DigitalGlobe and GlobeXplorer LLC have joined forces to make QuickBird high-resolution satellite imagery available to customers through GlobeXplorer’s Internet server technology. The addition of QuickBird imagery to GlobeXplorer’s existing database of aerial and satellite products gives customers instant, online access to the world’s highest resolution commercial satellite imagery, and takes advantage of standards-based Web Mapping Services technology.
DigitalGlobe and GlobeXplorer are offering cloud-free QuickBird satellite imagery of U.S. metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs), and most international cities. To populate the database, DigitalGlobe is harvesting its extensive image library for the best imagery collected over the past two years.
Before delivering imagery products to GlobeXplorer for integration into the Web distribution infrastructure, DigitalGlobe georeferences and color balances the products, then compresses them into high quality JPEG2000 format.
By creating and hosting a product library with user-ready products and applications, GlobeXplorer offers customers the ability to retrieve imagery on an “as-needed” basis, and to quickly integrate it into Internet applications, mapping and geographic information systems (GIS), or internal business processes.
“By accessing our products over the Web, customers benefit from immediate delivery without having to wait for customized product processing time,” said Steve Jennings, vice president of marketing for DigitalGlobe.
“We anticipate that this will also open up the market for high-resolution imaging products in markets that, until now, have been largely underserved. Real estate agents, insurance professionals, and Web portal application users that already rely on GIS and mapping software packages can more easily browse imagery in user-friendly file formats and sizes, prior to purchasing products,” he added.
“Whether it’s through a standard Web browser, our Internet extensions for GIS software, or custom web-based business applications, users of earth imagery will now have instant access to DigitalGlobe’s QuickBird imagery library,” said Paul Smith, chief operating officer for GlobeXplorer. “We are enthusiastic about leveraging our market-proven technologies to support the growth of the satellite image industry,” Smith said.
