Remote sensing and aerial survey specialist Bluesky has been awarded another project by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) to create a digital archive of scientific images from the organisation’s Airborne Research and Survey Facility.

Bluesky will scan the new photographic images taken by NERC’s airborne survey unit, using state of the art hardware and software. The images will then be individually referenced for wider use by the Council, government, academia, other research agencies and commercial organisations. Bluesky has previously completed a contract on behalf NERC to scan more than 43,000 aerial images dating back more than 25 years.

The Bluesky team of experienced and dedicated personnel will scan the images, captured by the Airborne Research and Survey Facility (ARSF) during 2007 in a variety of locations throughout mainland Europe, Iceland, Greenland and the UK, using two high-end scanning machines, (Vexcel Ultrascan 5000 Photogrammetric Flatbed Scanners). Metadata (data about data) such as Project Name, Location, Film and Frame Number and the date, time and GPS position of the camera, will then be added to each digital file before the images are transferred to the NERC Earth Observation Data Centre (NEODC) archive at the CCLRC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory in Didcot.

“The images were collected for historical comparison with existing photographic records providing a valuable record of landscape and land use change,” said David Davies, Co-Pilot and Systems Engineer at the ARSF of NERC. “We can only undertake this analysis by comparing like with like and as Bluesky created our ‘master’ archive it was only natural to award them the contract for conversion and reference of this years images.”

Davies continued, “In addition the digital files will be used to assist in the production of highly detailed 3D height models (DEMs) and as the images cover a variety of terrains including forest, heathland, wetland and glaciers as well as industrial and urban centres, they will provide a valuable resource for additional fieldwork and investigations.”

The original project was commissioned by NEODC as part of their role in supporting the Council’s earth observation community in locating, accessing, interpreting and exploiting Earth Observation data and ensuring the long term integrity of Earth Observation datasets produced and acquired by NERC projects and programmes.  The aerial photo dataset is now one of the most used within NERC.

Bluesky is a UK based company specialising in aerial imaging, photography and remote sensing data collection and processing. With projects extending across the globe it has an international reputation for the creation of seamless digital aerial photography and 3d landscape and cityscape visualisations. Bluesky’s national mapping centre provides digital maps, site maps, satellite imagery, aerial photography and ultra-high resolution imagery of cities and towns.

Bluesky aerial maps help NHBC investigate structural damage to new homes

Aerial survey specialist Bluesky has supplied the UK’s NHBC (National House-Building Council) with aerial photos to assist in investigations of structural defects in new homes. Bluesky’s aerial images provide a snapshot of land use prior to construction helping NHBC engineers identify possible causes of structural defects such as trees, standing water or previous ground workings. Bluesky identifies the appropriate images for NHBC based on the exact location of the claim property and the date construction commenced.

NHBC is the standard setting body and leading warranty and insurance provider for new and newly converted houses in the UK. Working with the house-building and wider construction industry they provide risk management services that raise the standards of new homes, and provides consumer protection to new homebuyers. “The Bluesky aerial imagery is a useful tool for investigating claims from homeowners,” commented Clive Entwistle, Principal Engineer of NHBC. “With compelling evidence of land use prior to construction we can identify possible causes of damage and non compliance with our Technical Requirements that may help to validate a claim.”

The NHBC has over 20,500 house builders and developers on their Register, all of whom agree to comply with published Rules and Standards. More than 80% of the new homes built in the UK each year are registered with NHBC and benefit from their 10 year warranty and insurance policy ‘Buildmark’. Around 1.7 million homeowners are currently covered by Buildmark policies and over the past 70 years NHBC has protected more than 30% of all houses in the UK.

“The Bluesky imagery offers exceptional levels of detail which clearly depict a site and it’s surrounding area prior to construction,” continued Entwistle. “This allows us to establish possible causes of ground movement that may be responsible for structural damage. For example, we can pick out individual trees, ponds or evidence of made ground. The geographical coverage and age of imagery is crucial and Bluesky deliver the images we need.”

Bluesky is the specialist in aerial imaging and remote sensing data collection and processing. The company runs a national mapping centre, providing digital maps, site plans, satellite imagery, aerial photography and ultra-high resolution imagery of cities and towns.

Kirklees Council is using a thermal image map created byBluesky the aerial survey specialists to promote a £20 million programme to improve energy efficiency in every household in the district. The Kirklees Warm Zone project is one of the biggest and most comprehensive programmes to tackle household energy efficiency and climate change in the UK and as part of the programme the Bluesky thermal image map has been published on the Council’s website. Householders can simply type in their postcode, select their property and instantly get a colour-coded picture of how much heat is escaping through their roof and walls. The Council website also offers advice and information on ways to improve energy efficiency in the home including how the Warm Zone programme is being delivered and other grants that may be available.

Over a three-year period every single home within Kirklees will be visited in order to assess the suitability for energy efficiency improvements. Suitable properties will be offered cavity wall and loft insulation FREE of charge, regardless of household income – a first in the UK.

Councillor Martyn Bolt, Cabinet Member for the Environment said, “The thermal image is a vital tool for communicating with residents. It clearly shows the scale of the problem and we hope it will encourage residents and businesses to address the issue. The images also support our work to tackle fuel poverty and climate change in the borough.”

Bluesky captured the amazing thermal survey using an airborne thermal infrared sensor – a modified version of the technology used by the military for night vision. The survey, which captured over 200 sq km of the Kirklees landscape was flown mid evening in order to catch the widest variations in temperature which can occur as a result of poor insulation of buildings.

Bluesky supplied the Council with a thermal photomap providing an instant snapshot of hot spots by colour coding temperature ranges, allowing every building to be analysed.

Funding for the Warm Zone programme is being provided by Kirklees Council, Scottish Power, National Grid, the Regional Housing Board, Scottish Power Energy People Trust and British Gas Energy Trust and ongoing funding bids will be made throughout the lifetime of the project. The Warm Zone brand was established by the Government in 2000 and has already helped more than half a million UK households.

Using amazing new 3D printing technology, Bluesky has created a large-scale model to assist with the planning of Sherford, a new market town on the outskirts of Plymouth. The model combines the most up- to-date aerial photography of the development site and its surrounding area with highly detailed height measurements, to create a geographically accurate, physical model. In addition to the real world detail provided by the aerial photography, Bluesky worked closely with Red Tree, the developer promoting Sherford, to include development boundary and Main Street details for the proposed development.

The new village of Sherford will be located in the southwest corner of Devon, at the gateway to Cornwall, and will form an urban extension to the coastal city of Plymouth. Sherford, which will provide up to 5,500 new homes, up to 7,000 new jobs and a 207 hectare Community Park, is due to start on site with Phase 1 of the construction programme in spring 2008, subject to relevant planning consents.

“The model created for us by Bluesky was used to communicate the outline shape and form of the development against the topographical backdrop at a series of public consultation meetings and drop in sessions held by South Hams District Council and Plymouth City Council,”  Rebecca Sturge, Project Manager for the Sherford development at Red Tree (2004) LLP said. She continued, “The model drew the public into the consultation process as it was visually very impressive yet easy to interpret and understand.”

The stunning 3D model was created by combining GeoPerspectives aerial photography and ground measurements to produce a 3D computer simulation of the site. Additional details, such as the development and Main Street boundaries, were mapped onto the digital representation. Then, just as a standard desktop printer produces a hard copy replication of a document, Bluesky’s Contex 3D printer produced a physical model of the computer-generated design. Proprietary software ‘sliced’ the computer design into thousands of ultra fine layers that were then individually ‘printed’ by spreading a sub millimetre thin layer of composite powder onto a base. The model was then built up with subsequent layers of powder that were fixed together using a liquid binder.

Bluesky is a UK based company specialising in aerial imaging and remote sensing data collection and processing. With projects extending around the globe it has an international reputation for the creation of seamless digital aerial photography and 3D landscape / cityscape visualisations. Bluesky’s national mapping centre provides digital maps, site maps, satellite imagery, aerial photography and ultra-high resolution imagery of cities and towns.