The Z/I imaging digital camera system

Market needs for airborne and spaceborne imagery used in photogrammetry and GIS applications are changing. Fundamental changes in sensors, platforms a nd applications are currently taking place. Most recently, new high resolut ion spaceborne sensors have become available. Besides classical photogramme try, new thematic applications will drive the future image marker. Savings in cost and time, together with the need for higher and reproducible radiom etric resolution or spectral information will push forward the change from analogue to digital imagery. High resolution satellites will compete with a irborne film-based photography and digital camera systems. With the availability of a digital airborne camera, it is possible to compl etely close the digital chain from image acquisition to exploitation and da ta distribution. The key decision regarding the camera design in this case is whether a linear or area array sensor should be used. In view of the hig h geometric accuracy requirements in photogrammetry, Z/I Imaging has focuse d development on a digital camera based on an area sensor. An essential asp ect of this decision was not only the aerial camera system, but also the en tire photogrammetric process to the finished photographic or mapping produc t. If this point of view is adopted, it becomes clear that the development of a digital camera involves more than simply exchanging film for silicon. Aspects such as data transfer rates, in-flight data processing and storage, image archiving, georeferencing, colour fusion, calibration and preprocess ing hale the same influence on the economic assessment of a digital camera system. This paper describes current development activities and application aspects of a digital modular airborne camera system.