THE TECHNOLOGY
We can produce digital 3D models over cities or areas in stunningly short time. This is because we have access to Saab’s unique competence in the field of image processing.
That Saab’s cutting edge technology has a military background is no secret, but the business of C3 Technologies is 100% civilian and will remain so.
The technology is based on high-resolution aerial photography with carefully calibrated cameras. For every picture, the camera’s position and angle are calculated with extremely high precision, using a very advanced navigation system. This is what enables us to give each pixel its geographical position with decimetre accuracy. Then, using stereovision technology, we combine two sequential pictures to measure the area’s height profile.
The result is an aerial photograph with each pixel positioned in three dimensions. Over an entire city, thousands of such photos are combined into one coherent 3D model – through an automated process in our unique 3D-process.
Thanks to all this, there is no one today who can take pictures with the same precision and speed as we can. One example is when we filmed all of Stockholm in October 2007 and created a realistic, yet zoomable and turnable, 3D model of the city in just 3 days.
Since every model comes with exact geo-references, a whole world opens up for applications using GIS (Geographical Information Systems).
A world-leading image processing technology
Saab’s unique competence in image processing, navigation and systems integration for airborne equipment guarantees the following key functions in our 3D processor:
- The ability to make millions of complicated calculations with optimised algorithms – extremely fast and with minimal computer power.
- The ability to determine exact positions using navigation equipment.
- The ability to create very realistic models (copies!) of the real world through an optimal choice of images on pixel level.
Among the many unique components in our image processing work, these two are decisive:
1. Automation.
The process is fully automated, producing the following completely without manual work:
- Longitude and latitude of every pixel.
- Height of every pixel.
- A terrain model, by choosing the best pixels from a sequence of pictures.
- A complete, ready-to-deliver 3D model saved as a database.
All other solutions demand considerable manual input, which substantially increases costs and slows delivery. This brings us to:
2. Speed.
The image processing is based on Saab’s long experience in the aviation and space industries, where extremely complex calculations must be completed quickly on limited hardware. This is why we can optimise the calculations to run them extremely fast – while requiring relatively little computer power. Our goal is to be able to deliver a 3D model within 24 hours after the plane has landed.
