the Survey Department (MD) of Rijkswaterstaat 
followed the main stream of belief in the opportunities of 
digital photogrammetry, and started different kind of projects 
(Han, 1992). 
The main questions were how to use digital photogrammetry to 
fasten up our production lines, or to get a maximum gain of the 
benefits of new products to be generated with digital photo- 
grammetry. Thereby, it is the MD's objective to be one of the 
front liners in the Netherlands in using new techniques, to 
enlarge the product assortment, and to improve the quality of its 
final products. 
The last years we have carried out projects and pilot studies in 
the field of digital photogrammetry, to make a well-based start 
with this technique. Now we are on a starting point for using 
digital photogrammetry in our production environment. 
This paper describes firstly our product range, and secondly the 
potentials of digital photogrammetry to improve our products, 
to accelerate the production, or to extend our product range. 
Thirdly and finally the organising aspects will be described. 
2. ORGANIZATION AND PRODUCT RANGE 
2.1 Organization Rijkswaterstaat 
Rijkswaterstaat (Public Works Department) is the largest 
division of the Dutch Ministry of Transport and Public Works. 
It is responsible for the protection of The Netherlands against 
the sea and rivers, and for ensuring that all parts of the country 
943 
are accessible and habitable. Therefore it develops and 
maintains a large infrastructure (roads, waterways, et cetera). 
Rijkswaterstaat is also responsible for the proper maintenance 
of dikes and dunes and for controlling the distribution and 
water quality of the Dutch lakes, rivers and estuaries. 
For the performance of these tasks a vast amount of geo- 
graphical data is required, which is supplied by the MD. The 
MD also ensures that Rijkswaterstaat'S various divisions are 
able to use modern acquisition, analysing and presentation 
techniques to meet its geographical information needs. In 
addition, it provides advice and policy support in the field of 
geographical information supply. 
The main customers of the MD are the various Rijkswaterstaat 
users. Only in exceptional cases, we enlarge our clientele to 
other users of geographical data. 
The MD photogrammetric production unit counts about sixty 
persons and twelve analytical photogrammetric instruments. 
2.2 Photogrammetric product range 
The MD generates a variety of geographical products. Some of 
the main current MD-products for which (analytical) photo- 
grammetric techniques are used, are listed below. Most of these 
products form a base or a layer for geographical information 
systems (GIS). 
High way databases 
The high way databases are digital vector databases of the high 
ways of the Netherlands. The total length of the Dutch high 
ways is about 3000 km. This product contains geographical 
information of the position of significant objects on and in the 
near surroundings of the high ways, for example road 
boundaries, road markings, lampposts et cetera. 
Because the customers for this product are mainly interested in 
XY positions, quality insurance is focused on these co-ordinates 
instead of the Z co-ordinates. 
This information is derived from 1:4000 colour photographs, 
using analytical photogrammetric instruments. 
International Archives of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing. Vol. XXXI, Part B4. Vienna 1996