For the past six months, the National States Geographic Information Council (NSGIC) has been advancing a proposal in cooperation with the Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) to create a new nationwide aerial imagery program that will collect and disseminate standardized, multi-resolution digital ortho products on set schedules. Some of you may have seen the presentation I did on this program at the recent WLIA conference in Wisconsin Dells.
The program, called Imagery for the Nation, will be a huge undertaking of two separate but coordinated programs. The existing National Agricultural Imagery Program (NAIP) will be enhanced to provide annual, 1-meter resolution, leaf-on imagery over all states except Alaska and Hawaii. A companion program will produce 1-foot resolution imagery, once every three years, for all states east of the Mississippi River, and for all counties west of the Mississippi River with population densities greater than 25 people per square mile.
It is proposed that both the NAIP program and the 1-foot program be federally funded. In addition, it is proposed that 50% matching funds be available for partnerships to acquire 6-inch resolution imagery over urban areas meeting U.S. Census Bureau definitions. A 4-page color brochure containing more details on this proposal is on the NSGIC Website.
NSGIC has created a short survey (14 questions – 6 mandatory) designed to collect information from across the country on current digital orthophoto acquisition activities, and record comments on the IFTN proposal.
Your input is needed! Please complete the survey (takes about five minutes), and ask your colleagues to do so as well.