Thursday, February 25. 2010

DigitalGlobe Q4 Flat, Expectations for 2010 Also Flat

DigitalGlobe made $13.8 million, or 30 cents per diluted share, on revenue of $72.9 million during the quarter that ended on Dec. 31, 2009. During the fourth quarter last year, DigitalGlobe reported a net income of $13.8 million, or 31 cents per diluted share, on revenue of $72.2 million.

That did beat the analyst projections, but not by much.

Revenues were down for the year and expectations for next year are relatively flat. The company continues to support private companies including Microsoft and Nokia and expects to receive some of the DoD's EnhancedView contract later this year. The big achievement this year was the successful launch of WorldView-2.

Space News has a good review of where DG's revenues may come from in 2010.

- Boulder Daily Camera
- Reuters

Wednesday, February 24. 2010

Update 5: Multiple Geospatial Resources for the Haitian Earthquake Efforts

Throughout this past week, we've continue to add more resources on how the geospatial community is assisting the rescue efforts for the Haitian earthquake (*Updates):

Maps & Web Services

• USGS
• USGS Hazards Data Distribution System
• ERDAS Web Service (UPDATED Jan.22)
• Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Source: ReliefWeb)- Haiti population maps
• U.S. Army Geospatial Center

Satellite Imagery

• DigitalGlobe - WorldView-2 Imagery (free, but registration required)
• DigitalGlobe - Haiti Coverage map (pdf)
• GeoEye
• RapidEye
• Spot Image
  • *Spot's Imagery coverage
• AEgis Technologies - 3D database
• NASA -  Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) instrument on NASA’s Terra spacecraft captured this false color image of Haiti, on January 21, 2010
• MDA-Radarsat-2
• NOAA Imagery
  • KML File of NOAA Imagery
• NASA Airborne Imagery
• *Pictometry

Community Source mapping websites

• OpenStreetMap
• Google MapMaker
• CrisisCommons.org (Wiki)
• NationsOnline

Mapping Portals

• National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) portal - UPDATED (Jan. 22) - NGA has analysts en route to Haiti in support of U.S. SOUTHCOM and Department of State. Deployed analysts will provide geospatial intelligence products and services. NGA has already provided hundreds of products to its SOUTHCOM and State partners. NGA remains committed to making as much information and as many products available as possible--e.g., imagery, terrain maps and others products and assessments--at the unclassified level for use by first responders and disaster response workers. NGA continues to add products to the NGA-earth.org Web site for their use.
• Ushahidi Network (in French)
• Bing Maps - Port-au-Prince
• Google - Lat Long Blog
• Google Earth - KML file
• GeoCommons (FortiusOne)
• Harvard Center for Earthquake Geospatial Research Portal (via @mattartz)
• Depiction's web portal
• Carbon Project Blog - Streaming SDI data services
• Korem/MapWorkspace - Haiti Boundaries
• AND Mapping
  • AND data set of Haiti (free)
  • Online editable map
    

Onsite support:

• GISCorp - The UN has requested support
• MapAction - MapAction team members are on their way to Haiti
  • MapAction Building Damage Assessment
• ESRI - Imagery, maps and other resources
  • ESRI Video - Social Networking and Geo (YouTube)
• ESRI Blog - Accessing OpenStreetMap data within ArcGIS to support the Haiti Earthquake Response
• Immersive Media - Panoramic streetview videos taken by handheld device
• UN/Pan American Health Organization - Disaster Relief

Media

• Wall Street Journal - Good thematic of estimated damage by neighborhood
• USA Today - Map of earthquakes with more than 1000 deaths
• New York Times - Map showing magnitude of the disaster
• MSNBC
• Washington Post
• *The New Yorker Magazine
• *Fast Company - OSM report
• BBC
• *BBC Slideshow of volunteers mapping Haiti

Blog reports

• OpenGeoData
• Thinkwhere
• Google Earth Blog
• Geosquan
• Global Voices
• Po Ve Sham - Muki Haklay's Blog - Haiti – further comparisons and the usability of geographic information in emergency situations
• Spatial Knowlege - OSM progress in Port-au-Prince (video).

Wednesday, February 10. 2010

DMTV #5: Remote Sensing, Haiti, and Social Geonetworks

Remotely sensed data of Haiti became the basis for updating maps of the devastated capital of Port-au-Prince when a 7.0 magnitude earthquake ripped through the country. Suddenly government, NGO, and volunteers collaborated using imagery provided by multiple sources including the USGS, NOAA, Google, DigitalGlobe, GeoEye and many other geospatial technology firms. The result was not only a tremendous outpouring of charity, but a technological success via social geonetworks and government agencies. Directions Magazine editor in chief Joe Francica provides a synopsis of how remote sensing became the foundation for many of Haiti's rescue efforts.

Tuesday, January 26. 2010

DigitalGlobe, GeoEye Vie to Fulfill Tasking Orders Quicker

I received an email from DigitalGlobe regarding their ability to deliver imagery within 45 days of a tasking order up to 500 Km² from their constellation of satellites. A tasking order is a request to capture imagery over a specific area with a specific sensor at a specific time. Usually, most buyers purchase off-the-shelf imagery that were previously obtained during satellite passes throughout the year or past several years. DigitalGlobe's objective is to more quickly provide imagery, and in light of the recent events in Haiti, the demand for remotely-sensed data of recent vintage is growing. (See other information regarding DigitalGlobe's tasking options [pdf])

DigitalGlobe is also promising that, once received, the company will offer a 10-day money-back guarantee. This is a smart move since, the company is offering data from their entire constellation, not any particular satellite. So, if the customer is not happy with the amount of cloud cover or resolution, they may return the imagery.

GeoEye’s standard, published delivery time for a new order requiring collection is 60 days. GeoEye offers the ability to shorten that time with a tasking fee.

So, it's clear that both satellite data companies want to make it known just how quickly they can turn around imagery, if asked to to do. I think we'll see that each company will seek to exploit this kind of competitive advantage over the coming years.

Wednesday, January 20. 2010

DMTV #2: On the Basics of Geospatial Cloud Computing

Directions Media's Editor in Chief Joe Francica looks at cloud computing and how geospatial technology vendors are only just now beginning to think about a business model. Joe shares information from IDC's Top Ten predictions for 2010, and specifically that company's expectations for cloud computing. Finally, looking at satellite imagery from both DigitalGlobe and GeoEye, he discusses how these data suppliers are contributing to the rescue efforts for the Haitian earthquake. (6:04 in length)

Tuesday, January 19. 2010

Podcast: The Challenge of Multiple User Generated Haiti Maps

As the world turns its attention to Haiti and how to best help the country in this challenging time, we look at a split in the geospatial community around user generated content of the impacted region. Vector map data from OpenStreetMap and Google Map Maker are available for use in supporting rescue and recovery efforts as well as apps for those looking on from a distance. But there are two from which to choose. Does this make for the best possible response?

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