SATELLITE IMAGING: TOMORROW'S MAPS ... TODAY!
by Christopher J. Beck, ATG Senior Law Clerk

The classical plat map, replete with lines but lacking in overall detail, may soon be a thing of the past. Space and satellite technology is developing to the point where the need for surveying property by traditional methods may someday be obsolete. For several years, satellite imaging technology has been under development that would enable companies to take detailed, accurate high-resolution pictures of the earth's surface. Originally developed for military use, in 1994 the U.S. Department of Commerce granted approval to allow the use of some satellite technology for commercial use. The availability of the satellites, combined with recent advances in imaging technology, has given companies the opportunity to develop a market for these products.

Satellite Imaging: What Is It?

Satellite imaging technology has been used by the government sector for years, but it is the prospect of utilizing the technology in the commercial market that has some companies looking toward the skies. For example, Space Imaging, Inc., a company based in Colorado and working in conjunction with Lockheed Martin, plans to soon have its own satellite orbiting the earth at 680 kilometers. As it hurtles overhead at seven kilometers per second, the satellite will be able to produce black and white images with a resolution of one meter and color images with a resolution of four meters. The goal is to create a catalog of images that can be custom ordered.

What Will it Do?

The companies involved in the commercial end of satellite imaging are optimistic about the potential uses of this technology. Scientists will be able to study changes in the terrain of land over time and assess the impact of natural disasters. Local governments can use such images to better plan and monitor community development. The agricultural industry will be able to obtain images of property every few days to aid in crop management.

The real estate industry may also benefit from these advancements. Satellite imaging will allow real estate companies to show a home located thousands of miles away. In addition to simply showing the consumer a photograph of a home, agents will be able to show consumers an overhead image of the property, allowing potential buyers to see the property itself, as well as other properties and the surrounding infrastructure. The ability to show real estate customers high-resolution images of an entire property and its neighborhood may well be an attractive feature to real estate companies.

The advent of satellite imaging promises to have a dramatic effect on the mapping and surveying of property. As parcel maps increasingly become digitized, overlaying these maps with satellite images will provide a level of detail not found on traditional maps today. In addition to the added detail, it will be possible to update these maps as often as needed, obviating the tedious task of having the property resurveyed. Interestingly enough, some of the satellite's most useful mapping applications may actually involve some of the least developed countries. With the fall of communism, many areas of Russia and Eastern Europe are faced with the new prospect of property ownership. Land will have to be platted and mapped in areas that heretofore never had to be. Satellite imaging should lead to an incredible time saver, compared to the more traditional methods of surveying.

What Effects Will it Have?

The potential effects of satellite imaging will largely depend on whether the images can be delivered in a manner that is affordable, timely, and of high quality. Companies involved with satellite imaging are betting that, as the quantity and quality of global information grows, the demand in the market for this information will also grow. The effects may be dramatic and immediate in some industries, while other effects will probably occur gradually over time as this technology is integrated into different aspects of society. As with all new technology, some of satellite imaging's most useful and practical applications have probably not yet been conceived. So, if you start to have the sneaking suspicion that "Big Brother" is watching you…don't worry. It's only the satellite imaging eye circling above you.

© ATG atgc1199vol23

 

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