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EarthData is a leader in the airborne imaging, mapping, and
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) field. Its fleet of specially
configured survey aircraft collects a variety of information
about the Earth's surface, using aerial cameras and various
types of airborne sensors. The company transforms the data
into customized mapping and GIS products and services. For
close to 50 years, EarthData's clients have used this geospatial
information for design infrastructure, terrain modeling, transportation
engineering and environmental research, to better understand
the Earth and its resources.
In October 2003, the State of California suffered one of
the most devastating wildfires in its history. It caused extensive
damage to property and the environment and posed a potential
threat to the state's energy systems, which included transmission
lines, major natural gas pipelines, and various oil refineries
located in the immediate area. The fires were spread across
more than 300,000 acres of land, with states of emergency
being declared in Los Angeles, San Diego, Ventura and San
Bernardino counties, where the authorities were battling fires
on 10 separate fronts. EarthData, working in conjunction with
ESRI and Horizons Inc., was tasked with generating accurate
and detailed aerial imagery of the affected areas, to enable
damage analysis to begin, in support of rapid response and
recovery efforts.
Digital Scanner Survey
"The POS AV system has enabled us to maximize
positional accuracy with our ADS40 digital sensors."
Using a Leica Geosystems ADS40 digital sensor, equipped with
an Applanix POS AV system, EarthData's Piper Navajo Chieftain
was airborne over the worst affected areas of the fire, at
short notice, to capture color-infrared imagery. Mitch Jordan,
EarthData's project manager, explains, "The POS AV system
integrates very well with our airborne sensors, and its direct
georeferencing capability is a big plus, especially for emergency
response operations such as this one, where there is no time
to carry out ground control surveys. Accurate georeferenced
digital images can be generated very quickly with this system."
The acquisition of detailed digital imagery was completed
within 14 days, as a result of the combined airborne operations
of EarthData and Horizons Inc. The quick data turnaround was
made possible with the ADS40 digital system and POS AV image
georeferencing attributes, which together prove a very efficient
combination. In total 3,143 square miles of severely burned
terrain were captured and processed. With the image acquisition
complete, state and local authorities were able to access
the data immediately for use in damage assessment and recovery.
Image analysis experts at ESRI used the digital orthophotography
and corresponding DTM data to map the fire-damaged environment,
and analyze the drainage patterns as a precaution against
the potential risk of mudslides now that ground cover vegetation
had been destroyed.
