PhotoSat ground control: Using existing ground survey data instead of clearing land mines
300km2 PhotoSat survey in Kurdistan showing existing lines of GPS survey points. “It’s too dangerous to survey any of the ground targets” “The survey crew says they can’t survey the ground targets because of land mines and unexploded shells. I think it’s because it’s 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit) over there and they don’t want to leave their air [...]
PhotoSat publishes 21 new satellite surveying accuracy studies
[mp_row] [mp_span col="12"] 3D WorldView-2 satellite photo of Asmara, Eritrea, showing some of the 775 ground survey points that determine the 14cm PhotoSat surveying accuracy. 21 PhotoSat surveying accuracy studies from seven different stereo satellites PhotoSat has published 21 new satellite surveying and mapping accuracy studies, now available on our website. The studies include data from seven different stereo satellite [...]
Are PhotoSat satellite surveys really more reliable than ground surveys?
[mp_row] [mp_span col="12"] By Gerry Mitchell, P.Geo, President PhotoSat World View 2 satellite survey in Libya with ground survey points for 3D oil and gas seismic survey. In 2008, I would get a hollow feeling in the pit of my stomach whenever customers phoned or emailed to tell us that the PhotoSat surveys did not match their ground surveys. Back [...]
The accidental discovery of a new way to produce accurate elevation surveys from satellite photos
[mp_row] [mp_span col="12"] By Gerry Mitchell, P.Geo, President, PhotoSat 3D WorldView-2 image looking along dipping geologic formations in Northern Iraq. Produced by PhotoSat. In an effort to find a faster way to produce elevation surveys from satellite photos, PhotoSat geophysicist Michael Ehling and I accidentally discovered a novel way to greatly improve the accuracy and resolution of satellite topographic survey [...]
How can modern satellites photos possibly be accurate to 20 centimeters in 10 kilometers?
[mp_row] [mp_span col="12"] By Gerry Mitchell, P.Geo, President PhotoSat 3D WorldView-1 satellite view showing the ground survey points in PhotoSat’s Eritrea test area. My intuition rebels at the notion that a satellite orbiting 750 kilometers above the earth, traveling at 7 kilometers per second, could possibly take photos of the ground accurate to 20 centimeters in 10 kilometers. When you [...]
Measure Twice, Cut Once: The Importance of Satellite Surveying in Mine Site Planning and Construction
Tailings elevation map with 50cm contours Keeping a mine safe, profitable and compliant with legislation means frequent, accurate surveying. Planning begins with exploration and identification of likely sites, and particularly in oil and gas projects this can result in delays and false starts. Traditional methods of identifying potential sites suffer from major shortfalls, including the challenges of surveying large areas [...]