Abstract: Large-scale natural or technological
Engineers. Emerge, a company with sensors in
disasters often require some level of government
the US, was tasked to acquire imagery with multi-
response to mitigate their effects. U.S. Army
ple ground sampling distances (GSDs) to deter-
Corps of Engineers response actions may occur
mine the optimal pixel size for determining both
under Public Law 84-99 authorizing the Chief
cover on roofing and visibility of underlying rafters
of Engineers to activate the Corps for emergency
at new house construction sites and broad-leaf/
flood control and coastal shore protection or
narrow-leaf tree types in Lakeland, Florida.
under P.L. 93-288 as work for the Federal
Emerge was also tasked to keep their response
E m e r g e n c y Management Agency (FEMA).
time interval within 12 hours from start of image
R e g a r d l e s s of the type of disaster, rapid
acquisition to a finished geographic information
image acquisition and analysis is an important
system (GIS)-compatible product. The results were
initial source of information that can detail con-
as follows: (1) Individual roof rafters were always
ditions over a wide area. The time interval
distinguishable with 8-in. GSD and often with 1-ft
(a few hours to a few days) during which
GSD. (2) Wood covering vs. tarpaper and/or shin-
imagery provides added value is exceptionally lim-
gles was always visible with 1-ft and 8-in. GSD,
ited, because once ground observations are reli-
and often with 2-ft GSD. (3) Neither spatial nor
ably available, the imagery only provides duplicate
spectral analysis methods yielded tree type infor-
information. Therefore, a test was developed to
mation, with the exception of palm trees. (4)
evaluate how quickly proxy hurricane damage
Emerge demonstrated its capability to mount an
imagery could be acquired with an airborne sen-
emergency response collection from image acqui-
sor and orthorectified into digital products that
sition to production of orthorectified frames within
could be posted on an FTP site for the Corps of
the 12-hr time frame.
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