States is pleased once again to host this very important
Commission.
Seven resolutions were passed for Commission-I by the
General Assembly in Amsterdam. Six Working Groups have
been formed by combining elements from these. The first
resolution recognised that collaboration between the Com-
mittee on Earth Observing Systems (CEOS) and ISPRS is a
most important goal. It is therefore the responsibility of
Commission-| to establish and maintain communication
with CEOS, IGOS, ICORSE, and other relevant communi-
ties. It is also a priority to (1) funnel information to relevant
Commissions and WGs in ISPRS, and (2) to serve as a con-
duit for information from ISPRS to other international com-
munities. The overall aim is to participate in efforts that will
improve international co-ordination of EO missions, and that
will foster public/private collaboration of R&D activities.
The second resolution addresses the need for standardisa-
tion of sensor parameters. WG 1/1 will focus on generating
a common set of parameters for recommended use by
manufacturers, and which image-processing analysts can
use when fusing imagery from several sensors. The need
for standardising parameters is most urgently felt by spe-
cialists whose work requires comparative data from a num-
ber of sensors; and will be felt most strongly by those who
are creating the databases needed to compare systems.
A third resolution, addressing radiometric and geometric
calibration, will be the primary responsibility of WG 1/2. The
proliferation of both aerial and satellite sensors, coupled
with their finer spatial, spectral, radiometric, and temporal
resolutions, means that data must be calibrated to ever
finer degrees. This can be accomplished in part by inven-
torying the global set of ground calibration test sites, and
by fostering inter-calibration studies between and among
sensors whose data sets are the basis of multi-sensor
studies of Earth resources. Among other activities, the WG
will contribute to an inventory of test sites and help to pop-
ulate a database with the defining physical, spectral, and
radiometric attributes.
The fifth resolution addresses the very important topic of
sensors for DTM data generation. There is a growing num-
ber of operational airborne LIDARs and planned satellite
interferometric SARs designed to generate DEMs. WG 1/3
will look at the accuracy and cost effectiveness of these
various techniques and identify standard test sites where
data from different sensors can be collected for inter-com-
parison.
Elements of resolutions 1, 2, and 7 form the basis for WG
l/4, which addresses advanced sensor systems. The pri-
mary responsibilities of this group will be to track the
development of small satellite systems, smart sensors,
pollution monitors, laser altimeters, polarisation sensors,
and hyperspectral sensors.
Resolution 6 (WG 1/5) is focused on platform and orienta-
tion integration. The increasingly finer spatial resolution of
sensor systems and the use of their data for detailed site
studies demand better ability to integrate attitude and
position information with image processing software. Also,
there are growing needs for standardising data formats,
ISPRS
2000
and for developing next generation data referencing,
archiving, and data retrieval systems.
One of the urgent areas for inter-calibration is in wide
swath sensors, many of which are used routinely for vege-
tation mapping and analysis. Sensors like AVHRR, Sea-
WiFS, TM, SPOT-Vegetation, MODIS, and IRS are devel-
oping historical data sets of land use and land cover
changes, globally; so it is important that the fourth Com-
mission-l resolution will address the effects of viewing
geometry on radiometric accuracy. Among other activities
WGII/5 will undertake studies and monitor the published
literature to develop a catalogue of what is known about
the effects of viewing geometry on spectral properties, and
how these effects influence classification accuracies.
WG 1/6 addresses airborne optical sensor systems and is
based on elements of resolutions 2, 6, and 7. This all-impor-
tant field of photogrammetry and remote sensing will focus
on development of digital cameras, small format cameras,
and video cameras and the methods of their employment.
The seventh resolution recognises the need for an elec-
tronic database of sensor and platform information. To be
effective, this database should be accessible on the Inter-
net, be searchable using key words, and be interactive.
The vision is to create a one-stop database so that sensor
and platforms design parameters can be compared and
compiled into reports for various engineering, research,
and application needs. The effort will require standardising
the parameters drawn from a multitude of sources.
Working Groups of Technical Commission | for 2000-
2004
WG 1/1 Define Standards for Sensor Parameters
Chair: Charles Mondello (USA)
Co-chair: John C. Baker (USA)
WG I/1 Terms of Reference
- Identify and define a common set of sensor and sensor
system parameters
- Promote adoption of standardised parameters among
sensor manufacturers
- Design data model for, and populate, an electronic
database of sensors, platforms, and launch status of
new satellite sensors
- Collaborate with CEOS to develop a comprehensive
database of sensor and platform specifications
- Pursue organisations to collaborate in support of data
model and database maintenance
- Participate in ISO TC 172/SC1, SC9
- Liaise with CEOS member organisations to identify and
appoint cross-over WG membership
WG 1/2 Sensor Calibration and Testing
Chair: Manfred Schroeder (Germany)
Co-Chair: Veljko M. Jovanovic (USA)
WG 1/2 Terms of Reference
- Radiometric and geometric calibration of wide-swath
and multi-viewing angle sensors
- Techniques for laboratory calibration of sensors
- In-flight sensor calibration and development of calibra-
International Archives of Photogrammerty and Remote Sensing. Vol. XXXIII, Part A. Amsterdam 2000. —— ; AE
