PARGE® Background Information
PARGE: Overview | Background | Features | Method | Results | Screenshots
Unique Software Capabilities
The major achievements of the PARGE application are:
- Operational parametric geocoding (direct geocoding - orthorectification) for airborne scanner data
- Flexible user interface and workbench for broad variety of hyperspectral sensors
- Use of state-of-the-art processing methods
- Open data structure, API and command line access operational batch processing
- Environment for post-synchronization and recalibration of auxiliary data
Development History
In 1991, an AVIRIS-based campaign initiated the research in hyperspectral data processing in Europe and also in Switzerland. In the course of these activities, researchers at the Remote Sensing Laboratories of the University of Zurich started looking into the geometric problem of airborne imaging spectrometer data. First successful orthorectification of AVIRIS data over rugged terrain in central Switzerland was shown by Peter Meyer [1994]. In 1997, these initial ideas were taken over by Daniel Schläpfer after the demand for such a program was given. An operational environment was then implemented for the parametric orthorectification of airborne scanner data, wherefrom the first first version became available in 1998 named PARGE (PARametric GEocoding). The software evolved by adding various sensor systems and improving the boresight processing (2016), extending to support of drone based hyperspectral processing (2020) and the processing of hyperspectral point clouds (2024).
The work was initially supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation (Nationalfonds). Later, the Remote Sensing Laboratories of the University of Zurich supported the further development. In spring 2000 'ReSe Applications Schläpfer' was founded for further development and commercial distribution of PARGE and related software under license of the University of Zurich. The software is currently actively maintained and developed by Daniel Schläpfer (ReSe Applications LLC).
Current Status
- PARGE version 4.0 is available
- The software is in operational use by various processing facilities worldwide.
- An on-line help system and an extensive user manual are available.
- PARGE is continuously improved and more and more sensors are included.
Credits
The application has been fully developed by D.Schläpfer using IDL (NV5 Inc.). The maintenance and updates to the software are done by 'Rese Applications LLC'.
Substantial input to the development was given by the DLR Oberpfaffenhofen (Germany), by various students at RSL, and by the PARGE end users.
The operational testing and further development of the software is done in close collaboration with imaging spectrometry sensor developers and PARGE end users.