Getting Satellite Remote Sensing from Demonstration Project to Operational use – The ongoing New Zealand Experience
S E Bellies
Consultancy Group Leader
Division of Information Technology
Department of Scientific and Industrial Research
PO Box 31 311, Lower Hutt
New Zealand
Abstract
Research and demonstration projects using satellite remote sensing data have been undertaken in New Zealand for 15 years. During this time, a small group of researchers has been trying to convince resource specialists, mapping agencies, and other user groups that these data can form a useful and cost effective part of their operations. With a few exceptions, New Zealand user have been slow to adapt.
It is thought that the reasons for this include:
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Major New Zealand mapping agencies were late moving to digital data sets and storage.
- High relative costs, not necessarily of the data itself, but o setting up the facilities to properly use digital data.
- In a country already well mapped by world standards, the earlier, coarser resolution, satellite data provided relatively little new information.
- Delivery times for data have been slow.
- Decreasing Government spending of science, technology, and research.
Educating the New Zealand user community in the uses of satellite remote sensing technology is an ongoing commitment , and involved teaching, marketing, and public relations.
In September 1989, 170 organizations in New Zealand were sent a questionnaire to find out what the current and potential users of remote sensing data thought about satellite remote sensing. The results of this survey will form the basis of the presented paper.
