Der vorliegende Bericht ist auch auf Deutsch, Französisch, Italienisch, Spanisch und Russisch erhältlich

The Development of Photogrammetry in Switzerland

Authors: David Hughes, Peter Fricker, Alain Chapuis, E. Traversari, P. Schreiber, F. Schapira

Introduction

In order to follow the first steps of photogrammetry in Switzerland, the book on the history of Photogrammetry in Switzerland “ Photogrammetrie in der Schweiz – Geschichte – Entwicklung " [1] is the best starting point. The history of the relatively young SGPBF (founded on the 22^nd of Sept. 1928) and the two manufacturing companies Kern Aarau and Wild Heerbrugg, (both now consolidated into Leica Geosystems AG) are inseparably connected with each other. The following report sets out to explain how technological development, market requirements and infrastructure worked together to favour a small country such as Switzerland establish such a dominant influence on this technology.

Summary

This report discusses the three important stages of analogue, analytical and digital photogrammetry development in relation to terrestrial and airborne applications. The products of the companies Kern Aarau and Wild Heerbrugg are listed in order of their date of market introduction together with important system characteristics [ 2 ]. As of 1990 both companies were integrated into the Leica company. Lack of space in this report forces the authors to limit the product illustrations and descriptions to those highlights of major importance and technological breakthrough.

The analogue period

This period is characterized by the extraordinary longevity of the instruments. The development went from 1922 to 1990, when the last analogue instrument AG1 left the factory. Many of these instruments were upgraded with a digital output and software for PCs so hundreds are still in use to this day.

Legend:

A = Autograph of first order (Wild)                                  PUG = Point marking & transfer device (Wild)

B = Autograph of second order (Wild)                            PMG = Point marking device (Kern)

PG = Photogrametric Instrument (Kern)

Highlights in the development of the analogue photogrammetric instruments

It would have been inconceivable to think of photogrammetry instrument production in Switzerland without recognition of the following related factors:

• The development of photography in France and Germany in the 19^th century
• The development of the basic theory of photogrammetry in Germany in the 19^th and 20^th century
• The need for military maps in a topographically difficult country such as Switzerland, as was required during the period between WWI and WWII
• Industries such as Zeiss in Jena and Kern and their supply of a basic stock of well trained precision mechanics and technical designers into the market
• Business and capital commitment of a few Industrialists.

Without doubt, the need for military maps for reconnaissance was the driving force which guaranteed the market absorption of photogrammetry instruments in Switzerland and provided a base for the further development of instruments for civilian applications.

Today, the military customers of photogrammetric systems contribute a substantial part to the company turnover and are a driver for sophisticated development however the civilian users, after almost a century of instrument availability, have become the principal customers of photogrammetric systems.

The analytical period

Legend:

AC = Analytical Instrument of highest accuracy (Wild)                OR = Ortho-Rectifier (Wild)

BC = Analytical  Instruments simplified (Wild)                             SD = Analytical Instruments (Leica)

DSR = Analytical Instruments (Kern)

                           
    RC30  1993                                                                            ADS40   2001

Highlights in the development of the analytical photogrammetry instruments

Apart from the prototypes B8 Stereomat and the A2000 the companies Wild Heerbrugg and Kern Aarau added analytical systems to their production relatively late. In the 1960’s U.Helava invented the analytical plotter by replacing space rods and linear scales with colinear equations and computers and proved this theory by designing and having manufactured, the US-1. The pinnacle of accuracy with analytical systems was achieved, without doubt by the AC1 but the high cost of this system forced it off the market. The SD2000 from Leica built on the collective experience of Wild and Kern, has been the culmination in the development of analytical photogrammetry technology. The economic manufacturing methods and reliability of this system has led to its continuous series production to this day and ousted competitive systems from the market.  

The period of interactive graphic systems

Highlights in the development of interactive graphic systems

Interactive graphic systems were required from the beginning of the 1980s as complementary systems to the analytical photogrammetry plotters and the electronic tachymeter used in field surveying. The entrance into this new market was made through a distribution agreement with the American company Synercom in 1979. Parallel to this partnership, GeoMap was developed for the geodesy market. Supported by experience gained during the mid 1980s, System 9 based on a comprehensive system architecture of SUN computers was then developed in Heerbrugg and Toronto. The low sales figures of this system as seen from today’s stand point, were due to a too early market entry and the reason why this system was sold in 1989 to the company Prime Wild GIS AG, and later all 100% to Prime Computer. A large part of the development team at that time is responsible today for the development of the GIS system MapInfo. In Aarau, Infocam was developed parallel to the Heerbrugg developments and positioned between GeoMap and System 9. Unfortunately none of these systems created a genuine break-through into the market.

The digital period

Legend:

DSP  = Digital Stereo Plotter (Kern)

DSW = Digital Scanner Workstation (Helava, LH Systems and Leica Geosystems)

DPW = Digital Photogrammetric Workstation (Helava, Leica Geosytems, BAE Systems) 

      DSP1  1988                                                                                                           DSW600  2002

Highlights in the development of the digital photogrammetric work stations

The development of digital photogrammetry was marked in 1992 by the signing of an exclusive marketing agreement with Helava Associates, Inc. The establishment of the joint venture company LH Systems in 1997 crowned the relations with this San Diego Company. The continual improvements on SOCET SET™ led to this software package establishing itself as the most efficient and productive in the high accuracy market. The ownership rights to SOCET SET™ however remained with BAE Systems when Leica Geosystems acquired ERDAS Inc. in 2001. Because the rights to the most widely sold remote sensing software, ERDAS Imagine changed to Leica Geosystems the competitive situation with SOCET SET™ led to the decision by Leica Geosystems to develop its own equivalent digital photogrammetry package.

The terrestrial cameras

Legende:

C = Stereocamera

P = Single terrestrial camera

Highlights in the development of terrestrial photographic cameras

Without doubt the first terrestrial cameras made stereo-photogrammetry possible in mountainous terrain before the airplane offered itself as a useful camera platform. The application of accident photogrammetry with a photo theodolite was derived from the use of the fixed-base stereo camera C12 and C120. Although the production of the P31 used with a theodolite and the P32 ceased in 1987, the stereo camera is still manufactured by Pentax under license and this robust and durable device continues to be used in all weather situations as a “police stereometer” in Japan and Switzerland.

                                            C2    1927

The aerial cameras

 Legend:

C = Photogrammetric Camera, manual change of photo-plates

RC = Automatic Camera, automatic change of photo-plates or film advancement

ADS = Airborne Digital Sensor

                            
   RC30  1993                                                                                           ADS40   2001

Highlights in the development of the aerial cameras and airborne digital sensors

The development of the aerial camera of Wild and later Leica, has a remarkable history. Because of the small home market in Switzerland, Wild and Leica were continually adapting their systems to the needs and developments overseas, especially America and Japan, in order to survive. The large steps came after WWII with the move from 18cm glass plate to stable based film and shortly thereafter, to the 23cm wide film. The development of the super wide angle objectives and, somewhat later, the compensation of forward motion and the development of the gyro-stabilized suspension, crowned 80 years of development of the analogue film cameras. The future signs of the digital era were recognized in time and so Leica were able, in 2001, to manufacture and deliver the first commercial digital airborne sensor.

Conclusion

This compilation of the achievements in Switzerland alone, of the conception, design and manufacture of photogrammetric instruments and systems, makes one ponder and acknowledge the creativity and market preparations which were necessary, in order to supply the world market for over 80 years with these products. Within the context of this article it is hopefully possible to set the foundation and recognition of the basic accomplishments necessary for the continuation of the history of photogrammetry, which so far has been recorded by the first book dealing with the period up to 1980.

Literature:

[ 1 ]  Photogrammetrie in der Schweiz - Geschichte – Entwicklung, Dümmlerbuch 7872, 1996. Published by: Swiss Society for Photogrammetry, Image Analysis and Remote Sensing.

[ 2 ] Short Chronological History of Photogrammetry, M.G. Albota, XIII ISP Congress, Helsinki, 1976.

Dates in this publication do not always coincide with Leicas’ records due to difference of product announcement date and delivery date.

This report is also available in German, French, Italian, Spanish and Russian.