DigitalGlobe and AmericaView have recently formed an informal agreement to partner in the launch of an exciting new program that will provide researchers, educators, students, and members of the current workforce with free access to high quality, high-resolution QuickBird imagery.  The "Research and Development Imagery for Institutions" (RADII) program is set to launch in time for the fall 2005 semester (see DigitalGlobe's announcement below).  If you are interested in participating in this program, please contact Mary O’ Neill for details at mary.oneill@sdstate.edu or 605-688-5597.

DigitalGlobe Announce Release of RADII Program

DigitalGlobe announces the DigitalGlobe National Center of Excellence (NCOE) Research & Development Imagery for Institutions (RADII) program.  Qualifying colleges and universities will be given access to a comprehensive set of high-resolution spectral, spatial, and temporal commercial space-based imagery to support their research and development programs for the cost of shipping a FireWire drive, to and from the institution.

The RADII program primary objectives include: 1) Promote use of high resolution imagery for a variety of applications, 2) Create a bench mark dataset for the remote sensing community, and 3) Support education and training of the next generation of developers and users.

The RADII program consists of two datasets: 1) Development dataset for distribution to institutions, and 2) Evaluation dataset that DigitalGlobe will use for independent evaluation of results.  The datasets will contain QuickBird imagery that covers diverse geographic regions and a variety of geo-spatial applications.  Data will include panchromatic imagery (.61m GSD), multi-spectral imagery (MSI)[VNIR, 2.44m], pan-sharpened MSI (VNIR, .61 cm) and supporting data.  Images will vary from full scenes (nominally 16.5km by 16.5km) to smaller chips with specific themes.

DigitalGlobe would like to enter into non-exclusive strategic relationships with institutions to suggest research and development projects and receive progress reports on projects at the institution's discretion.