The software giant has partnered with PCI Geomatics

Apr 7, 2010 10:56 GMT  ·  By

Microsoft customers running high-resolution digital aerial cameras manufactured by its Photogrammetry division, Vexcel Imaging, will be able to take advantage of a new end-to-end image-processing system developed in the future. The Redmond company has inked a partnership with geo-imaging company PCI Geomatics to build the new offering for customers of Vexcel Imaging’s UltraCam series that also run the UltraMap photogrammetric software.

“We are very pleased to be working with PCI Geomatics to extend our UltraMap offering,” Alexander Wiechert, business director of Microsoft and managing director for Vexcel Imaging GmbH, noted. “Our Chief Photogrametrist has been very impressed with the speed of PCI’s GXL image processing technology, along with the stunning color balancing results for mosaicked UltraCam imagery. We look forward to offering our clients a streamlined, continuous workflow that will allow them to offer competitive products derived from UltraCam to the marketplace.”

The duo underlines that development on the new integrated workflow is already under way. However, neither party wished to make public the financial details of their agreement. At the same time, a general availability deadline for the new image-processing system was also not delivered. However, Microsoft did indicate that the new workflow would be based on PCI Geomatics’ GeomaticaX technology, streamlining orthorectify, pansharpen and mosaic tasks through automation. Because it will leverage both parallel processing power and Graphical Processing Units (GPUs) resources, the new system will be able to deal with a few hundreds of UltraCam images per day.

“Vexcel Imaging is recognized as the market leader in the field of high resolution, digital photography, and PCI remains committed to providing leading edge, turnkey image processing tools for the industry,” Allan Place, director of Global Sales at PCI Geomatics, shared. “The integration of our technologies will represent a breakthrough in automated, rapid and efficient technology for processing thousands of UltraCam images.”

But at the same time the duo is committed to taking their partnership beyond simply providing orthorectify, pansharpen and mosaic capabilities for UltraCam imagery. According to Microsoft, additional features and scenarios are already being explored. In this regard, as the collaboration between the two companies will advance, customers running UltraCam in concert with UltraMap will also be able to take advantage of true ortho image production acceleration and even of having digital surface models automatically produced by leveraging stereo UltraCam content.