TanDEM-X - a Valuable Partner for TerraSAR-X
The TanDEM-X Mission will generate a global Digital Elevation Model (DEM) of unprecedented quality, accuracy, and coverage.
TerraSAR-X (in orbit since June 2007) and TanDEM-X (launched in 2010) will circle the Earth and record data synchronously in the so-called StripMap Mode (3m resolution) and thus acquire the data basis for a global Digital Elevation Model (DEM). In 2014, this homogenous elevation model will be available for the Earth's entire land surface, i.e. 150 Mio. square kilometres.
Key Benefits
- Unique quality features: vertical accuracy: better than 2 m (relative) / 10 m (absolute)horizontal raster: ~ 12 m x 12 m
- Global homogeneity with cross-border consistencies
- No ground control information needed thanks to high geometric precision of sensors
- Final manual editing secures international quality standards
TerraSAR-X and TanDEM-X acquire data absolutely reliably, as they operate independent of cloud coverage and lighting conditions. The worldwide homogeneous acquisition guarantees a global DEM with no breaklines at regional or national borders and no heterogeneities caused by differing measurement procedures or measuring campaigns staggered in time. Compared to established procedures, the number of measurement gaps will be reduced considerably. The accuracy will surpass that of any satellite-based elevation model available today and will even reach a quality level comparable to those achieved using airborne sensors.
Infoterra will refine the raw data delivered by the satellite system in additional processing steps according to customer requirements: Typically, so-called spikes (peaks or outliers due to noise) or displacements (can occur particularly in mountainous terrain) are removed and water surfaces are edited.
Quite frequently, users require a Digital Terrain Model (DTM), which - in contrast to the TanDEM-X DEM - represents the bare Earth's surface. This DTM is prepared by Infoterra’s geo-information experts in a further manual editing step. In case of additional customer requirements, individual solutions are designed for the respective application.
Infoterra GMBH have the exclusive commercial marketing rights for TanDEM-X
