A Survey of Geomatics Solutions
for the Rapid Mapping of Natural Hazards
I. Toschi, F. Remondino, T. Kellenberger, and A. Streilein
Abstract
Natural hazards demand a rapid assessment of the crisis
situation and the use of Geomatics platforms, sensors and
techniques can efficiently answer this need. Remotely sensed
data can, in fact, provide a valuable source of broad scale
information at each stage of the disaster management cycle,
supporting scientists and authorities in the decision-making
process. Geomatics-based procedures and techniques can
be especially exploited in the emergency mapping domain
for the extraction of reference (pre-event) and crisis (post-
event) geographic data. The major challenges today concern
the efficient selection (and integration) of the most fit-for-
purpose mapping solution(s) and the development of auto-
matic procedures to increase efficiency in data processing.
This survey article provides a review of the current opti-
cal remote sensing sensors (both satellite and airborne) for
rapid mapping applications. Advantages and disadvantages
are evaluated in order to support the selection process of
the most appropriate means to gather the required informa-
tion (i.e., significant and value-added data). Since valuable
information should be delivered in a very short time, the
management of time is defined as a priority and several
solutions are discussed to pursue efficiency in both data
acquisition and processing. With this in mind, the most
significant issues affecting time in each step of the work-
flow and overall accuracy are analyzed and reported.
Introduction
Emergency situations demand the development of an effec-
tive disaster management planning that can help to prevent
exacerbation of hazardous situations. If the traditional ap-
proach was primarily focused on response to disasters as they
occur, the emergency management is nowadays intended as
an integrated cycle model (Figure 1). The “Disaster Manage-
ment Cycle” consists of five main stages, described in Table 1
according to the definitions given in
UN-SPIDER
,
UNEP
(2012).
Each of them may be supported through the use of Geomat-
ics platforms, sensors and, techniques that provide valuable
sources of information on a large scale (Joyce
et al.
, 2009a).
Although data remotely sensed from satellite, aircraft and
UAV
(Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) cannot themselves result in
reduced damage, they offer a privileged vantage point over the
impacted area, thus facilitating the spatial understanding of
the phenomenon and the gathering of objective and standard-
ized information. Indeed, their use may facilitate better quality
decisions and, in particular, support the activities of research-
ers, intervention teams and authorities actively involved in
the immediate post-event phase, which is usually referred to
as “Rapid Mapping” (Response or Early Impact, Table 1). In
this regard, geomatics-based procedures are exploited for the
“creation of maps, geo-information products and spatial analy-
ses dedicated to providing situational awareness emergency
management and immediate crisis information for response by
means of extraction of reference (pre-event) and crisis (post-
event) geographic information/data” (Emergency Mapping
Guidelines, 2015). These geo-spatial products may feature
different levels of resolution and accuracy that vary according
to the final needs, especially in terms of delivery time.
In order to provide for a large resource of information and
coordinate hazard response activities, several international
initiatives have recently developed open-access platforms and
information services based on Earth Observation (
EO
) systems.
Among the others, the International Charter on Space and
Major Disasters (The International Disaster Charter) is a col-
laboration between sixteen space agencies aimed at provid-
ing a unified system to access satellite imagery for disaster
response. At the European level, the Copernicus Emergency
Management Service (
EMS
) exploits Earth Observation (
EO
)
satellite and
in-situ
data to deliver early warning informa-
tion and risk assessments of floods (
EFAS
–European Flood
Awareness System) and forest fire (
EFFIS
–European Forest
Fire Information System). These services are expected to be
soon extended at global scale, by means of the Global Flood
I. Toschi and F. Remondino are with the 3D Optical Metrology
(3DOM) Unit, Bruno Kessler Foundation, Trento, Italy
(
).
T. Kellenberger and A. Streilein are with the Federal Office of
Topography Swisstopo, Wabern, Switzerland.
Photogrammetric Engineering & Remote Sensing
Vol. 83, No. 12, December 2017, pp. 843–859.
0099-1112/17/843–859
© 2017 American Society for Photogrammetry
and Remote Sensing
doi: 10.14358/PERS.83.12.843
Table 1. The disaster management phases. Source:
UN-SPIDER
,
UNEP
2012.
Disaster management
Early warning
Prediction and timely recognition of imminent
hazards, in order to alert people and allow them to
get to safety.
Early impact
(Response –
Rapid mapping
)
The provision of emergency services and public
assistance during or immediately after a disaster
in order to save lives, to reduce health impacts,
to ensure public safety and to meet the basic
subsistence needs of the people affected.
Recovery
The restoration, and improvement where
appropriate, of facilities, livelihoods and living
conditions of disaster-affected communities,
including efforts to reduce disaster risk factors.
Mitigation
The lessening or limitation of the adverse impacts
of hazards and related disasters.
Preparedness
The knowledge and capacities developed by
governments, professional response and recovery
organizations, communities and individuals to
effectively anticipate, respond to, and recover
from, the impacts of likely, imminent or current
hazard events or conditions.
PHOTOGRAMMETRIC ENGINEERING & REMOTE SENSING
November 2017
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