National Remote Sensing Centre Ltd

National Remote Sensing Centre Ltd is one of the world's leading providers of remotely-sensed information products and services. With access to global earth observing satellites and by drawing on its own aerial acquisition capability, NRSC can meet the demanding requirements of a diverse customer base.

NRSC has been successful in pioneering innovative applications and techniques to meet the needs of a rapidly changing global information market for over a decade. In the UK the company operates from its headquarters in Farnborough, Hampshire and from its airborne data headquarters in Barwell, Leicestershire. The Middle East is served by our office in Abu Dhabi, UAE. NRSC is a European company, providing access to instrument experience across a wide range of radar and optical sensors. NRSC offers a total remote sensing service, comprising Earth Observation applications, scientific consultancy, systems engineering, satellite data sales and processing, data centre and archive operations and new product development. Our airborne reconnaissance division (Air Reconnaissance) is ideally placed to handle projects with a requirement for project-specific aerial data.

As one the world's largest commercial Earth Observation value added companies, NRSC has found a wide range of markets for its diverse data products and services. These markets include agriculture, environment, mapping, insurance, telecommunications, radio propagation modelling, military, onshore and offshore oil, gas and mineral exploration, pipeline planning, gravity mapping, terrain simulations, and photogrammetry. The company has specialised in the use of optical, hyperspectral, thermal and radar data derived from both satellite and airborne sensors.

Company History and Structure
NRSC was formed in 1980 as a Government Centre of Excellence for Earth Observation and in 1991 became a private limited company which has grown into one of the world's leaders in Earth Observation. Since its formation, the company has seen vigorous growth with current turnover around £8 million per annum and over 120 employees, 80% of whom are graduates. NRSC is ISO9001 and TickIT accredited and also conforms to PSS05 (ESA Standard).

The Company specialises in all aspects of Earth Observation data handling and value added data applications through seven divisions. These include Applied Information Systems, Geographic Data Products, Exploration Services Sales, Value Added Production, Agriculture and Environment, Airborne Data Application Sales and Air Reconnaissance.

NRSC's Approach to Software and Systems
Applied Information Systems Division (AIS) is the software and systems arm of NRSC with a primary mission objective to provide structured project management, systems and software technical support and consultancy to the applications groups. In addition to this, AIS undertakes external contracts for a range of national and international clients, within three main market sectors:

• Ground Segment and Systems Development - Earth Observation Ground Segments and development of Operational Application Systems, including Archiving systems, Processing chains, Data ingestion, and Data dissemination.

• Specialist Tools Applications - Implementation of software and systems for Earth Observation applications, including Geographic Information Systems, Browse Systems, Internet accessible archive and catalogue systems and services, Image Processing routines, Data manipulation and formatting conversions.

• Operations - NRSC host, operate and maintain the ERS-1 and 2 UK Processing and Archiving Facility for SAR, Altimeter and ATSR data, on behalf of the European Space Agency. Operations of ASAR, AATSR and MERIS will commence on Envisat launch. Our capability in these market sectors encompasses studies and consultancy as well as implementation through testing, integration and acceptance to operation Our Development Standards: AIS operate throughout the whole project lifecycle in accordance with TickIt accreditation, ISO 9000 Quality Standards and PSS-05 ESA standards, using structured development methodologies and PRINCE Project management.

NRSC's Approach to Geo-Information Services
NRSC provides services and products to an increasingly wide range of customer groups. The business is application-led with specialists in fields such as Geological Exploration and Agriculture Monitoring.

NRSC has three applications divisions:

• Exploration Services - Exploration Services has evolved from the old Mapping Department within NRSC. Since 1992, when NRSC acquired the BP remote sensing capability, we have seen steady growth in this market, supplying remote sensing services to all the major oil and gas companies, and many major mineral exploration companies.

• Agriculture & Environment Division - The Agriculture and Environment Division covers a broad remit, with services relating to the market sectors of agriculture, forestry, environment and agri-environment. We use remotely-sensed information as a cost-effective technique for meeting many of our customers' information requirements. The Division's international multi-disciplinary experience is based upon close working partnerships, developed with leading international consulting engineers, utilities, local, national and European government bodies, international organisations, environmental organisations, system vendors and software houses. Our commitment to meeting client requirements ensures real business benefits are delivered whatever the context of the solution.

• Our key business lies in generating a product range of value-added 'data sets', or 'information-based products', from a full range of digital imaging systems (both satellite and airborne). Such production frequently involves combining these data with other non-satellite data, e.g. 'Geographical Information System (GIS) data' or 'field data'. In this way the division is capable of fulfilling information requirements at various scales (local, regional, national and global). Airborne Data Applications Division - NRSC's Airborne Data Applications Division commenced business in 1994 with the acquisition of Geonex UK. As well as acquiring an extensive photographic archive from Geonex UK, NRSC also acquired the considerable experience of its staff and has built on this over the last six years, undertaking many aerial survey projects overseas whilst continuously updating the UK archive. Recent contracts include a coastal survey and production of digital land-use mapping of Barbados; a pipeline monitoring project using CASI (hyperspectral) airborne data and Laserscanner acquisition and processing in the UK to produce accurate coastal terrain mapping.

  NRSC, in conjunction with its airborne division, Air Reconnaissance, can provide and operate a wide range of airborne sensors including traditional aerial photographic cameras, Hyperspectral Sensors, Thermal Scanners, Laserscanner and Digital Video. NRSC undertakes regular contracts for aerial survey both in the UK and overseas.

  The Airborne Data Applications Division is committed to remaining at the forefront of airborne survey, data processing and digital mapping technology in order to satisfy our clients' current and future geographic data requirements. The Division is much more than just a data supplier; the business has been built up by providing customers with complete mapping solutions derived from the most appropriate source of data. Teams of highly qualified remote sensing specialists--air photo interpreters, photogrammetrists and digital mapping specialists--produce mapping to customer specification and perform a wide range of added value and consultancy services.

  NRSC's Approach to Data & Product Supply NRSC offers data and products as follows:
  

• Satellite Images - NRSC is established as the UK's leading provider of satellite imagery, providing around 80% of all imagery sold in the UK to a wide customer base. NRSC acts as a distributor for the widest possible range of satellite image types, including Spot, Landsat, IRS, Radarsat and ERS data.

• Digital Airborne Data - NRSC has its own extensive archive of aerial photography which is marketed through UK Perspectives, its joint venture with Aerofilms. This photography archive is continuously updated and converted into digital orthophotography for use in clients' Geographic Information Systems (GIS). In addition to offering traditional aerial photography surveys in the UK and overseas, NRSC offers aerial surveys using Hyperspectral Sensors, Thermal Scanners, Laserscanner and Digital Video.

  Due to the nature of aerial survey, most data requirements are met through requisitioning new surveys to meet a client's particular requirements. However, NRSC are quickly building up archives of digital airborne data that are available 'off the shelf'.

• Products - NRSC is establishing itself as a leading distributor of geographic data products, including a range of digital elevation (DEM) model products. This range includes NRSC's own highly accurate laserscanner-derived DEM archive of London and key coastal areas, and Intermap's accurate and cost-effective Global Terrain™ product. Other products include Hot Property, NRSC's heat loss monitoring product for local authorities, and an extensive range of high quality exploration reports targeted at oil exploration companies worldwide.

  NRSC currently markets this data through a product catalogue. We are also developing an efficient means of selling all data products over the Internet and we aim to have online data searching and purchasing in the very near future. Software & Systems - NRSC offers consultancy on all aspects of software and hardware purchase and integration. As a leading user of image processing software, digital photogrammetric workstations (DPWs) and geographic information systems (GIS), NRSC is able to advise on functionality, integration and application of many leading software packages available on the market. With vast experience of software operation using UNIX and NT workstations and PCs, NRSC also advises on the best hardware for client requirements.

To complement our data provision, NRSC is established as a reseller of the following packages:

• ERDAS Imagine - Image Processing Software
• ERMAPPER - Image Processing Software
• ESRI - ARC/INFO - Geographic Information System
• ESRI - ARC/VIEW - Geographic Information System
• MIS SOCETSET - Digital Photogrammetric Software
• VITec ELT - Image Viewing Software

How to Contact NRSC Ltd
NRSC has two UK offices:

1. NRSC Ltd
   Delta House
   Southwood Crescent
   Southwood
   Farnborough
   Hampshire
   GU14 0NL
   Phone: +44 (0) 1252 362000
   Fax: +44 (0) 1252 375016
   

2. NRSC Ltd
   Arthur Street
   Barwell
   Leicestershire
   LE9 8GZ
   Phone: +44 (0) 1455 849229
   Fax: +44 (1) 1455 841785
   

And one in the Middle East:

1. The Gulf Centre for Remote Sensing
   CERT Technology Park
   PO Box 5464
   Abu Dhabi
   United Arab Emirates
   Phone: +971 2 456 170
   Fax: +971 2 456 210
   

If you would like to know more, visit our website:www.nrsc.co.uk