Graz, Austria — June 26, 2012 — Imagemaps, Microsoft’s UltraCam sales partner in the Asia Pacific region and the Indian subcontinent, officially opened a calibration and service center for UltraCam digital aerial camera systems on 10 May 2012, following the successful completion of its first full camera service and calibration job in April. The Singapore operation joins two other calibration and service centers, located in Graz, Austria, and Boulder, Colorado, in providing worldwide support for UltraCam customers. Although systems are usually serviced at the closest location, having three laboratories provides flexibility to meet required schedules.
Each of the calibration and service centers support UltraCam cameras and the associated software and devices required to complete an aerial survey mission. The technical staff in Singapore has extensive experience in the geospatial, airborne survey/mapping and IT hardware support industry. Prior to the start of operations, the Technical Manager (with 21 years of IT service experience) completed intensive camera service training in Graz, followed by onsite expert assistance from Graz in Singapore to instruct the team on software, camera service and calibration, installation and general user support matters.
“The new calibration and service center offers UltraCam customers in this region several advantages, such as a shorter shipping distance and a similar time zone. Singapore is centrally located and has an excellent communication and transportation infrastructure,” explained Mr. Hon Chuan Lee, Service Center Manager, Imagemaps. “We are well positioned to offer expedited services and strive to achieve minimal down time for our users.”
Preventive maintenance on an annual basis is advised so that users may take advantage of updates to equipment, firmware and software, and benefit from maximum functionality and productivity. Each lab has a network of calibration targets that is measured to a high degree of accuracy. These targets are combined with radiometric and other test equipment to create an individual calibration for each camera.
“Microsoft is pleased to be able to provide a calibration and service center in Singapore for its Asian Pacific and Indian customers,” stated Alexander Wiechert, Microsoft Business Director. “The implementation teams who support UltraCam systems worldwide are made up of highly trained experts who complete specialized training to support complex systems in a very dynamic airborne environment.”
About Microsoft’s UltraCam Business Unit
With its operations based in Graz, Austria, and sales and support teams in North America, Microsoft’s UltraCam business unit brings more than two decades of photogrammetry expertise to Microsoft’s Bing Maps business unit. The division is responsible for the highly successful line of UltraCam digital aerial mapping systems that include the UltraCamLp, UltraCamXp, UltraCamXp Wide Angle and UltraCam Eagle digital photogrammetric sensors. Rounding out the UltraCam mapping systems offering is the UltraMap workflow software system for processing UltraCam imagery to Level 02 and Level 03 quality data, and with features that include distributed processing with automated load balancing, automated project-based color balancing, and additional quality control tools.
About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.
About Imagemaps Pte. Ltd.
Imagemaps Pte. Ltd. is a leading sensor solutions provider in the Asia Pacific region with extensive experience in aerial sensing technologies and geospatial solutions. Its airborne sensor solutions include digital mapping cameras, inertial measurement and positional systems, digital photogrammetry and imaging technology and workflow management of large multimedia spatial databases. Imagemaps is Microsoft’s sales representative responsible for distribution of its aerial mapping products in the People’s Republic of China, India, Taiwan, Australia, New Zealand and ASEAN (Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, Thailand, Philippines, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar). For more information, please go to www.imagemaps.com.