UltraMap News: Microsoft Unveils UltraMap v4.0

Features advanced radiometric alignment and unprecedented oblique imagery support

Stuttgart, Germany – September 15, 2015 – Microsoft’s UltraCam business unit introduces its latest photogrammetric workflow system, UltraMap v4.0, which includes an extensively updated radiometry module featuring de-hazing available for nadir and now also for oblique imagery. Supporting virtually unlimited project size (tested up to 50K trigger events), the UltraMap v4.0 empowers UltraMap users to process data more efficiently, thereby minimizing production costs. Contact your sales representative to purchase a flexible monthly subscription plan or a lifetime subscription. UltraMap 4.0 will be available in December 2015. 

The key benefits are:
• Exceptional quality level of data products through:
    • Novel oblique and nadir color balance.
    • Increased radiometric quality based on the de-hazing module.
    • Flexible radiometric adjustments through interactive user guidance.
• Increased efficiencies and minimized production costs through:
    • Virtually unlimited project size support (tested up to 50k trigger events) throughout the whole aerial workflow.
    • Full integration of Visual Analytics into the UltraMap Aerial Triangulation module.
• Ability to generate 3D cities for extended customer offerings offered as a technology preview (using the algorithms developed for Bing Maps!)

“With UltraMap v4.0, we are going to deliver another big release from our ambitious UltraMap roadmap within a short interval”, said Alexander Wiechert, Microsoft Business Director. “The novel radiometry module boosts the overall quality of all UltraCam data products to an exceptional level and further offers an unprecedented, fully-automatic color-alignment for nadir and oblique color images. Once shipped, UltraMap subscribers get immediate access to the full feature set. And: More awesome new features are already waiting down the road!”

The UltraMap v4.0 software package will be available for delivery to customers by December 2015, followed by full releases of technology previews and more in short intervals. Stop by Booth F4.080 in hall 4 at Intergeo to learn more.

About UltraMap
The UltraMap photogrammetric workflow software enables management and processing of vast amounts of digital aerial data produced by the full Microsoft UltraCam digital aerial sensor family. The software is in its fourth release and includes new functionality for the automated processing 3D point clouds, digital surface models (DSMs) and ortho mosaics. The Aerial Triangulation (AT) module provides an interactive workflow with intuitive visualizations while calculating image correspondences to generate precise exterior orientation for huge image blocks. The Dense Matching module creates high-density point clouds, DSMs and an internally-leverage Digital Terrain Model (DTM) from Level-2 images, extrapolating precise exterior orientation data to generate per-pixel height values. The Ortho Pipeline module generates the final ortho mosaic from all available inputs such as Level-2 imagery, AT results, radiometric settings, and the DSM/DTM.

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 is responsible for the highly successful line of UltraCam digital aerial mapping systems that today include the UltraCamHawk, UltraCam Falcon, and UltraCam Eagle digital photogrammetric sensors, and the UltraCam Osprey nadir/oblique photogrammetric digital aerial sensor. Also offered is the UltraNav Flight Management and Direct Georeferencing system, designed to maximize the efficiency of UltraCam aerial mapping. Rounding out the UltraCam offerings is the fully integrated UltraMap workflow software system, with features that include high-density 3D point cloud creation, highly accurate and detailed digital surface model (DSM) generation, and ortho mosaicing capabilities based on an automatically generated DSM or traditional DSM.

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.