QuickBird – Geometric Correction , Path and Block Processing and Data Fusion

Since the successful launch of DigitalGlobe’s QuickBird satellite and the availability of the data, QuickBird Imagery has quickly become the best choice for large scale mapping using high-resolution satellite images. First, the satellite has panchromatic and multispectral sensors with resolutions of 61-72cm (2-2.4ft) and 2.44-2.88m (8-9.4ft) respectively, depending upon the off-nadir viewing angle (0-25). The sensor therefore has a coverage of 16.5-19km in the across-track direction. In addition, the along-track and across-track capabilities provide a good stereo-geometry and a high revisit frequency of 1-3.5 days. Finally, the data is available in different formats, including the raw data format (Basic Imagery), which preserves the satellite geometry and is preferred by the photogrammetry and mapping community to achieve high accuracy geometric correction and geospatial products.