THE FUTURE OF SOFTCOPY IN PHOTOGRAMMETRIC MAPPING FIRMS 
Gary G. Brown, President, Aerial Services, Inc. 
IWG IVIII - Digital Photogrammetric Systems 
KEY WORDS: Photogrammetry, Technology, Mapping, Softcopy, Experience 
ABSTRACT 
Aerial Services, Inc. History: The company was started in 1967 using conventional mapping techniques. In 1983 the company 
reviewed emerging technologies and decided that to stay competitive it was necessary to explore digital vector mapping techniques. 
After close scrutiny it was decided that it would be more cost effective to implement digital vector mapping techniques. Aerial 
Services purchased KORK Database Mapping Software. Within the next two years ASI fitted all existing analog stereoplotters 
with digital encoders to allow all mapping to be completed in digital form. During the next four years ASI added analytical 
stereoplotters, was instrumental in development of data translators and multitasking batch processing, and finally the porting of 
this software to PC platforms. 
During the time period of 1984 to the present Aerial Services, 
Inc.(ASI) has continually monitored our client market and has 
attempted to educate our clientele to the advantages of digital 
vector mapping. 
We quickly realized a need to review the client's need and 
provide input to software development staff so that the 
software could meet our growing digital data needs. During 
this time we realized that we were fast becoming an industry 
that no longer was dependent only upon hardware development 
but more importantly on software development. 
In this same time frame, ASI staff and management 
consistently reviewed technologies being planned and 
implemented in all areas of photogrammetry. New aerial 
cameras were purchased with Forward Image Motion 
Compensation (FIMC) capabilities, gyro-stabilized camera 
mounts and Global Positioning System (GPS) computer 
controlled navigation systems. The photo laboratory was 
updated with new film processors, photo enlargers and dodging 
printers. 
All of these changes and advancements were being 
implemented so that the end mapping products would be of 
higher quality, and therefore better meet the digital data needs 
of our clients. 
From 1990 to 1994 the ASI client base increased substantially. 
In 1990 ASI acquired its first county-wide orthophoto mapping 
project. High accuracy Global Position System (GPS) 
surveying was utilized to control all mapping. 
In 1992 ASI obtained a second county-wide mapping project, 
and accordingly, more pressure was being applied to our 
mapping production. 
During the time period of 1990 to 1994 ASI management was 
continually monitoring the development of digital 
orthophotography technology. Early development was directly 
focused upon government needs being driven by the possibility 
of contracting with the United States Geological Survey. ASI 
was not seeing increased markets in this area, but pressure 
seemed to be coming from more local government areas such 
38 
as cities and counties. ASI was consistently marketing in these 
areas and we saw the need to implement digital orthophoto 
technology for use as base maps for Geographic Information 
System (GIS) projects at the local level. Then in late 1993 and 
early 1994 ASI purchased a digital orthophoto system. Our 
prior experience with software systems told us to carefully 
examine the vendor to ensure that they know the science and 
technology of photogrammetry. ^ More importantly, the 
company should guide development efforts with extensive user 
input in this newly developing market. During this time frame 
two of the companies (KORK Systems and Autometric); whose 
systems we were reviewing, joined forces. We felt that this 
combination was what we were looking for in our system, 
because none of the other systems we were reviewing were as 
mature. We wanted a software company that would be 
responsive to our future needs, and had learned previously 
larger hardware manufacturers usually do not fall into this 
category. More importantly, when we viewed the digital 
orthophoto hardware systems, we quickly realized that we 
were buying extremely fast computers with graphics 
capabilities and that software would be the core of the system. 
Our selection was based upon this fact, our prior experience 
with KORK Systems and because of their new partnership 
with Autometric. KORK brought strong client support and 
customer driven development culture and Autometric brought 
strong software development capabilities to this venture. With 
this in mind and a commitment from the newly formed 
company, Vision International, to be responsive to the needs of 
the mapping community, we chose the Vision Softplotter 
System. 
During this selection process ASI was heavily marketing the 
digital orthophoto approach with some of our long term county 
clients. In late 1993 we contracted with our first county to 
supply digital orthophotography as a base map for cadastral 
mapping. Within the next three months we contracted with 
our home county to supply full county wide digital 
orthophotography for a GIS base map. From summer 1994 to 
spring 1995 we also contracted for two additional county wide 
digital orthophoto base mapping projects. One of the projects 
was for large scale maps of an entire county in color. 
International Archives of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing. Vol. XXXI, Part B2. Vienna 1996 
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