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