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NATIONAL REPORT OF
SWITZERLAND
FOR
PHOTOGRAMMETRY AND REMOTE SENSING
© 1992 - 1996
Prepared for the Swiss Society
of Photogrammetry, Image Analysis and Remote Sensing
by
Prof. Dr. A. Grün, Institute for Geodesy and Photogrammetry, ETH Zurich
Peter Fricker, Leica AG, Heerbrugg
Christoph Eidenbenz, Federal Office of Topography, Bern
Fredy Widmer, Federal Directorate of Cadastral Surveys, Bern
Arthur Clement, Auer + Clement AG, Chur
1. SOCIETY AND INSTITUTIONS
1.1 Swiss Society of Photogrammetry, Image Analysis
and Reomote Sensing (SSPIRS)
The Swiss Society of Photogrammetry, Image Analysis and
Remote Sensing (SSPIRS) was founded in 1928 and
currently has 204 members. Of these 14 are abroad and 26
are corporate members. The official publication is the
„Zeitschrift für Vermessung, Photogrammetrie und
Kulturtechnik“ (VPK), a monthly journal supported by 5
professional associations in the field of surveying,
photogrammetry and land management.
Since 1989 the Society supports six Working Groups:
(1) Landinformation systems and photogrammetry, (2)
Cadastrial Surveying, (3) Digital close-range photogram-
metry and machine vision, (4) Remote sensing, (5) Applied
photogrammetry including training and continuing
education, (6) History of photogrammetry. The last group is
about to conclude its work and to fulfil its mission.
This year the SSPIRS will publish a new book on the history
‘of photogrammetry in Switzerland from the very beginnings
to the year 1980.
The SSPIRS is also linked to societies such as the Swiss
Computer Graphics Association (SCGA) and is a member
of the Swiss Organisation of Geographic Information
(SOG).
More information about the SSPIRS can be found via
Homepage http://www.giub.unibe.ch/remsen/sgpbf/.
1.2 Federal Office of Topography
The Federal Office of Topography is an administrative unit
of the Swiss military department which fulfils the task of
producing maps for military and civilian uses. Additionally it
is responsible for the geodetic reference system of
Switzerland and increasingly also in charge of preparing
topographical data for military and civil GIS applications.
One of the fundamental tasks of the Federal Office of
. Topography is that of national map revision. This is also the
mainstay of all photogrammetric activity. Since nearly 30
years the backbone of map revision is provided by new
Survey flights covering the whole Swiss territory periodically
at 6 year intervals. The subsequent detailed photogrammet-
ric map revision is complemented by the extremely
75
International Archives of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing. Vol. XXXI, Part B6. Vienna 1996
important field verification. We are now in the 5th revision
cycle and the method has proven to be stable and
economical and has only required small improvements over
time. The large quantity of aerial photographs taken in this
process are administered in a photo archive. They are
exploited intensely by the most diverse users (ecology,
forestry, statistics, etc.).
A new application is emerging with the demand for digital
forms of the topographical data contained in our maps.
These so-called map derived landscape models represent
the basic data for diverse GIS applications as well as for
simulation purposes.
All these tasks are taken care of predominantly by the
topographical division. In the last four years this division
was involved mainly in the following projects:
- acquisition of a new and modern aircraft for aerial surveys
- establishing the basis for a topographical information
system
- transition from analogue to analytical photogrammetry
1.2.1 New aircraft for aerial surveys
In close co-operation with the responsible military
procurement office an aircraft for aerial surveys with optimal
specifications was evaluated and purchased. The following
constraints and specifications for the aircraft were followed
closely:
- platform for a modern dual aerial camera system
- service ceiling of 10'000 metres above mean sea level
- modern GPS supported navigation system
- apt for transport of personnel and material
The choice fell on a BEECHCRAFT Super King Air 350. The
aircraft is equipped with the most modern avionics (EFIS,
weather radar, IFR category 1, etc.) and a GPS supported
flight navigation system UNS1.
The payload consists of two gyro-stabilised LEICA RC30
cameras with the corresponding lens cones (f=15, 21 and
30 cm). The cameras are controlled via a processor unit by
the operator. The view of the ground is picked up by a CCD
camera on the navigation sight and shown on a video
monitor. The processor unit is connected to the navigation
system from where it permanently receives all relevant
control data (position, drift angle, etc.) for both cameras.
The drift angle is corrected automatically and in real-time on
the camera. Independent of the aircraft's navigation system
