International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences, Vol XXXV, Part B6. Istanbul 2004
Supported by the UK land and offshore survey industry, it aims
to provide all the information needed to learn about geomatics
and to promote the profession through raising awareness. The
site provides extensive teaching resources to help bring
geomatics into the classroom with ideas and examples for many
subjects and age groups. Kit loans of professional survey
equipment are offered and there is also information on the
profession, career paths and various case studies.
The BNSC web-based Learning Zone has been especially
designed to support teaching and learning across the curriculum
from Key Stage 1 learners up to Key Stage 4 or in Post-16
education. The site contains lesson plans, worksheets and many
other National Curriculum-focused resources to find out
information about the Solar System, Earth and Satellites.
A significant development in education for students of remote
sensing in 1996-2000 reporting period was the National
Learning Network for Scotland. Emphasis was placed on short
interactive, multimedia lessons on key topics in remote sensing
and a sample of application areas. Although the project is now
complete and funding has ceased the materials are still available
online at: http://nIn.paisley.ac.uk/projintro.htm
3.8 Data Calibration Issues
Data calibration and validation issues were included for this
reporting period to reflect the importance of this topic in the
UK. It is an attempt to establish the degree of awareness
amongst the UK community and to assess whether
specifications and standards are applied to ensure that data and
products are fit for purpose. Indeed, sixty five percent noted
calibration (of all equipment) as a major concern and part of
their QA procedures. Interestingly, of these however, only half
followed any specific guidelines or specifications other than
those indicated by clients when carrying out contracts, yet
seventy five percent report that they did suggest possible
specifications to clients. Around sixty percent of respondents
conduct their own checking/calibration procedures in-house.
Around two thirds felt they had adequate information on
calibration and a third recognised they would benefit from some
more information. No respondents felt they needed significantly
more information on calibration. Overall, the practitioners
working primarily in photogrammetry were the least likely (on
average) to rely solely on calibration data provided by the data
provider or sensor operator whilst those working in remote
sensing and other technologies (e.g. lidar, GPS) expressed a
stronger need (on average) or preference to rely primarily on the
supplier's calibration information.
4. RECENT ACTIVITY
Individual activities are not necessarily representative of the
continuous day-to-day implementations of photogrammetry and
remote sensing in the UK, but the major UK events from the
report period are noted.. Figure A-1 (Appendix A) reflects the
variety of remote sensing and photogrammetry activity during
2000-2004 in the UK, obtained from the questionnaire returns.
4.1 Education and Research
A number of the academic respondents identified several areas
of recent activity during 2000 to 2004 that included the
expansion of postgraduate level courses and the development of
new research themes. Particular themes included: sensor
integration, airborne and terrestrial laser scanning, spaceborne
InSAR, radargrammetry, increased use of biophysical
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modelling, data assimilation data in meteorology and
oceanography, landslide mapping and environmental change
monitoring. Thermal surveys, hyperspectral mineral mapping,
global oil seep studies from SAR, the inference of nearshore
bathymetry from X-band radar tracking of waves and increased
use of satellite-imaged temperature and colour (for plankton and
suspended sediments) for assimilation into numerical model
predictions was also identified. This breadth is also reflected in
the fact that education and research institutes displayed the
widest range of involvement of all respondents across principal
techniques and applications.
The NERC Airborne Remote Sensing Facility (ARSF)
conducted a Mediterranean campaign during April and May
2004 with an enhanced instrument suite including a lidar unit.
Oxford University/RAL held Spring Schools in Quantitative
Earth Observation. 2002 event focused on the application of EO
to the study of earth radiation and climate. The 2004 event
centred on the possible impacts on data assimilation practices
that may emerge from novel computing architectures and the
opportunities provided by the emerging electronic Grid.
The Window on the World and Window on the UK 2000 CD-
ROMs developed by BNSC, continue to be used to raise public
awareness of earth observation. They are aimed at business and
education users with little prior knowledge of remote sensing.
4.2 Industry
Operationally, UK commercial operators have been affected by
a number of developments:
the development of commercial high-resolution airborne
digital sensors and the rise of orthorectified imagery as a
commodity, increasingly available online.
the commercialisation of technology developed in the
defence and intelligence industry especially the
deployment of VHR satellite sensors, and the small (but
growing) availability of derived products .
the growth in the use of non-optical sensors (lidar, radar) for
specific tasks, notably the production of high-resolution
digital elevation models, especially with aerial
photogrammetric and remotely sensed imagery for UK sites
the development of direct sensor orientation techniques,
resulting in a reduction in the cost of aerial triangulation.
Other trends which were noted:
e The loss (and doubtful replacement of) Landsat7.
e Reduced financial returns especially on aerial survey work
but some exceptions to this for overseas contracts.
e Continued low volumes of operational work from
institutional organisations (in Europe).
e Merging of remote sensing technologies has accelerated as
digital acquisition increases.
e Change of emphasis towards end-to-end GIS services.
Across the whole community, most corporate members
indicated constant levels of activity or even modest expansion
in terms of staff numbers or turnover during the 2000 to 2004
period. Academic organisations also saw some expansion in
staff and/or student numbers. No respondents noted significant
reductions in personnel over the period.
The UK commercial initiatives to provide national air photo
cover at large scale, available to all and relatively cheaply via
the web, have begun to change the public's appreciation of
aerial imagery, and provide a viable market. However, although
the Ordnance Survey's policy of contracting mapping services
