Computer generated 3D visualisations are being used to help study river pollution of the River Doe Lea. The research project, carried out by the National Trust with partner institutions the University of Sheffield, Environment Agency, Natural England and other consultancies aims to develop a multi-targeted catchment management strategy. Airborne remote sensing data, supplied by Bluesky, was used as part of a PhD study carried out within the project. The digital aerial photography, colour Infrared imagery (CIR) and photogrammetrically derived digital height models were used to model the flow of agricultural pollutants and assess the diffusive effect on the landscape.

Results from the project ‘Modelling Catchment Landscapes Potential to Mitigate Diffuse Pollution from Agriculture’ were recently presented at an international conference on Catchment Science organised and attended by members of CatSci a multidisciplinary research programme in catchment science funded by the European Commission under the Marie Curie Early Stage Training Fellowship scheme.

Nataliya Tkachenko, author of the research project commented, “The primary aim of the study was to develop an interactive landscape model, which would give the possibility to evaluate mitigation options in scenario context and open opportunities for participatory GIS applied to agriculture. This model is novel in the aspect of geotargeting of mitigation options within the real landscape, where solutions can be downscaled to the finer elements. Evaluation of landscape processes in the context environment is highly complicated process, which requires substantial amount of data input on various temporal and spatial scales. Both 3D visualisation, CIR derived indicators and temporal data are powerful source of input information.”

She continued, “Being able to represent and visualise the countryside in all aspects was essential for the accurate modelling of the mitigating effects of the landscape on the agricultural pollutants studied. The Bluesky data was available off the shelf and in a format and specification suitable for use in our geographical information system (GIS) and image analysis software.”

The Bluesky data supplied to the University of Sheffield for this study is part of the GeoPerspectives product range. GeoPerspectives offers nationwide coverage of high resolution aerial photography and Colour Infrared imagery as well as highly accurate, photogrammetrically derived Digital Terrain Models (the earth’s surface excluding buildings and vegetation) and Digital Surface Models (the earth’s surface including buildings and vegetation). Bluesky is also able to provide ultra detailed LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) data and services covering the majority of England and Wales including all major urban centres, coastal areas and flood plains.

Aerial survey specialist Bluesky has reported its most successful year yet following a record-breaking aerial photography season. Bluesky’s aerial surveying contributed toward a total area of 32,000 sqkm that was captured for GeoPerspectives – the country’s most up-to-date digital aerial photomap – covering Britain’s cities and countryside stretching from Glasgow to the Scilly Isles. Bluesky employed the latest imaging technology that enables the creation of 3D computer-generated fly-through maps and infrared maps that reveal the type of vegetation on the ground. The imagery is now available and can be viewed at www.bluesky-world.com

During the 2009 Bluesky’s aircraft were able to capture several cities including Manchester, Glasgow and Leeds as well as counties such as Northamptonshire, Oxfordshire, Yorkshire and Bedfordshire. “After successive years of dull summers we made the most many clear blue skies in 2009 and we broke all recent records for aerial surveying” commented James Eddy, Technical Director of Bluesky. “Aerial photography and derived map products continue to play an increasingly important part in the management of the natural environment and economic development and the creation of 3D cityscape models is the future of mapping”.

Bluesky use the latest digital imaging technology to capture aerial photography at ultra high resolution. All the areas flown to date will be produced in either 10cm, 12.5cm or 25cm resolution. The digital, map accurate datasets will be used to update the GeoPerspectives national archive of orthorectified aerial photography.

The aerial datasets are soon to be made available online at www.bluesky-world.com where visitors to the site can search, view and download digital image files. The Bluesky imagery is being used to produce digital terrain and surface models (DTM/DSM) for 3D modelling and complemented with colour infrared imagery (CIR), simultaneously captured, for vegetation analysis.

ESRI (UK) has selected aerial photography from Bluesky to include in its new GIS for Schools Programme. Designed to help teachers meet national curriculum requirements and make lessons more engaging, the programme includes a choice of Geographical Information System (GIS) software together with maps, data, lesson plans and tutorials for an annual cost of £250. The inclusion of aerial photography from Bluesky ensures schools who sign up to the programme will have access via the Internet to the latest, most detailed aerial photography for the whole of England and Wales together with most of Scotland.

The ESRI (UK) GIS for Schools Programme offers subscribing organisations a choice of GIS software: DigitalWorlds, an easy to use GIS based on ESRI technology, suitable for a school just starting with GIS, or ArcView 9.3, a more advanced GIS, completely compatible with DigitalWorlds. DigitalWorlds recently received a Highly Commended Award 2009 from the Geographical Association where it was judged as “… likely to make a significant contribution to geographical education.”

The Bluesky supplied GeoPerspectives aerial photography included in the GIS for Schools Programme provides schools with online access to the most up to date imagery, at resolutions of up to 12.5 cm for urban centres and 25 cm for the whole of England and Wales. The imagery is the perfect complement to other maps and data offered in the package, including Ordnance Survey maps, both modern and historical, 2001 census data, satellite imagery, street level mapping and economic and demographic data from the CIA World Factbook.

“Aerial photography is ideal for use in schools at both an introductory and more advanced level, as pupils are comfortable with it thanks to online mapping portals such as Google Earth,” commented Richard Pole, Education Consultant at ESRI (UK) and founder of DigitalWorlds. “We selected the GeoPerspectives imagery from Bluesky as it provided the best coverage and resolution, complementing the other map layers and data and enhancing the overall offering.”

“This is an important agreement for Bluesky,” commented Rachel Tidmarsh, Managing Director of Bluesky International. “The ESRI (UK) vision is to get GIS into every secondary school over the next five years and we are delighted that Bluesky can support this through the supply of GeoPerspectives aerial photography.”

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Computer generated 3D visualisations are being used to assess the environmental impact of a proposed redevelopment at one of Britain’s industrial landmarks in the north of England. Environmental and engineering consultancy URS Corporation is using digital terrain data from Bluesky to help complete the planning for the major redevelopment project.  The Bluesky Digital Surface Model (DSM) will be used to generate a Zone of Visual Influence for Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment.

Due to the location of the proposed development, it was essential that the source data was as up-to-date as possible and included recently upgraded motorways and intersections.  Bluesky was able to offer URS a range of solutions, including NEXTMap height data, a fantastic cost effective product, a LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) survey or their own off-the-shelf 3D model. “It soon became apparent, during early discussions, that Bluesky’s own GeoPerspectives data was the only commercially available height dataset which included the specific section of the upgraded A1(M) that was critical for this project,” commented Ben Stephenson, Environmental Consultant URS Corporation Ltd.

URS selected the data for use within an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) on behalf of one of their clients. An EIA is a multi-stage process that considers the environmental effects of development proposals during demolition, site preparation, construction and operational phases and proposes ways to eliminate, reduce or mitigate any significant adverse effects on the environment.

Once submitted to the relevant planning authority the EIA documents are critically evaluated, and if necessary, further information is sought from the applicant in order to ensure the authority has sufficiently reliable information to understand the likely environmental effects and proposed mitigation measures before the planning application is determined.

The Bluesky DSM data supplied to URS Corp for this study is part of the GeoPerspectives product range, which offers nationwide coverage of highly accurate, photogrammetrically derived Digital Terrain Models (the earth’s surface excluding buildings and vegetation) and Digital Surface Models (the earth’s surface including buildings and vegetation). Bluesky is also able to provide ultra detailed LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) data and services covering the majority of England and Wales including all major urban centres, coastal areas and flood plains.

Website: www.bluesky-world.com

Editorial enquiries, contact Robert Peel on tel. +44 (0)1666 823306

Colour separation requests – please fax only to +44 (0)1666 824 668

All reader enquiries to Bluesky sales on +44 (0)1530 518 518

Editor’s Notes:

Bluesky is a UK-based specialist in aerial imaging and remote sensing data collection and processing.  An internationally recognised leader with projects extending around the globe, Bluesky is proud to work with prestigious organisations such as Google, the BBC and Government Agencies. Bluesky has unrivalled expertise in the creation of seamless, digital aerial photography, 3D landscape/cityscape visualisations and prints and also runs a national mapping centre, providing digital mapping, satellite imagery and aerial photography including ultra-high resolution imagery of cities and towns.

www.bluesky-world.com

High-resolution aerial photography and colour infrared imagery supplied by Bluesky is being used to help preserve Britain’s hedgerows.  In a pioneering new development by Environment Systems – a geographic and environmental information consultancy – hedgerow features are being mapped automatically from the image data, considerably reducing the time and cost involved in more traditional field mapping exercises.

Hedgerows are a highly valued resource, but receive little protection under planning and environmental regulations.  As a result there has been a huge loss of hedgerows over the last 50 years. Hedgerows are a respected part of our cultural heritage and historic record, essential for marking ownership boundaries and controlling the movement of livestock, however with the availability of accurate maps, GPS and fencing these reasons are now less valid. In today’s world hedgerows are becoming increasingly important for their great value to wildlife and the natural landscape.  They also play an important role in preventing soil loss, reducing pollution, and for their potential to regulate water supply and reduce flooding. 

For a major habitat and environmental resource there is no exact record of the extent of hedgerows in Britain, and such data is prohibitively expensive to provide by field survey. Environment Systems, using the Bluesky data, has developed a semi-automated methodology for hedgerow mapping. The red, green, blue and colour infrared spectral bands of the imagery are optimised and automated digitising techniques are used to extract hedgerow features. The output from this process is a geographic information system (GIS) ready polygon hedgerow dataset complete with length, areas and condition indicator attributes.

“The key driver for this research has been to develop a rapid, low cost approach, requiring little operator interaction, to produce a hedgerow baseline that identifies the presence and extent of hedgerows over large areas,” commented Steve Keyworth, Director of Aberystwyth based Environment Systems Ltd. “The Bluesky data is ideal for this as it provides the key input; four band digital imagery, at a sufficiently high resolution with the most up to date coverage.” Environment Systems has seen considerable interest from local authorities and government organisations, keen to produce a cost-effective record of this important habitat and landscape resource.

The data supplied by Bluesky for this development project is part of the GeoPerspectives product range, which offers nationwide coverage of high resolution, up to date aerial photography and CIR imagery, photogrammetrically derived Digital Terrain Models (the earth’s surface excluding buildings and vegetation) and Digital Surface Models (the earth’s surface including buildings and vegetation). Bluesky is also able to provide ultra detailed LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) data and services and a Thermal Survey capability. GeoPerspectives data is available to purchase online at www.bluesky-world.com.

Website: www.bluesky-world.com

Editorial enquiries, contact Robert Peel on tel. +44 (0)1666 823306

Colour separation requests – please fax only to +44 (0)1666 824 668

All reader enquiries to Bluesky sales on +44 (0)1530 518 518

Editor’s Notes:

Bluesky is a UK-based specialist in aerial imaging and remote sensing data collection and processing.  An internationally recognised leader with projects extending around the globe, Bluesky is proud to work with prestigious organisations such as Google, the BBC and Government Agencies.

Bluesky has unrivalled expertise in the creation of seamless, digital aerial photography, 3D landscape/cityscape visualisations and prints and also runs a national mapping centre, providing digital mapping, satellite imagery and aerial photography including ultra-high resolution imagery of cities and towns.

www.bluesky-world.com

Bluesky’s aerial survey aircraft made the most of the blue skies over the UK to capture 12,000 sqkm of high resolution imagery of Britain’s cities and countryside. Bluesky’s ambitious flying programme includes a five-year update programme for the GeoPerspectives national archive as well as ultra high resolution surveys of cities across the country.

Urban areas captured during May and June include Manchester, Leeds, Glasgow, Burnley, Blackburn and Milton Keynes together with county coverage of Northamptonshire, Oxfordshire, most of Surrey and the remaining areas of South and West Yorkshire.

“2008 and 2007 were both poor years for the UK aerial survey market with many companies struggling to get survey planes off the ground let alone capture significant amounts of data,” commented James Eddy, Operations Director at Bluesky. “We have flying contractors strategically located to cover the country, scrutinising weather conditions and forecasts, in order to make the most of any opportunity to fly. However we will not compromise on quality and we will only produce data from images flown during optimum conditions once it has passed our rigorous quality assurance process.”     

Bluesky use the latest digital imaging technology to capture aerial photography at ultra high resolution. All the areas flown to date will be produced as 10cm or 12.5cm resolution, digital, map accurate datasets and will be used to update the GeoPerspectives (a joint venture between Bluesky and Infoterra) national archive of orthorectified aerial photography.

The aerial datasets will, in due course be available online at http://www.bluesky-world.com where visitors to the site can search, view and download digital image files. The Bluesky imagery will also be used to produce digital terrain and surface models (DTM/DSM) for 3D modelling and complemented with colour infrared imagery (CIR), simultaneously captured, for vegetation analysis.

Bluesky is a UK-based specialist in aerial imaging and remote sensing data collection and processing.  An internationally recognised leader with projects extending around the globe, Bluesky is proud to work with prestigious organisations such as Google, the BBC and Government Agencies.

Bluesky has unrivalled expertise in the creation of seamless digital aerial photography, 3D landscape/cityscape visualisations and prints and also runs a national mapping centre, providing digital mapping, satellite imagery and aerial photography including ultra-high resolution imagery of cities and towns.

Website: www.bluesky-world.com

Editorial enquiries, contact Robert Peel on tel. +44 (0)1666 823306

Colour separation requests – please fax only to +44 (0)1666 824 668

All reader enquiries to Bluesky sales on +44 (0)1530 518 518

Notes to editors:

Bluesky is a UK-based specialist in aerial imaging and remote sensing data collection and processing.  An internationally recognised leader with projects extending around the globe, Bluesky works with prestigious organisations such as Google, the BBC and Government Agencies.

Bluesky has unrivalled expertise in the creation of seamless digital aerial photography, 3D landscape/cityscape visualisations and prints and also runs a national mapping centre, providing digital mapping, satellite imagery and aerial photography including ultra-high resolution imagery of cities and towns

Aerial survey company Bluesky has launched two online height models covering the whole of England and Wales and also large parts of Scotland. With accuracies up to 25 centimetres in urban areas the Digital Terrain Model (DTM) and Digital Elevation Model (DEM) provide detailed representations of the topographical variations in the surface of the earth including, in the case of the DEM, vegetation cover and man-made structures. Visitors to www.bluesky-world.com can search the online models using a place name, postcode or geographical coordinate before viewing their chosen area or downloading digital files.

Available online, in a range of formats suitable for use in Geographical Information System (GIS), Computer Aided Design (CAD) or 3D visualisation software the DTM / DSM data is designed for applications that require a real world representation of the earth’s surface with the vegetation and buildings that cover it. From simple identification of ground surface features to more complex projects including flood risk assessment and mobile network planning, the data is offered free of Crown Copyright with flexible licencing terms.       

Digital Terrain and Elevation Models are photogrammetrically derived using specialist software to measure common points in overlapping aerial images. The online models provide height measurements at 2 and 5 metre resolutions, for the DEM and DTM respectively, with positional accuracies of up to 1 metre. Enhancement using LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) data in urban areas enables accuracies of up to 25 centimetres to be achieved.

“The height models are derived from GeoPerspectives aerial imagery using specialist software by a dedicated production team,” commented Rachel Tidmarsh, Managing Director of Bluesky. “As this imagery offers the most up-to-date view of our world so the DTM and DEM data in turn provide the most current, detailed and accurate representation of terrain and surface of the earth for a wide range of applications.”

GeoPerspectives is a joint venture between Bluesky and Infoterra providing national coverage of orthorectified aerial photography, digital terrain & surface models (DTM/DSM) for 3D modelling, and colour infrared imagery (CIR) for vegetation analysis.

Website: www.bluesky-world.com

Editorial enquiries, contact Robert Peel on tel. +44 (0)1666 823306

Colour separation requests – please fax only to +44 (0)1666 824 668

All reader enquiries to Bluesky sales on +44 (0)1530 518 518

High resolution aerial photography from Bluesky is helping to boost the provision of services across public sector organisations in the North East of England. Purchased by local councils, emergency services and the Passenger Transport Authority, the GeoPerspectives imagery will provide benefits for a range of applications including frontline use within emergency service response vehicles and supporting decision-making within the planning application process. At an impressive 10 cm resolution the digital aerial photomap is detailed enough you can view individual property boundaries, specific land uses and even street markings.

TWRI was established in 1986 to support the 5 Tyne and Wear district Councils (Gateshead, Newcastle, North Tyneside, South Tyneside and Sunderland) through the assembly and analysis of statistical information. They provide a wide variety of services including research, advice and consultancy within the themes of Census and Demographics, Crime, GIS / Mapping, Economy, Social, Area Profiler 2, Housing, Land and Property and News. TWRI also works with a wide range of organisations, including the police, fire service, probation, Government Office North East (GONE), Association NE Councils (ANEC) and North East Assembly (NEA).

“We purchased the aerial photography from Bluesky for use by a variety of partners, with a wide variety of needs,” commented Dr Kadhem Jallab, Head of TWRI. “TWRI holds a time series of aerial photography and we aim to update this every two years. The Bluesky photography was chosen as it was up-to-date, provided excellent quality and value for money”.

The GeoPerspectives dataset was captured in the summer of 2008 at a resolution of 10 cm as part of a five- year update plan to maintain national coverage of the most accurate and up-to-date aerial photography of England and Wales. Using the latest digital imaging technology GeoPerspectives, a joint venture between Bluesky and Infoterra, provides national coverage of orthorectified aerial photography, digital terrain and surface models (DTM/DSM) for 3D modelling, and colour infrared imagery (CIR) for vegetation analysis.

Bluesky is a UK-based specialist in aerial imaging and remote sensing data collection and processing.  An internationally recognised leader with projects extending around the globe, Bluesky is proud to work with prestigious organisations such as Google, the BBC and several Government Agencies.

Bluesky has unrivalled expertise in the creation of seamless digital aerial photography, 3D landscape/cityscape visualisations and prints and also runs a national mapping centre, providing digital mapping, satellite imagery and aerial photography including ultra-high resolution imagery of cities and towns.

Website: www.bluesky-world.com

Editorial enquiries, contact Robert Peel on tel. +44 (0)1666 823306

Colour separation requests – please fax only to +44 (0)1666 824 668

All reader enquiries to Bluesky sales on +44 (0)1530 518 518

The latest aerial photography and detailed earth surface models from Bluesky are being used for demonstration in a state of the art software package developed to assess the risk and impact of flooding. The ISIS by Halcrow suite is one of the leading software packages for river modelling, used extensively across the world for flood forecasting, flood risk mapping and flood alleviation scheme design by government organisations, environmental regulators and engineering consultants. To support the launch of ISIS 2D Halcrow has included some GeoPerspectives aerial photography and Digital Terrain Models (DTMs) from Bluesky, to enable users to evaluate the improved modelling functionality.

ISIS 2D is the latest addition to the ISIS by Halcrow suite of products. A fully hydrodynamic computational engine, it is designed to work either as a stand-alone tool or within the ISIS suite of products enabling dynamic integration between ISIS Professional and ISIS 2D. At the core of the software are two advanced algorithms that have been specifically designed to replicate different types of hydraulic conditions within rivers, estuaries and floodplains. ISIS 2D is available for free and can be downloaded from www.halcrow.com/isis, and has all of the same features as the full version but is limited to 2,500 2D cells.

“The data sets supplied by Bluesky are being used in ISIS to allow users to evaluate the new 2D modelling components. The DTM is used to generate trial models of flooding from rivers, the sea and dam failures, while the aerial photography is used to enhance the visualisation by providing a real world background,” commented Dr Matt Horritt, specialist modeller in the Water and Engineering Management division of Halcrow.

Bluesky has supplied Halcrow with GeoPerspectives aerial photography for test sites including river, coastal and dam break flooding. The photogrammetrically derived Digital Terrain Model supplied by Bluesky is also part of the GeoPerspectives range, offering a resolution of 5 metres the data is accurate to 1 metre and is available off the shelf for the whole of England and Wales. Both products can be viewed and purchased online at www.bluesky-world.com.        

“We chose the data from Bluesky as they were of sufficiently high resolution and accuracy for broad scale modelling,” continued Dr Horritt. “The DTM is particularly effective for modelling in complex urban or vegetated environments as it is essential to represent ground level rather than the tops of trees or buildings.”

GeoPerspectives is a joint venture between Bluesky and Infoterra providing national coverage of orthorectified aerial photography, digital terrain and surface models (DTM/DSM) for 3D modelling, and colour infrared imagery (CIR) for vegetation analysis.

Website: www.bluesky-world.com

Editorial enquiries, contact Robert Peel on tel. +44 (0)1666 823306

Colour separation requests – please fax only to +44 (0)1666 824 668

All reader enquiries to Bluesky sales on +44 (0)1530 518 518

Notes for editors

ISIS is one of the leading software packages for river modelling, used throughout the world on flood forecasting, flood alleviation scheme designs, flood risk mapping, flood risk assessments and catchment management planning projects. It provides engineers and managers with a set of flexible and cost effective tools so that they can make decisions to proactively manage our environment.

For more information on ISIS, please visit our websites at www.halcrow.com/isis and www.isisuser.com or contact Vijay Jain, ISIS sales and marketing manager on +44 (0)1634 248729.

Halcrow Group Ltd, “Halcrow”, specialises in the provision of planning, design and management services for infrastructure development worldwide. Founded in 1868, the company has developed into a leading consultancy in all of its core sectors – water, transportation, maritime and property. The company’s 8,000 employees operate from a network of over 80 offices worldwide.

Halcrow is owned and managed by its employees and staff shareholders, making it one of the largest independent firms of its kind. The company provides consultancy services to government departments, public sector authorities and utilities, industrial and commercial companies, international funding agencies and financial institutions.

Bluesky is a UK-based specialist in aerial imaging and remote sensing data collection and processing.  An internationally recognised leader with projects extending around the globe, Bluesky is proud to work with prestigious organisations such as Google, the BBC and Government Agencies.

Bluesky has unrivalled expertise in the creation of seamless, digital aerial photography, 3D landscape/cityscape visualisations and prints and also runs a national mapping centre, providing digital mapping, satellite imagery and aerial photography including ultra-high resolution imagery of cities and towns.

A special map which helps to reveal the types of crop and other vegetation from the air is being made available online by aerial mapping company Bluesky. By using infrared sensors fitted to aerial survey aircraft, England and Wales are currently being mapped to reveal land use in more detail than ever before. The multicoloured map contains a wealth of information essential to support major environmental projects including crop monitoring, coastal management and forestry studies.  It complements aerial photomaps and land height maps already available online at www.bluesky-world.com, where visitors can view their local area by entering a place name or postcode.

Using the very latest digital imaging technology Bluesky has captured the CIR information, invisible to the human eye. Specially developed sensors mounted on a survey aircraft are used to record measurements from a specific part of the electromagnetic spectrum, the scientific term for the collective types of energy and light emitted from the sun, which includes both visible (the normal rainbow of colours we see everyday), and invisible (such as near infrared) parts.

Providing a unique view of the earth’s surface CIR images provide a valuable tool for studies in landform, vegetation, pollution and other effects of human activity on our environment and the the earth. For example, leaves of healthy, growing vegetation reflect a high level of near-infrared wavelengths and appear red on colour-infrared film while unhealthy or dormant vegetation may appear light red or a light shade of blue-green. These obvious colour distinctions make colour-infrared photographs useful in assessing the health and coverage of plants on our land.

Water, on the other hand, absorbs near-infrared wavelengths and appears almost black in the image, although water with varying amounts of suspended particles appears as shades of blue. In addition, near-infrared wavelengths penetrate atmospheric haze and result in clear, crisp images even when traditional aerial photography cannot be captured.

“CIR data is simultaneously acquired during the GeoPerspectives data capture programme,” commented Rachel Tidmarsh, Managing Director of Bluesky, “making it the perfect complement to the other layers of detailed geographical information that are already available online at www.bluesky-world.com, including the most up-to-date aerial photography and detailed height models”.

Website: www.bluesky-world.com