Specifically, we have to look at the potential of 
all technological tools and the technological de- 
vices that we have in our possession for pro- 
viding the services that are so urgently needed. 
We must weigh their relative advantages and 
disadvantages to decide which ones have the 
best potential for speed, efficiency, and econ- 
omy. 
A look at the technical challenge from that point 
of view shows clearly that we are rapidly mov- 
ing to a new era. We are very close to, or perhaps 
already past a dividing line where on one side of 
the line we could consider each photogrammetric 
instrument and device as a separate entity and 
judge it by its merits within its range of appli- 
cation. On the other side of that line we must 
consider each part, each device, each element, 
as a part of a system. A system that is bound 
together by digital technology. That is where 
the promise and importance of integration by 
digital technology originates. 
Let us think about it for a moment. We have al- 
ready today remote sensing devices, cameras 
and the like, which produce basically a digital 
kind of output. Therefore, we can talk about a 
digital sensor as the entrance point into the 
modern photogrammetric system. Even digital 
cameras already exist. Some of the newer se- 
miconductor arrays are already used in tele- 
vision cameras and future photogrammetric ca- 
meras built on the principle of digital arrays have 
been already described at the American Society 
of Photogrammetry. Once the data is received by 
analog or digital sensor, the processing is al- 
ready today to a great extent digital. Particularly 
in the area of remote sensing we have sophisti- 
cated computor systems which are used to analyze 
and process the sensor data in various ways in 
order to obtain earth resources and other infor- 
mation from multispectral and other remote 
sensing sources. 
Similarly, also aerial photographs even though 
they arrive to the processing stage in form of an 
analog record are subject to numerous digital 
techniques. Digital techniques are used in ana- 
lytical aerial triangulation as mentioned earlier. 
In addition, it is entirely feasible today to use 
facsimile type of scanners to digitize aerial 
photographs and store the data in a computer read- 
able form. Similarly, again, many advanced 
photogrammetric instruments, particularly those of 
analytical and automatic variety, make extensive 
use of digital techniques today. Furthermore, 
we are well aware that even analog stereoplot- 
ters are digitally assisted in many cases for 
orientation purposes and almost invariably have, 
at least as an optional item, a digital recording 
device. Lately, we have also seen the emergence 
of digitally controlled output plotters for analog 
stereo instruments. 
Once the data is processed photogrammetri- 
cally, it enters into the cartographic phase. This 
phase is also moving rapidly towards digital 
techniques. Map digitizing is a very commonly 
used term these days. Map digitizing is an in- 
herent part of cartography today. It is also an in- 
herently useful and powerful link between digi- 
tally oriented photogrammetry and digitally orient- 
ed cartography. Because of this link the two can 
communicate with great efficiency. The results 
of photogrammetry can be readily transmitted 
to the cartographic processes. 
However, the integrating power of digital tech- 
niques does not end there. There are already in 
use today many cartographic data banks based 
on digital data storage. Without any doubt, car- 
tographic data banks will become increasingly 
popular in the future because of their enormous 
usefulness in many applications. Besides, we 
can easlily visualize situations where the output 
data of photogrammetric processes are used by 
engineering and other professions which employ 
the data in its digital form. In other words, there 
are already engineering applications where the 
map data is very readily accepted in digital 
form, in addition to the conventional cartographic 
form. Digital terrain models are very much in the 
forefront of discussions in photogrammetry, and 
not only among the photogrammetrists, but 
particularly among the users of photogram- 
metrically generated data. Let us not forget, that 
when we produce a map we undoubtedly produce 
it for some purpose, and if that purpose itself 
makes wide use of digital techniques, as more 
and more of the end users do and will, then it is 
only natural that we adapt our own techniques 
to the desires of the users and produce digital 
outputs. Consequently, when we look at this 
entire train of events, we can see the binding 
power of digital techniques. We can see how digi- 
tal techniques can integrate all the different 
elements and processes of photogrammetry and 
mapping into one unified system, that will un- 
doubtedly be more efficient than a hodge-podge 
system, put together from independently devel- 
oped and essentially individual technical el- 
ements. 
Now, what does it all mean? It means first of all 
that the integrating role of digital technology 
can be clearly seen today. It also means that 
many of the devices and techniques, many of 
the processes that are needed in this inte- 
gration role are already available. Therefore, the 
potential for rapid implementation of this inte- 
gration is already present. Any time now, an 
explosive evolution may start — in fact, it may 
already be under way. Unfortunately, as many 
institutions and organizations implement their 
plans, much confusion and incompatability will 
result. As a responsible and responsive inter- 
national organization, ISP should work toward 
establishing guidelines and standards to direct 
this evolution so that an orderly system would 
emerge. ISP could and should work on things 
like common languages, formats, data struc- 
tures, terminologies, and interfaces. Direction and 
standardization guided by ISP would be an enor- 
mous service to photogrammetric and mapping 
community as years go by. 
What has been said, too, means that once the in- 
tegration proceeds towards its completion, more 
and more capabilities will be available, and more 
and more can be done as a result of integration 
by digital technology. In this process, its econ- 
omic advantages will become available and ob- 
vious to the mapping community and to society 
at large. One aspect of the economical signific- 
ance of the integration is more difficult to see. 
It is speed at which the products can be com- 
pleted, and services rendered. As has been men- 
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