GXP Mosaic

With the release of SOCET SET v5.4, we are proud to offer the much anticipated Next-Generation Automatic Terrain Extraction (NGATE) module. NGATE provides users with the capability to create surface and terrain models from stereo imagery at a level of accuracy not previously available from a fully automatic algorithm without assistance from manual editing. NGATE is licensed as an add-on to SOCET SET’s Automatic Terrain Extraction (ATE) module. By allowing terrain to be generated down to the pixel level of the input imagery, NGATE provides detail that would otherwise be left out of a surface or terrain model derived from stereo imagery. The benefits to you are a more accurate product with less manual editing. BAE Systems has used NGATE for almost a year now, including very early versions, in our service work for the U.S. government, and project managers report that the time spent on manual editing has been reduced by more than 30%.

This new release includes additional enhancements for handling georeferenced imagery and products derived from imagery. Sensor models imported and optionally triangulated within SOCET SET can be easily exported to Rational Polynomial Coefficient (RPC) georeferenced images in NITF format as a product that can be used with other image applications. The Universal Triangulation (UTri) within SOCET SET’s Multi-sensor Triangulation (MST) application can now support the adjustment of thousands of images. Furthermore, MST can now accommodate triangulation of Leica ADS40 imagery (Level 1 data). We continue to provide enhancements to legacy SOCET SET features such as data import, extraction, and product generation, based on your suggestions.

Click here for a detailed list of SOCET SET v5.4 release enhancements.

The release of SOCET SET v5.4.0 did not include a developer’s kit environment for export. Therefore, third party products such as ORIMA and PRO600 will not be available until SOCET SET v5.4.1. SOCET SET v5.4.1, is scheduled for release in October 2007.

Software patches are now only available for download via FTP access. Please contact a customer support representative for your region for assistance:

Americas: socetgxp.support@baesystems.com
Europe, Middle East, and Africa: socetgxp.emea.sales@baesystems.com
Asia-Pacific: socetgxp.asia.sales@baesystems.com

Ribbon user interface NEW!

SOCET GXP v3.0 features the new Microsoft^® Office 2007 Ribbon user interface. The customizable Ribbon organizes tasks by category to reduce the number of toolbars and buttons visible to the user. SOCET GXP v3.0’s photogrammetric functionality, previously available in SOCET SET, is completely redesigned, with updated GUIs and workflows to maximize productivity and enhance user experience.

Google^™ Earth with synchronized viewing NEW!

Locate and preview imagery geographically using SOCET GXP and Google Earth as quick visual reference and discovery tools. Synchronized views update dynamically. Zoom, rotate, pan, roam, overlay images, and export graphics and image footprints.

SEE NEW!

SOCET GXP v2.3 contains a direct connection to the ESRI geodatabase. BAE Systems software supports this National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency initiative for storing graphics and features with their ground coordinates and attributes in a geodatabase for future retrieval and updating.

NGATE NEW!

NGATE uses new algorithms to produce extremely accurate elevation models for a wide variety of image and terrain types. More robust than previous technologies, NGATE dramatically reduces manual editing time and costs associated with producing terrain surface models. To test this exciting new product, contact the local GXP sales representative in your region for details (available with SOCET GXP v3.0, summer 2008).

Advanced sensor models NEW!

The NextView satellites are scheduled for launch in late 2007 with imagery provided six weeks after launch. Currently GeoEye-1 is scheduled first followed by WorldView-1; both satellites will be launched from Vandenberg AFB, California. There are also new sensor models for ALOS, ASTER, and FORMOSAT-2.

Terrain precision ENHANCED

Batch processing now allows creation of a terrain file based on coordinates in the batch processing settings file and enhanced performance for bare earth processing in Merge, ITE, NGATE and ATE.

SOCET for ArcGIS ENHANCED

Enhancements to auto-attribution and ArcMap synchronization.

SOCET GXP v2.3, scheduled to launch early this summer, features spatially-enabled exploitation (SEE) through vector analysis with a direct bidirectional link to the ESRI® database and the SOCET SET v5.4 feature database; MIL STD 2525 graphics; and Advanced Geospatial Intelligence (AGI) capabilities (formerly MASINT). Other exciting updates planned for SOCET GXP v3.0 include intuitive, easy-to-use Office 2007 style Ribbon user interface and photogrammetric capabilities.

And remember, SOCET SET users with active Upgrade Entitlement migrate to equivalent photogrammetric functionality in SOCET GXP v3.x free of charge!

Enhancements to SOCET SET v5.4, to be released in early spring 2007, include the same NGATE and grid processing functionality planned for SOCET GXP v3.0.

NGATE

Dr. Bingcai Zhang

Last quarter, we unveiled development efforts under way for a new SOCET SET module, NGATE, led by GXP’s Dr. Bingcai Zhang. We are now excited to announce that NGATE will be available in the forthcoming SOCET SET v5.4 release.

NGATE’s performance has exceeded our expectations. Originally, we were scheduled to introduce NGATE in SOCET GXP, our next generation software package. However, with the excellent results we’ve seen, we have decided to include it with SOCET SET as well, so that all of our users can experience the quality, high-resolution terrain output generated from NGATE.

While SOCET SET’s Automatic Terrain Extraction (ATE) feature works well with natural terrain, NGATE is far superior in extracting structures such as buildings in urban areas. NGATE is designed to work with both natural terrain and urban areas by employing a hybrid matching process. DTMs of urban areas generated from NGATE need very little editing.

Some of the benefits of NGATE include the following:

• On small to medium scale imagery, DTM editing is minimal
• On large scale imagery in urban areas, DTM editing is significantly reduced
• On large scale imagery in natural terrain, DTM editing is minimal
• Building edges are preserved
• Water bodies are flattened
• Streets and featureless areas are precisely modelled

The main cost of DTM generation is manual editing: NGATE reduces editing time significantly.

For details about NGATE, http://www.socetgxp.com.

Grid Processing

Grid processing, using the Condor^® (http://www.cs.wisc.edu/condor/) grid computing software for distributed processing, will be available in SOCET SET v5.4 for the complex tasks of TFRD decompression and VQ compression for the CIB and DPPDB production workflows (SOCET SET Controlled Image Base^® Format Production Module, which uses MIL-PRF-89041, 15 May 1999 format specifications and SOCET SET Digital Point Positioning Data Base Format Production Module, which uses MIL-PRF-89034, March 1999 format specifications).

Grid processing will be expanded to increase performance of the CPU-intensive tasks ATE, NGATE and Orthomosaic (Mosaic Manager). Currently, each of these applications uses multiple CPUs within a single computer or server for distributed processing, but v5.4.1 will take advantage of unused network resources to break up the processing. Documentation on the performance improvements for multi-CPU processing of orthomosaics can be found at http://www.socetgxp.com.

SOCET SET and ArcGIS^® 9.2 integrated

With the launch of SOCET SET v5.4, ESRI’s ArcGIS 9.2 software, which debuted in November 2006, will be integrated fully with SOCET SET. ArcGIS 9.2 includes new productivity tools, data visualization and analysis capabilities, sophisticated cartographic tools, high-precision coordinate storage, and expanded support for standards. According to Jack Dangermond, president of ESRI, “This is one of the biggest, most significant software releases in ESRI’s history. Version 9.2 represents a major advance in improving the tools that make GIS professionals more productive.”

Read more on ArcGIS 9.2 >>

Other SOCET SET v5.4 updates

Both new releases of SOCET GXP and SOCET SET will support the NextView sensors, GeoEye^™-1 and WorldView 1, 0.5 meter resolution satellites, scheduled for launch in late spring 2007. And SOCET SET v5.4.0 will be included in the IEC 6.1 baseline.

BAE Systems is excited to announce to users of ESRI products that SOCET GXP v2.3, scheduled for release in 2007, will contain a direct connection to the ESRI Geodatabase. The capability to store graphics and features with attributes in the Geodatabase, and to retrieve them for update or future analysis, creates benefits across the geospatial analysis and imagery analysis communities.

SOCET GXP v2.3 will include the following capabilities:

• Connect to an established ESRI Geodatabase or SOCET SET Feature Database
• Use query tool to pull information out of the database, and to populate or update attributes
• Customize, organize and display annotation graphics, feature graphics and shapefiles
• Sort layers of graphics for animation
• Direct access to MIL-STD 2525 symbols and graphics

Download the pdf for more information >>

SOCET SET v5.3.1 has been released to IEC for inclusion in the 6.0 baseline. Significant items in the v5.3.1 release include import, export and processing of terrain precision, NITF and GeoTIFF header updates, Sensor Model Factory updates, triangulation rework for government sensors as well as triangulation outputs for shear analysis, USMSD, and export data compatible with subsequent FHE triangulation. In addition, orthomosaic processing has been improved to allow for pixel void fill from overlapping imagery. These enhancement details along with the multitude of SOCET SET v5.3.0 enhancements will be part of the IEC 6.0 baseline.

SOCET SET Mosaic Manager updated to provide increased performance for orthomosaic production.

The GXP product focus on productivity and accuracy are essential to help shorten the timelines between image acquisition and product generation. The enhanced SOCET SET Mosaic Manager is one example of timelines being reduced without additional software cost and without sacrificing quality or accuracy of the final orthomosaic product.

The Mosaic Manager is an optional module available in SOCET SET, which is licensed and sold as SOCET SET Ortho. The Mosaic Manager application creates large area coverage orthomosaics, orthomosaic sheets or tiles, or individual orthophotos using input georeferenced imagery and terrain data. In addition to creating a nearly seamless output product, there are processing options for automatic seamline generation, seamline feathering and image balancing.

In conjunction with enhancements to the Mosaic Manager application, a new licensing system allows for the production of mosaics on multiple processors.
Significant improvements in processing mosaics can be achieved by distributing the processing across multiple CPUs. Upgrading from SOCET SET v5.2 to v5.3 provides productivity improvements of up to 40% without additional software cost.

For more information on Mosaic Manager, view or download the white paper.

Licensing

• Modular and flexible new licensing scheme provides user-defined formats to fit specific needs or operations

AutoSOCET

• Users can launch AutoSOCET photogrammetric capabilities directly from the Workspace Manager

3D Flythrough

• Control flythroughs via the Flythrough controller
• Place waypoints on the image to fly a route automatically
• Record sequences with improved capabilities

Custom Autolabels from Image Metadata

• Create special autolabels to apply to product templates directly from the image metadata
• Create autolabels as part of original template or place on the image during Product Creation
• Access to autolabels from the Graphics Manager; directional arrows and text annotation values added

Additional enhancements include:

• Raster to vector conversion/shapefile performance improvements
• AGI (MASINT) community capabilities
• Custom Autolabels from Image Metadata (improves Product Creation)
• Custom Arrow drawing capabilities
• IEC Buffer Query capability (v2.1.2 patch)
• Elimination of the Porthole size limitation and addition of “swiper” mode
• Line of Sight analysis
• Image-based graphic support (apply graphics to single image segment)
• Directional Arrow graphic support
• Directional AutoLabel graphic support

BAE Systems is pleased to announce the release of SOCET SET v5.3. This new release provides additional sensor models and new features based on automatic tie-point measurement for multi-sensor triangulation. Productivity improvements have been made throughout the SOCET SET workflow, including enhancements to SOCET for ArcGIS, Sketch, Feature Extraction, Mosaic and more. Automatic Terrain Extraction (ATE) has been improved with enhancements for bare-earth and reflected surface processing using back-matching and multi-pair matching.

If your production workflow includes significant mosaic operations, be sure to check out SOCET SET v5.3. Parallel processing improvements in this area are showing large gains in productivity running on a dual processor machine. Outlined below is a list of improvements and new features included in SOCET SET v5.3.

• Improvements to Terrain Extraction for increased productivity, accuracy and blunder elimination. The data structure for both TIN and Grid terrain is now capable of handling billions of points, including LIDAR point clouds. The Automatic Terrain Extraction improvements reduce manual editing for all terrain types. These improvements allow for increased productivity with workflows requiring terrain. In addition, the ATE improvements are relevant to both terrain surface models as well as reflected surface models.
• Based on customer feedback, enhancements were added to the SOCET for ArcGIS product, which was introduced in the SOCET SET v5.2 release. Improvements include compatibility of grouped layers in the ArcMap® table of contents with SOCET SET display and collection; new snapping agent integrated with ArcMap; the addition of accelerator key mapping for commonly used SOCET for ArcGIS commands; rotation and zoom to extent of ArcMap display to match the SOCET SET Viewport and support and population of subtype attributes from ArcGIS.
• Orthomosaic enhancements provide a new pixel void fill that prevents non-image data (usually black pixels) from being included in an orthomosaic. Multiple input images allow the process to sort through overlapping pixels to determine image vs. non-image pixels.
• Product improvements for ClearFlite include the ICAO PANS-OPS surface for compliance with international standards for mapping airport obstructions.
• OrbView-3 BASIC Imagery with ephemeris can now be imported and triangulated in SOCET SET with the advanced sensor models. Rigorous modeling is used throughout the workflow for accurate mensuration and product generation using OrbView-3 imagery.

For more information on SOCET SET v5.3: http://www.baesystems.com/gxp.

SOCET GXP's Finishing Tool offers many flexible options for creating user-defined, customized finished products on the fly. Using the Finishing Tool canvas, you can add auto labels, imagery, scale bars, annotations, map grids and a legend.

SOCET GXP v2.1.1 was released on October 14, 2005 with considerable updates designed to port the geospatial analysis workflow from image analysis (IA) to rigorous geospatial analysis (GA), photogrammetry, and targeting—all from a single user interface.

The most exciting enhancements include terrain visualization for viewing digital elevation models against imagery; a map finishing tool for creating advanced imagery products with the option of direct export to PowerPoint^®; and 3D flythrough capabilities that simulate real world scenarios, giving viewers a cost-effective tool to monitor a geographic region for improved situational awareness and decision making. Flythroughs created in SOCET GXP can be recorded as digital movie files to include in presentations. In addition, the new targeting component is fully integrated with the U.S. Navy’s Common Geopositioning Services (CGS) targeting solution, and is compatible with an unequalled range of government and commercial image sources.

Watch for SOCET GXP v2.1.2, available soon. This release includes JTW v9.1.2.

SOCET SET v5.2.1 was released on November 18, 2005, and includes the following updates:

• Improvements to Automatic Terrain Extraction for increased accuracy and blunder elimination. The improvements reduce manual editing for all terrain types thus increasing productivity for workflows requiring terrain. In addition, the improvements are relevant to both terrain surface models as well as reflected surface models.
• SOCET for ArcGIS^® enhancements were added based on customer feedback for the SOCET for ArcGIS product released in v5.2. Improvements include compatibility of grouped layers in the ArcMap^® table of contents with SOCET SET display and collection; new snapping agent integrated with ArcMap; the addition of accelerator key mapping for commonly used SOCET for ArcGIS commands; and rotation of ArcMap display to match the SOCET SET Viewport.
• Product improvements for Controlled Image Base^® Format Production Module (which uses MIL-PRF-89041, 15 May 1999 format specifications) and SOCET SET Digital Point Positioning Data Base Format Production Module (which uses MIL-PRF-89034, March 1999 format specifications).

For up-to-date information, patches and downloads for all products, visit: www.socetgxp.com