Leading Geo-Information Service Providers to Update Federal Digital Landscape Model of Germany

In ultra-modern production centres in Potsdam and Dresden, 30 cartography-experts from DELPHI IMM (Potsdam), IABG (Dresden) and Infoterra, an Astrium subsidiary, will examine the DLM-DE using up-to-date satellite imagery. This will encompass the verification of land cover and land use, the capturing of thematic and geometrical changes as well as the addition of objects, which are not included in the current DLM-DE. Recent expansions of settlements and industrial areas, changes in forest areas or agricultural and pasture lands are some examples of the elements to be mapped.

The minimum mapping unit is 1ha, the reference year is 2009. Highly efficient, semi-automated data processing techniques are used for the examination and updating of the data, ensuring a very high level of quality while complying with time schedule and financial constraints. DLM-DE project manager Marek Tinz, shows respect facing this demanding task, yet he is confident: „To accomplish such a complex update in a fairly short time frame is a true challenge; particularly as the BKG demands an overall accuracy of no less than 95 percent”, states Tinz. “However, experiences with projects of similar sizes and this year's test mapping have shown that the teams of our working group can fulfil these demanding requirements.”

Primary data source for this mapping project is the German satellite constellation RapidEye, which will now cover Germany nationwide for the first time: 750 tiles sized 25x25 sqkm each are required and should preferably still be acquired during the vegetation period 2009. As part of the update, the information in the DLM-DE will be amended to achieve a full consistency with the classes of the pan-European Land Cover Mapping CORINE Land Cover (CLC).

This results in a geo-dataset for Germany that serves diverse applications ranging from environmental, agricultural and forestry applications to water quality protection, traffic control, security, or spatial planning issues. Especially for interdisciplinary issues that require precise surveying and environmental information, the new DLM-DE will be an up-to-date, sound data basis. Finally the new DLM-DE will also comply with the specifications of the so called “Land Monitoring Core Service”-component of the European GMES Programme and will soon be part of the cross-border harmonised European dataset. About Infoterra Infoterra GmbH, Germany, provides a broad portfolio of geo-information products and services, based on both radar data and remote sensing data acquired by other spaceborne sensors, complete the portfolio: Infoterra provides reliable and timely knowledge to customers in versatile fields of application around the globe. The company holds the exclusive commercial exploitation rights for the new German radar satellite TerraSAR-X, launched on June 15th, 2007 – enabling the company to provide weather-independent, high-resolution, new-quality radar data as well as reliable data access services.

Infoterra has been a coordinator of development and validation of European GMES services for several years now. The company has established a strong expertise in geo-information services for land monitoring, water quality assessment, and spatial planning applications. Within GMES, Infoterra GmbH coordinates major development and implementation projects. Infoterra GmbH is a wholly owned subsidiary of EADS Astrium, Europe's leading space systems and services specialist. Infoterra GmbH is part of Spot Infoterra, the Earth Observation Division of Astrium Services. Within DLM-DE, Infoterra is responsible for the coordination of the working group, the overall project management and for producing the change mapping. About IABG IABG is a leading European technology enterprise. We focus on trend-setting high technology and science applications.

We plan, implement and operate. With more than 1,000 experienced and committed employees we provide our customers with solutions in the sectors Automotive, InfoCom, Transport, Environment & Energy Engineering, Aeronautics, Space as well as Defence & Security. IABG’s geodata service provides profound consulting and support services in the field of geodata/ geoinformation. In November 2007 IABG's Geodata Factory with more than 60 employees was established in Dresden. This was made possible within the scope of a major order won by IABG together with its partners GAF AG (Munich) and Infoterra GmbH (Friedrichshafen). Besides capturing the land use changes within DLM-DE, IABG is responsible for the implementation of the database scheme, the development of the software tools for efficient mapping as well as the creation and implementation of the quality assurance concept. About DELPHI IMM The DELPHI IMM GmbH is a young team in the metropolitan region Berlin/Brandenburg and expert for the supply of products and services for the management of space-related data. The company was founded in 1997.

In the course of INSPIRE & Co DELPHI IMM supports the development of spatial data infrastructures and geo portals as well as the updating of spatial data on the basis of remote sensing data. Top priority is set on the support of public and private authorities dealing with the acquisition, maintenance and exchange of spatial data. DELPHI IMM provides personal customer service including consulting services, the conception, the implementation as well as the advancement and maintenance of geo systems and system components. Knowledge-based expertise based on ontology’s and object-oriented approaches complete the service portfolio with solutions for the semantic interoperability of spatial data and the supply of consistent and comprehensive datasets. In the sector of geoinformatics DELPHI IMM has set up during the last years as an independent enterprise in Germany.

Today, DELPHI IMM represents one of the leading German service providers of geoinformation in Potsdam – a city and region that is popular for its geo-competence worldwide. In the DLM-DE project, DELPHI IMM handles the processing of base data, satellite imagery classifications, and a thematic pre-evaluation. This pre-evaluation of individual objects support the geo-interpreters in the final assignment of classes. DELPHI IMM applies knowledge-based systems, so-called ontologies, in this evaluation process.

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