15
file in a area with considerable tree canopy (fig. 23). These figures suggest that 2.5 meter data from a stable
satellite platform will provide a valuable base for urban GIS applications.
3.0 CONCLUSIONS:
The objective of this paper was to review the status of the integration of GIS and remote sensing
technology in the middle of the decade. To make such an evaluation the paper examined the capabilities of one
of the current deck top GIS software systems to display and manipulate remotely sensed data. The results of
the experiment indicate that many of the functions for handling digital imagery now exist in user friendly
systems that run on Intel based computers under standard operating systems. Imagery can be displayed directly
and converted into both grid and polygon data structures. These capabilities suggest that from a data structure
viewpoint there is a close coupling of the GIS and remote sensing tools. It is also clear that when image data
are converted into a grid data structure there are a wide range of tools available that can assist in the display,
segmentation, separation and generalization of geographic features. It is also apparent that it is possible to
simultaneously integrate data in polygon, raster or vector formats. Furthermore, as a result of stiff competition
in both the PC based hardware and software markets it is clear that GIS tools that can incorporate remotely
sensed data are now accessible to even small firms, public agencies and even schools. In a sense some of the
major technological and financial constraints that limited utilization of the related technologies in the last
decade have now disappeared. .
Another objective of the paper was to provide a preview of the type of high resolution multi-spectral
satellite based imagery that we can expect in the next couple of years. By examining the CAMS 2.5 meter nine
band aircraft data it was obvious that the significant improvement in spatial resolution over the 10 meter SPOT
data will provide a basis for urban based image analysis. In fact, the new sensing systems should provide
reasonable source materials for extracting new road features and even counting dwelling units.
3.0 REFERENCES
American Society of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, Land Satellite Information in the Next Decade ,
ASPRS, Bethesda, MD, 1995.
P.A. Burrough and A. Frank, “Concepts and Paradigms in Spatial Information: Are Current Geographical
Information Systems Truly Generic?” Journal of Geographical Information Systems, Vol. 9, No. 2, pp. 101-
116, 1995.
D.J. Cowen, J. Jensen and W. Smith, “Integration of Thematic Mapper and DLG Data for Timber Stand
Assessment,” Proceedings Third International Symposium on Spatial Data Handling , IGU Commission on
GIS, Sydney, Australia, pp. 39-55, 1988.
D.J. Cowen, "GIS vs CAD vs DBMS" Photogrammetric Engineering and Remote Sensing, Vol. 54, No. 11,
pp. 1551-1555, 1988
D.J. Cowen, J. Jensen and J. Halls, “Maintenance of TIGER Files Using Remotely Sensed Data f Proceedings,
ASPRS, Vol. 4, pp. 31-40, 1991.
D.J. Cowen, J. Jensen, M. King, J. Halls, "Estimating Housing Density with CAMS Remotely Sensed Data"
Proceedings American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, Vol. 2. pp. 35-43, 1993.
